Agency, Awareness and Actionin Language Teaching.

In this issue of New Routes, we look at how we, English teachers, are navigating the many forces that shape our work: technology, policy, curriculum, and learner needs. Whether it’s adapting coursebooks, teaching with or without smartphones, designing bilingual lessons, or introducing AI literacy to young learners, a common thread connects all the articles: the importance of teacher agency and critical awareness. Together, these pieces remind us that thoughtful, informed action (grounded in each school’s unique context) can help make language learning more meaningful, inclusive, and future-ready.

In our cover topic, Developing AI Literacy in Primary Learners, Roberta Freitas and Isabella Campos argue that digital education must begin early. As young learners increasingly interact with AI, often without realising it, the article shows how educators can foster curiosity and digital thinking in fun, age-appropriate ways. This is not about screen time or tech skills, but about helping children ask good questions, spot patterns, and understand how machines “think”. With tools like Quick, Draw! and Teachable Machine, teachers can introduce AI without losing sight of creativity, play, or childhood.

Also on the topic of technology, our interview section explores Brazil’s national law restricting cell phone use in schools. It features multiple voices responding to a single issue. Three educators, working in different regions and types of schools, reflect on how the new rules have shaped their classroom practice. While their strategies differ, all agree: fewer phones mean deeper attention, better classroom interaction, and more space for creative alternatives. Their experiences also raise important questions about digital balance, student well-being, and the evolving role of mobile devices in education.

Shifting to bilingual education, Thais Alencar and Rafaella Rapini take us on a reflective journey through the prescribed, real, and hidden curricula. Their article invites us to think critically about what we teach, what students experience, and what messages we send about language, identity, and belonging. They offer concrete suggestions for bridging the gap between policy and practice, and for making bilingual classrooms more inclusive, responsive, and socially aware.

In Navigating Coursebooks: Teacher Agency in Action, Carla Chaves, Márcia Nogueira, and Salete Vellasco explore how materials can either support or limit our pedagogical choices. Drawing on the metaphors of “railroads” and “compasses”, the article outlines practical ways to adapt, extend, or reshape coursebook content, even in rigid or exam-driven contexts. It is a celebration of teacher creativity, and a reminder that even pre-planned lessons can be the starting point for learner-centred, dynamic experiences.

We hope this issue inspires you to reflect, adapt, and advocate for your students, your classroom, and your role as an educator.

Enjoy your read!

NUEVAS RUTAS

El autor, Oscar Cerrolaza, nos habla en este artículo sobre la importância que tienen los recursos digitales y la incorporación de la inteligencia artificial IA en el proceso de enseãnaza aprendizage de ELE.

Los profesores tiene muchas dudas de cómo utilizarla en sus clases de ELE junto con el manual, que serán respondidas en este artículo.

Nos presenta una propuesta muy interesante que son los proyectos híbridos, donde las actividades y las prácticas de trabajo presencial y grupal se reflejan en el libro de clase con acceso a recursos digitales.

No dejen de leer éste artículo que será de gran ayuda para los profesoes que están en sala de aula actualmente y necesitan trabajar con la IA.