Reading Comprehension

The use of media and digital technologies has transformed English language teaching and learning in Brazil. Teachers can now use videos, podcasts, digital games, social media, online dictionaries, educational platforms, and interactive applications to create more dynamic learning experiences. These resources can provide students with contact with authentic materials and different varieties of English used around the world.

However, technology itself does not guarantee effective learning. The teacher plays an important role in selecting appropriate resources and connecting them to clear learning objectives. Digital tools should be used as pedagogical resources rather than simply as entertainment. For example, a teacher may use a video to develop listening comprehension, followed by a discussion that encourages students to express their opinions in English.

Technology can also support collaboration and student autonomy. Online projects may allow students to work together, communicate with other learners, and produce multimodal texts combining words, images, sounds, and videos. In addition, students can access English-language materials outside the classroom, creating opportunities for continuous learning.

Despite these possibilities, the use of technology in Brazilian schools also presents challenges. Unequal access to devices and reliable internet connections can create educational inequalities. Teachers may also need training to integrate digital resources effectively into their pedagogical practices.

Therefore, the meaningful use of technology requires not only access to digital tools but also critical planning, teacher mediation, and consideration of students’ social and educational contexts.

    The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet - Synopsis by William Shakespeare

    The prologue of Romeo and Juliet calls the title characters “star-crossed lovers”—and the stars do seem to conspire against these young lovers.

    Romeo is a Montague, and Juliet a Capulet. Their families are enmeshed in a feud, but the moment they meet—when Romeo and his friends attend a party at Juliet’s house in disguise—the two fall in love and quickly decide that they want to be married. 

    A friar secretly marries them, hoping to end the feud. Romeo and his companions almost immediately encounter Juliet’s cousin Tybalt, who challenges Romeo. When Romeo refuses to fight, Romeo’s friend Mercutio accepts the challenge and is killed. Romeo then kills Tybalt and is banished. He spends that night with Juliet and then leaves for Mantua.

    Juliet’s father forces her into a marriage with Count Paris. To avoid this marriage, Juliet takes a potion, given her by the friar, that makes her appear dead. The friar will send Romeo word to be at her family tomb when she awakes. The plan goes awry, and Romeo learns instead that she is dead. In the tomb, Romeo kills himself. Juliet wakes, sees his body, and commits suicide. Their deaths appear finally to end the feud.

SHAKESPEARE, William. Romeo and Juliet from The Folger Shakespeare. Eds. Barbara Mowat, Paul Werstine, Michael Poston, and Rebecca Niles. Folger Shakespeare Library, Accessed on: 27 Sept. 2026. Available at: https://www.folgerdigitaltexts.org/PDF/Rom.pdf 

    The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet - Synopsis by William Shakespeare

    The prologue of Romeo and Juliet calls the title characters “star-crossed lovers”—and the stars do seem to conspire against these young lovers.

    Romeo is a Montague, and Juliet a Capulet. Their families are enmeshed in a feud, but the moment they meet—when Romeo and his friends attend a party at Juliet’s house in disguise—the two fall in love and quickly decide that they want to be married. 

    A friar secretly marries them, hoping to end the feud. Romeo and his companions almost immediately encounter Juliet’s cousin Tybalt, who challenges Romeo. When Romeo refuses to fight, Romeo’s friend Mercutio accepts the challenge and is killed. Romeo then kills Tybalt and is banished. He spends that night with Juliet and then leaves for Mantua.

    Juliet’s father forces her into a marriage with Count Paris. To avoid this marriage, Juliet takes a potion, given her by the friar, that makes her appear dead. The friar will send Romeo word to be at her family tomb when she awakes. The plan goes awry, and Romeo learns instead that she is dead. In the tomb, Romeo kills himself. Juliet wakes, sees his body, and commits suicide. Their deaths appear finally to end the feud.

SHAKESPEARE, William. Romeo and Juliet from The Folger Shakespeare. Eds. Barbara Mowat, Paul Werstine, Michael Poston, and Rebecca Niles. Folger Shakespeare Library, Accessed on: 27 Sept. 2026. Available at: https://www.folgerdigitaltexts.org/PDF/Rom.pdf 

TEXT V

Turn on your light

by Ben Okri

[…]

Will you be at the harvest,

Among the gatherers of new fruits?

