NJINGA&SEPÉ: Revista Internacional de Culturas, Línguas Africanas e Brasileiras

INTRODUCTION

No educational practice exists outside the realm of language. It is through language that knowledge circulates, pedagogical relationships are formed, and each society defines the ways in which it teaches, learns, and envisions its future. The changes marking the present era shift these relationships, reconfigure the modes of producing and sharing knowledge, and challenge researchers and teachers to revisit established concepts regarding teaching, professional development, and literacies. In this context, reflecting on language requires discussing the conditions that enable an education capable of responding to the demands of a reality that is increasingly diverse, interconnected, and socially complex.

This dossier is situated within this framework, dedicated to fostering a connection between research conducted in Brazil and in African countries that investigates the intersections of Linguistic Studies and Education. The works gathered here engage with experiences developed in both formal and non-formal educational settings, across various levels and modalities of schooling, including university-level teaching. Although they address distinct subjects, they share a common interest in understanding how language practices respond to the challenges posed by print and digital technologies, multiple literacies, and contemporary demands for professional development.

Bringing these contexts together goes beyond thematic convergence; it creates a space for dialogue among diverse historical, cultural, and educational experiences. In all of them, language plays a foundational role in human development and in the organization of educational practices committed to linguistic, cultural, and social plurality. In this sense, the research presented here reaffirms that language teaching entails considering the conditions under which discourse is produced, the diversity of the individuals involved, and the impact that any educational practice has on forms of social participation.

We hope this work inspires further research and contributes to consolidating a concept of education in which linguistic difference serves as a principle that expands the possibilities for producing knowledge, shaping individuals, and building more pluralistic ways of living together. Acknowledgments to Otaviano for the recording and to Farisse Alexandre Timbane (UFBA) for the editing and organization of the video articles published in this special issue.

Publication Organizers: Prof. Dr. Letícia de Sousa Leite, Prof. Dr. Eliamar Godoi, and Prof. Dr. Carine Gurunga de Matos.