English in Brazil: views, policies and programs

The discussion of the role of English in Brazil is at the center of the discussion of the changes recently experienced in that country which is going through a moment of political awakening. Many are the claims and demands of the society and insomuch as educational reform is involved, there seems to be a general recognition that the role of English in that country must be reviewed in language policies and programs so as to meet these demands. Brazilian government funded programs such as the English without Borders have been created as an attempt to readdress the perceived imbalance in terms of the off¬er of English courses. Despite the importance of this program in the national scenario, it is not available for all levels of education nor for all tertiary population. The chapters in this book describe diff¬erent views, actions and programs in relation to English in Brazil and which show that the discussion of the role of English in that country summarizes many political, social and economic claims of the population and tensions in the country which help to understand the current scenario in Brazil in relation to globalization. With a population of over 200 million people and many challenges (and possibilities) in the economic and educational sectors, the discussion of the impact of globalization in Brazil (and the role of English within it) represents a relevant glimpse into to the struggle of other developing nations and the world in general.