Standard educational models are undergoing a major overhaul in Brazil, starting with how foreign languages are taught. At the University of São Paulo’s (USP) School of Education, researcher Beatriz Rodrigues Lima has developed a framework designed to completely rethink the English learning experience. Moving away from traditional Eurocentric curriculums, Lima’s master’s dissertation introduces an Afro-referenced teaching model based on the “escrevivência” methodology created by author Conceição Evaristo. The primary objective is to shift the classroom dynamic so students can connect with the language on a personal and cultural level. Rather than pursuing language studies simply out of an affinity for global pop culture exports like Harry Potter, the curriculum encourages students to view English as a practical tool that belongs to them just as much as anyone else.
Lima brings significant hands-on classroom experience to her academic research. After earning her undergraduate degree in English Language and Literature at USP, she participated in a year-long exchange program in New Zealand, honing her fluency in a highly international academic environment. She brought that global perspective back to the Brazilian public education sector and currently teaches at a state Technology School (Fatec) in São Paulo. Her ongoing work emphasizes the need for language education that goes beyond rote memorization, focusing instead on methodologies that deeply resonate with the students’ own lived experiences and identities.
Building Hubs for Environmental Literacy
This push for pedagogical innovation extends well beyond language departments. In the northern state of Pará, the educational focus has pivoted toward integrating technology, environmental science, and student leadership. Ahead of the UN’s COP30 climate summit in Belém, the State Department of Education (Seduc) launched the House of Education and Environmental and Climate Innovation at the Ciseb center. Developed in collaboration with USP’s Educom&Clima Project and Parole magazine, the initiative operates as a massive training ground for the next generation of environmental leaders.
The program is designed to turn theoretical sustainability into applied learning. Currently, the space hosts researchers, educators, and students for a packed schedule of workshops, discussion circles, and sustainable robotics tournaments. The curriculum actively pushes students to take ownership of their educational output. This is highlighted by the launch of books written entirely by students from the state public network, alongside curated academic and artistic exhibitions like Guardians of Nature and Colors of the Future.
According to Cacilene Bandeira, coordinator of Ciseb Guajará, the entire school community has heavily engaged with the new curriculum. State Education Secretary Ricardo Sefer captured the broader mission of these initiatives, emphasizing that environmental education is the definitive tool for building conscious, forward-thinking citizens. Whether educators are redesigning the methodology of language acquisition in São Paulo or turning public schools into hubs for climate innovation in the Amazon, the Brazilian educational landscape is actively deploying new strategies to prepare students for a complex global future.
