ConTEXTO Project: reading and writing skills in focus

Abstract

This paper aims to report the experience in the extension project “ConTEXT: Reading and Writing Workshops”, an initiative whose objective is to contribute to the development and improvement of writing skills and competencies of High School students from both IFMG campus Ouro Branco and other people who might be interested in it, especially for writing the essay in the Brazilian National High School Exam (ENEM). In order to achieve the mentioned purpose, this project has sought to enable various forms of interaction (in-person and online classes, personal tutoring etc.) Based mainly on perspectives from the fields of Applied Linguistics, Textual Linguistics, and Discourse Analysis, the team defends a text approach that considers it a situated social practice. The project methodology seeks to encompass several actions as the intention is always to promote interaction between those involved in it and other interested parties. Last year, new implementations were made to the project website, more face-to-face tutoring were offered, and an app for the project was designed in order to increase its reach, thus reinforcing its public orientation.