Introduction

Brazilian federal universities are built upon a fundamental triad of principles: teaching, extension, and research. None of these pillars must be elevated above the others, as they form an interdependent framework. Through research, we produce and cultivate new knowledge; teaching allows us to disseminate this knowledge to our students while driving further discoveries; extension empowers our broader community by applying our expertise and specialised skills for their benefit.

In this chapter, a pivotal segment of a comprehensive book spotlighting the largest extension initiative within the Faculdade de Letras at the Federal University of Goiás - the Language Center (Centro de Línguas, henceforth CL) - we embark on an exploration of one of our notable extension endeavours. This undertaking has actively engaged many of our CL esteemed teachers and dedicated students: the Reading Club UFG.

The Reading Club UFG exemplifies our commitment to bridging the academic and communal enrichment gap. Through vibrant discussions and literary explorations, this initiative nurtures a culture of intellectual curiosity among our students. It extends the fruits of our collective knowledge to the surrounding community, fostering a spirit of lifelong learning and shared growth. This chapter offers a comprehensive insight into the inception, evolution, and impact of this remarkable endeavour, showcasing the dynamic synergy between teaching, research, and extension that underpins the ethos of our institution.

For pedagogical clarity, this chapter has been organised into three distinct sections, in addition to this introductory segment and our concluding remarks. The initial section discusses the benefits of reading clubs and provides a comprehensive overview of the project explored in this chapter, highlighting its core objectives and structure. In the second segment, we delve into some information about the organising committee and the dedicated individuals who form the club's membership. The third section delves into the participants' experience, offering insights into the club's significance and impact on their personal and academic journeys. Lastly, we present the new format of the project, post-pandemic.

The Reading Club UFG – historical view

Reading Clubs serve as vibrant hubs for intellectual exchange and communal exploration of literature. These clubs, whether convened physically or virtually, provide a nurturing environment where avid readers call to dissect, discuss, and immerse themselves in the world of written works. According to studies by Shoemaker (2020), participation in reading clubs has significantly enhanced critical thinking, comprehension skills, and even empathic understanding. The communal nature of these clubs fosters a rich tapestry of perspectives, allowing members to delve deeper into the layers of a narrative and unravel diverse interpretations.

At the heart of reading clubs lies the power of communal engagement and shared dialogue. Group discussions within these clubs often lead to nuanced interpretations and deeper insights into literary works. The collaborative nature of these discussions not only broadens individual perspectives but also cultivates a sense of camaraderie and shared intellectual growth among participants. Moreover, studies conducted by Johnston (2013) underscore the social benefits of reading clubs, highlighting the vitality of allowing students to choose their literary texts and the pace for their reading. One cannot stress enough the contribution of reading clubs in fostering social connections, combating isolation, and creating a sense of community belonging.

In addition to the intrinsic value of literary exploration, reading clubs offer a platform for cognitive stimulation and mental well-being. According to Carney and Robertson (2022), being individually exposed to literature per se does not have a proven immediate impact on well-being, as a process of mnemonic consolidation is a sine-qua-non-condition to benefit from that. However, the authors emphasise that socially recalling and discussing fiction in indirect engagement with it, as done in reading clubs, has very positive impacts on well-being, as statistically demonstrated by measures of mood and emotion. Those meetings to engage in literature discussion stimulate mental faculties, promote relaxation, and even aid in stress reduction. The amalgamation of cognitive exercise and emotional resonance found within the pages of literary works provides reading club members with a holistic avenue for personal enrichment and self-reflection.

Furthermore, reading clubs often extend their influence beyond literature, spurring civic engagement and cultural awareness. Research by Álvarez-Álvarez (2015) highlights how discussions on socio-political themes or diverse cultural narratives within these clubs can prompt critical reflections and inspire social consciousness among participants. This multifaceted impact underscores the transformative potential of reading clubs as catalysts for broader societal engagement and empathetic understanding.

The Reading Club UFG was created in 2018 under the coordination of this chapter's first author. Professor Lago's (2018) project’s primary goal is stated as follows:

“to offer meetings to establish a group of discussion of literary works in the English language, in a reading club format. These discussions aim to enrich readers' cultural and linguistic skills and broadly encourage reading within UFG and the community". Lago (2018, p. 2)

As specific objectives, the project aimed at

• Promote social relations between the academic and external communities through English literature.
• Offer the opportunity for contact with literary and cultural aspects of Anglo- Saxon origin.
• Improve participants’ English language skills. (Lago, 2018, p. 2)

To achieve those objectives, the actions were set at the Faculdade de Letras – UFG, and there were 16 in-person meetings from July 2018 to July 2019. Each meeting was about a different short story. The organising committee preferred short stories to books because they believed more people would feel prone to do the reading and participate in the project. According to an article available on the Unisinos website, only 52% of Brazilians claim they have reading as a habit. While Canadians read 12 books a year on average, we read only 4. That information has to be taken into account once reading clubs like the one at UFG can help change this reality for the better.

