Extension programs, social inclusion and language:

the course "Portuguese Language: effective communication at UFABC"

Abstract

Language is a system of communication that guarantees for all those who know their signs a social interaction. Sharing the same system of signs inserts the individual into a particular culture. In this way, language brings necessary elements for inclusion. In this article, we present the results of a Portuguese language course directed at outsourced employees, through a specific announcement of extension of the Federal University of ABC (UFABC). We discuss university expectations and challenges to achieve social inclusion, either through the use of language, the approach to Bakhtin 's concepts (2014), or by the goals and actions contained in the Institutional Development Plan - PDI (2013-2022) of UFABC. From the experience of this coordination’s course and of questionnaires applied before and after its offer, we conclude that actions of this type are important for inclusion of members of the university community, but that the discontinuity and lack of knowledge about the needs of its different public can create an imbalance in the opportunities offered by the university.