Cadernos de Linguística has just published three articles addressing urgent issues in current debates on linguistics and education: the creation of educational materials by and for Indigenous communities, the limitations of reading assessments in low-proficiency contexts, and the impact of poorly calibrated public policies on English language instruction.
Teachers’ Perceptions of Textbook Suitability and Emergent Literacy in EFL Students
Erika Ramirez
Based on a survey of public school teachers in Chile, this article examines why textbooks that overlook children’s actual literacy levels — such as those currently used to teach English in the first year of primary school — tend to fail. The study highlights the disconnect between official policies and classroom realities.
https://doi.org/10.25189/2675-4916.2025.V6.N2.ID786
Reviewed by Veronika Stampfer and Fernanda Rosa da Silva. The editors emphasize the clarity of the diagnosis and the article’s contribution to the discussion on literacy in unequal school settings.
The Use of the Cloze Test in Reading Comprehension Assessment in Brazil: Post-Pandemic Challenges
Flávia Oliveira Freitas, Gislane Evangelista dos Santos, Raquel Meister Ko. Freitag
This article reviews the use of the cloze test in assessing reading comprehension among elementary school students in Brazil. While the exact word completion criterion remains widely used, the authors argue that it falls short in the face of learning disparities intensified by the pandemic. They propose the adoption of lexical distance metrics, based on NLP techniques, to expand diagnostic tools in low-proficiency contexts.
https://doi.org/10.25189/2675-4916.2025.V6.N2.ID787
Reviewed by Richenda Wright and Kátia Nazareth Moura de Abreu. The editorial recommendation highlights the article’s potential to enhance assessment practices by integrating established approaches with computational tools.
Gramática Pedagógica Wai Wai: reflections and methodological practices on the creation of educational materials for an Indigenous community
Angela F. A. Chagas, Sergio Seexuci Wai Wai, Wiwson Wai Wai, Anna Carolina G. Dias, Raniery O. S. Silva, Rosane da C. Monteiro
This is a detailed account of a collaborative process to develop a school grammar entirely written in the Wai Wai language. The article discusses methodological decisions, stages of production, and workshops held with Indigenous teachers, all aiming to strengthen the use of Wai Wai as a language of instruction.
https://doi.org/10.25189/2675-4916.2025.V6.N3.ID810
Reviewed by Andérbio Marcio Silva Martins and Lucivaldo Silva da Costa. The editors highlight the strength of the project as a model for pedagogical material developed with Indigenous leadership and autonomy.
