PROMOTING ACTIVE AGING THROUGH SPANISH TEACHING AND LEARNING – A PROPOSAL ON LANGUAGES, CULTURES, SOCIALIZATION AND INCLUSION

Abstract

Background: The Extension Project aims to promote the teaching of Spanish to people over 45 years old, through a decentralized approach to normative grammar, with activities adapted to their physical and cognitive abilities. In this way, it aims to assist in active aging and to encourage practical skills that value elderly people, as well as contribute to the cognitive, effective and social well-being, striving to strengthen the intergenerational bonds. According to the Censo (2022) on the progressive index of population aging, human rights policies, and the defense of elderly people, it is extremely important to develop inclusive practices that assist in the fight of violence and inequality that affected the public. Purpose: The purpose of the project is to promote active aging and social inclusion through adapted Spanish language instruction for adults over 45. Methods: Ten women participated in the project, with an age group between 46 to 85 years old. The pedagogic practices involve the use of multimodal texts, interdisciplinary, intercultural and decentralized activities of normative grammar. Furthermore, a library was created with examples available for the students to use, that was interested in the lecture of a diversity of areas. The project is based on theory related to the stimulus of memory, cognition and brain plasticity, as well as the Education of Young and Adults Curriculum (EJA) from National Base Common Curriculum (BNCC, 2018), adapting to the specific needs of the target audience. In addition, the project incorporates contributions from Applied Linguistics, with a focus on metacognition and in the development of autonomy. Results: It was observed interest for the classes, enthusiasm and active participation from the participants. Through informal interactions, benefits were reported to cognitive abilities, such as remembering names of objects; self-esteem and socialization, through group interactions; and as motivation to learn, expressed through suggestions of new topics and interest in technical visits. The interaction and engagement were fundamental, contributing to group strengthening and the teaching-learning process of those involved in the extension activity. There were also mentions of interactions with friends and Spanish-speaking church members, highlighting the application of the knowledge in everyday life. Despite that, some participants dropped out for health and personal reasons. Conclusion: The project promotes self-esteem, well-being, autonomy, inclusion and socialization through the teaching-learning of Spanish and their cultures. Its relevance stands out as university extension action, taking the role of an agent of transformation when approaching the academic knowledge to the reality of participants. Implications: It reaffirmed, in this context, the commitment to the democratization of access to knowledge, in an integrated and free way. Besides, it highlights its alignment with social policies through intercultural, interdisciplinary and humanized educational practices. Finally, the project reaffirms the importance of a university extension project accessible, committed to dignity, the multilingual teaching, the longevity and the valorization of the aging through intergenerational relations.