In-service education and teaching practice: The foreign language teacher and student in focus

The aim of this paper is to analyze the role of Brazilian teachers of English as well as that of children and pre-adolescents in public schools. The theoretical approach employed adopted is based on educational theories underlying for a reflective practice. To develop this study, the English classes in both the first and fifth years given by five teachers were observed and the results of the observations were recorded in reflective diaries. The presentation and analysis of the gathered data show that the teachers are in a transition moment between the structural and the interactive-constructivist perspectives in their educational process. This approach influences the way they see their students and how they react to the developed teaching proposals.Key words: in-service education, English language, teachers’ role, students’ role.