Presentation

The Junior Researchers in Anglo-American Studies Platform (JRAAS) was created to keep students informed about and involved in the events and activities of the Centre for English, Translation and Anglo-Portuguese Studies (CETAPS) and of the Department of Anglo-American Studies of the Faculdade de Letras da Universidade do Porto, not only during their Masters but also after the completion of the degree. Now it includes all young researchers at CETAPS, from FLUP and all otgher institutions associated. The group of coordinators from Porto is now completed with young researchers from FCSH, in Lisbon.

For logistics, it is headquartered at FLUP I&D. The platform manages the Digital Laboratory, assists the research groups and events organized by CETAPS, and collaborates in the editing of Via Panorâmica and eTEALS, both journals published by senior researchers. It also manages the social networks associated with CETAPS and JRAAS. Furthermore, it organizes monthly seminars and cinema sessions and publishes a newsletter, which also has a monthly periodicity. Finally, it is responsible for the planning and organization of the monthly reading club.

Os mestrandos de todos os cursos, incluindo os mestrandos em ensino, fazem parte integrante dos Junior Researchers in Anglo-American Studies (JRAAS), o que significa que fazem investigação num ambiente misto e interdisciplinar que cruza a investigação avançada de dois cursos de doutoramento também relacionados com a área científica do CE (Doutoramento em Educação e Doutoramento em Didática das Línguas – Multilinguismo e Educação para a Cidadania Global) com a investigação realizada para os fins específicos do CE. Desta forma, os mestrandos estão imersos num ambiente de excelência investigativa único e partilham experiências de ensino e investigação com doutorandos que trabalham na mesma área científica.

A partir de 2021, os mestrandos de ensino da NOVA FCSH puderem também concorrer a bolsas de iniciação à investigação, o que reforça as oportunidades de integração num ambiente avançado que ajuda a elevar a qualidade da investigação realizada por estes mestrandos. Estes têm ainda a oportunidade de participar nos inúmeros fora científicos organizados pelo CETAPS, onde podem partilhar as suas experiências letivas e de investigação.

Este enquadramento dos nossos mestrandos numa cultura académica que estimula a investigação e interacção com outros cicos de estudo pode ajudar a explicar que estudantes graduados nos mestrados nos continuem a procurar inscrevendo-se, quer no CE de Doutoramento em Didáctica das Línguas quer no CE em Ensino de Inglês no 1º Ciclo, e 3ºCEB/Ensino Secundário.

De notar que esta situação é única no País. Assim, muita da produção científica dos docentes do CE está relacionada também com estas interações com os profissionais de ensino de Inglês em formação (em mestrados e doutoramentos).

Master students of all courses are an integral part of the Junior Researchers in Anglo-American Studies (JRAAS), which means that they do research in a mixed and interdisciplinary environment that links advanced research from two doctorate degree courses which are also related to the scientific area of the CS (PhD in Education and PhD in Language Didactics – Multilingualism and Education for Global Citizenship) with research carried out for the specific purposes of the masters in teacher education. In this way, masters’ students are immersed in an environment of investigative excellence and share teaching and research experiences with doctoral students working in the same scientific area.

From 2021 onwards, the master’s students at NOVA FCSH may also apply for initial research grants, which reinforces the opportunities for integration in an advanced environment that helps to raise the quality of the research carried out by these students. They also have the opportunity to participate in the numerous scientific events organised by CETAPS, where they can share their teaching and research experiences.

This setting of these MA students within an academic culture that encourages research and interaction with other cycles of study may help explain why students graduating from this MAs in teacher education continue to seek us out by enrolling in either the PhD in Language Didactics or the CS in Teaching English in 1^st and 3^rd cycle and Secondary Education.

It should be noted that this situation is unique in the country. Thus, much of the scientific production of our teachers is also related to these interactions with English teaching professionals in training (in Master’s and PhD courses).

Contact us through: jraas@letras.up.pt