Cadets´ Perceptions on Their English Language Improvement

Abstract

The objective of this article is to analyze the perceptions of the Agulhas Negras Military Academy (AMAN) 1st-year cadets on the development of their English language skills. This research follows a qualitative approach, seeking to apprehend the participants’ views about the Four Skills Project (4SP), which was designed in 2021, with the objective of providing the integrated improvement of their language skills (listening comprehension, oral expression, reading comprehension and written expression) in a ludic and challenging way. The theoretical references for this research are: the integrated learning model, elaborated by Roegiers and De Ketele (2004); the pedagogical theory of meaningful learning (AUSUBEL et al., 1980); and the bases for teachers' professional knowledge (SHULMAN, 2014). The main results refer to the following aspects: dedication to the 4SP tasks; favorable and unfavorable factors; previous cognitive performance; development of language skills; influence on their individual language interest; and, finally, the impacts of the project on the conditions for achieving proficiency.