Then you must begin today to remake

Your mental and spiritual world,

And join the warriors and celebrants

Of freedom, realisers of great dreams.

You can't remake the world

Without remaking yourself.

Each new era begins within.

It is an inward event,

With unsuspected possibilities

For inner liberation.

We could use it to turn on

Our inward lights.

We could use it to use even the dark

And negative things positively.

We could use the new era

To clean our eyes,

To see the world differently,

To see ourselves more clearly.

Only free people can make a free world.

Infect the world with your light.

Help fulfill the golden prophecies.

Press forward the human genius.

Our future is greater than our past.

Adapted from https://greatturning.net/turn-on-your-light-by-ben-okri/

TEXT I 

In today’s media-rich environment, the vast majority of texts students engage with daily — such as YouTube videos, Instagram reels, TikTok clips, streaming series, video games and blog posts — are not only digital but also multimodal. These texts combine language with image, sound, movement and spatial design to convey meaning, often requiring learners to interpret and respond across multiple modes simultaneously. As digital technologies evolve, the pervasiveness and complexity of multimodal communication grow, reshaping both how we communicate and what it means to be literate.

Contemporary communication extends far beyond speech and writing; it is a layered, dynamic process that includes visual, aural, gestural and spatial elements. As such, literacy can no longer be understood solely as a linguistic skill. To participate fully in today’s social, academic and professional contexts, learners need more than the ability to read and write alphabetic text — they need to view, interpret, evaluate and represent meaning through a range of semiotic resources. In this context, traditional notions of literacy are insufficient and language education must evolve to reflect the multimodal nature of communication in the 21st century […]

Importantly, multimodal literacy also promotes accessibility and inclusion. Learners with reading difficulties, sensory impairments or diverse learning needs often struggle with traditional printbased instruction. Multimodal texts provide alternative pathways to meaning, allowing information to be accessed and expressed through visuals, sound, movement and space. This not only supports learners with special educational needs but benefits all students by offering multiple modes for engagement and expression. By embedding multimodal materials and encouraging students to compose multimodal texts, teachers create more equitable and inclusive classrooms. Multimodal learning reflects how people communicate in real life — and, crucially, supports the development of diverse literacies needed for participation in contemporary society. 

In summary, integrating multimodal literacy into language teaching fosters deeper engagement, enhances learning outcomes and equips students with the skills to navigate and contribute meaningfully to today’s complex communicative landscape.

Adapted from https://film-english.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/themultimodal-approach-in-language-teaching.pdf

TEXT I 

In today’s media-rich environment, the vast majority of texts students engage with daily — such as YouTube videos, Instagram reels, TikTok clips, streaming series, video games and blog posts — are not only digital but also multimodal. These texts combine language with image, sound, movement and spatial design to convey meaning, often requiring learners to interpret and respond across multiple modes simultaneously. As digital technologies evolve, the pervasiveness and complexity of multimodal communication grow, reshaping both how we communicate and what it means to be literate.

Contemporary communication extends far beyond speech and writing; it is a layered, dynamic process that includes visual, aural, gestural and spatial elements. As such, literacy can no longer be understood solely as a linguistic skill. To participate fully in today’s social, academic and professional contexts, learners need more than the ability to read and write alphabetic text — they need to view, interpret, evaluate and represent meaning through a range of semiotic resources. In this context, traditional notions of literacy are insufficient and language education must evolve to reflect the multimodal nature of communication in the 21st century […]

Importantly, multimodal literacy also promotes accessibility and inclusion. Learners with reading difficulties, sensory impairments or diverse learning needs often struggle with traditional printbased instruction. Multimodal texts provide alternative pathways to meaning, allowing information to be accessed and expressed through visuals, sound, movement and space. This not only supports learners with special educational needs but benefits all students by offering multiple modes for engagement and expression. By embedding multimodal materials and encouraging students to compose multimodal texts, teachers create more equitable and inclusive classrooms. Multimodal learning reflects how people communicate in real life — and, crucially, supports the development of diverse literacies needed for participation in contemporary society. 

In summary, integrating multimodal literacy into language teaching fosters deeper engagement, enhances learning outcomes and equips students with the skills to navigate and contribute meaningfully to today’s complex communicative landscape.

Adapted from https://film-english.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/themultimodal-approach-in-language-teaching.pdf