The centrality of discourse genres in language education: reflections and experiences

Abstract

Since the Bakhtin Circle in the late 1920s and the Geneva School in the late 1990s, the study of discourse genres has been a central focus for scholars. This interest is driven by a dual purpose: to better understand these artifacts of social interaction and to improve language teaching. Among the works that view these artifacts as powerful teaching tools, “Gêneros orais e escritos na escola” (Oral and written genres at school) is undeniably a standout. The Portuguese translation and edition of this book were published in 2004. Over 20 years later, the texts within this work continue to inform research and classroom practices, particularly those centered on learning the Portuguese language. In this article, we present studies we have developed, many of which were academic advisements, that focus on both oral and written genres. We consider these genres as a means of intervention and, consequently, as a path toward more productive teaching. Our theoretical perspectives align with those championed by the authors of the aforementioned work. Therefore, the objective of this article is to reflect further on these forms of organizing discourse and their function in social interactions, as well as to present and discuss some of the results from studies conducted under our guidance.