State University of São Paulo, Brazil
Thesis: Becoming an English teacher: a sociocultural study of the inter-relationship among emotions, experiences and the (re)construction of professional identities
Research supervisor: Prof. Maria Helena Vieira Abrahão, Prof. Tatiana Machiavelli Carmo Souza

My study aims to investigate, in a context of the initial education of English teachers in Brazil, the interrelation among emotions and experiences lived by first-time English teachers, and the professional identities (re) produced in this context.
I decided to study the main concepts of my research through the lens of the Historical-Cultural Psychology and the Sociocultural Theory, trying to understand part of the complex process that is the education of teachers.
Until recently, in Applied Linguistics, talking about emotions in an academic paper was something unthinkable. It is possible to say that the concept is still under construction in AL field, known by its interdisciplinarity. We are living now what can be called “emotional turn”, which is translated into studies concerning the affective side of the processes of language learning and teaching as well as teacher education. One area that brings many contributions to AL is Psychology, helping us to understand important aspects to the comprehension of the complex process of teaching related issues.
Understanding emotions from a sociocultural (or socio-historical) perspective requires aligning definitions and methodologies of research and analysis with that of sociocultural theory, based on the studies of Historical-Cultural Psychology of Vygotsky. Therefore, I present some motives why I would like to participate of ISCAR Summer University for PhD Students:
a) Learn what the group has to present: I believe that the discussions constructed throughout the event are going to help me to refine the theoretical and methodological basis of my research. It is going to help me to broaden my knowledge about the Historical-Cultural Psychology.
b) Expose my reflections/ thoughts developed so far and collect feedback from my peers: I think it will be important for me to share the research I have been doing during my doctoral studies. To present my data analysis it is going to be an excellent opportunity to receive assessment of the work I have been performing. Another point I emphasize is that I could contribute with the discussion in the field, presenting my view as an applied linguist. By presenting my research, I consider that it would also increase its visibility in the area.
c) Bring the discussion to my everyday practice inside the classroom of teacher education at Federal University of Goiás: I believe it is very important to bring this discussion to new teachers in process of education, in order to contribute to their pedagogical practice. The evasion of teachers in the Brazilian context grows every day due to structural and to health and/or psychological problems related to the emotions experienced in the context of practice. Depression and burnout syndrome are very common among these professionals. In teacher education courses, there is a decrease in the interest of academics in practicing the profession. The understanding of these emotional phenomena only has to contribute to the education.
I hope I can participate in ISCAR Summer University for PhD Students in order to improve my knowledge about the aspects related to the teacher education process and to share what I have been reflecting about these years. Thus, I can improve my pedagogical practice as a language teacher educator.