The participants could see that, for every meeting, multiple experiences and interpretations were shared. Thus, this reading club improved not only people’s reading and language abilities but also their sense of humanity and empathy. Reading books in a less formal setting helps create individuals with educator-educatee experiences in a Freirean way that could not happen otherwise. When they share their experience and listen to others’ experiences, they learn and teach, even if they are unaware.

In an earnest endeavour to disseminate crucial insights about the pivotal meetings held in 2018 and 2019, a collaborative effort ensued among scholars, dedicated volunteers, and the adept project coordinator. Employing the expansive reach of social media platforms, they strategically shared comprehensive updates, fostering broader awareness and engagement. Additionally, these passionate advocates initiated meaningful conversations, ensuring that the significance of the meetings resonated with diverse audiences. The organising committee meticulously crafted and produced informative flyers, a tangible manifestation of their commitment, which were then skillfully printed at the Centro de Línguas. These visually compelling flyers adorned the campus walls, serving as dynamic visual cues for passersby.

Professor Neuda Lago, the primary author of this chapter, went above and beyond to amplify the course's impact. Recognising the potential of television as a powerful medium, she actively participated in multiple sessions on TV UFG, a channel dedicated to cultural and educational content. Through these televised opportunities, she adeptly conveyed the essence and objectives of the extension course, effectively reaching a broader cross-section of society. In doing so, Professor Lago epitomised an unwavering commitment to public outreach, ensuring that the knowledge and outcomes of the meetings transcended academic confines and resonated with the broader community.

The meetings took place on Tuesdays for one hour every other week, and the desks were organised in a circle so that students could see and communicate better. In the beginning, they shared a summary of the story for those who had not had the opportunity to read it or who had struggled to understand it fully. Although their starting point was always the content of the text, they always went beyond it and talked about relevant individual and social topics.

In the dynamic milieu of the debates, our dedicated volunteers took proactive measures to enhance the participatory experience. Recognising the importance of acknowledgement and documentation, an attendance list was meticulously circulated, capturing the names of attendees and paving the way for the subsequent distribution of 2-hour certificates. This systematic approach ensured the recognition of active participants and facilitated a streamlined communication process. The certificates, emblematic of commitment and intellectual engagement, were promptly emailed every two weeks, fostering a sense of achievement and motivation among the attendees.

Moreover, an inclusive feedback mechanism was implemented to harness the collective insights and preferences of the Reading Club participants. Each member was provided a thoughtfully designed questionnaire, offering them a platform to anonymise their feedback and sentiments. This facilitated a constructive dialogue, enabling participants to articulate what resonated with them and areas that could be further improved. The open-ended nature of the questionnaire also encouraged the sharing of ideas, creating a democratic space where diverse perspectives could contribute to the evolution of the Reading Club.

In a bid to cultivate a sense of ownership and inclusivity, the Reading Club actively encouraged all participants to shape the trajectory of future meetings. A democratic ethos was upheld as members were invited to suggest topics, propose literary genres, recommend authors, and share captivating short stories for consideration in upcoming sessions. This collaborative approach diversified the content and empowered the community, transforming the Reading Club UFG into a dynamic platform that reflected its engaged participants' diverse interests and preferences.

The Organizing Committee and participants

The Reading Club UFG Organizing Committee’s members were mostly students from the Modern Languages Majors from Faculdade de Letras – UFG. A high percentage of them were Language Center English teachers.

Under Professor Lago’s supervision, the organising committee comprised Faculdade de Letras’ students from distinct majors: English, Portuguese, Spanish and French. Their studies were at different levels at university, from the third term to the eighth term. Their age varied between 17 and 28 years old.

The Organising Committee members were affiliated with the UFG Extension Program as a PROBEC student (who held a scholarship) and six PROVEC students (who would do the same work but would not get any grant). The Reading Club UFG began with meetings held only in English. After four months, we also started sessions in Spanish, reading Spanish short stories, whose meetings would be held in the same room, 112 of Faculdade de Letras, but on Thursdays. Professor Pablo Antón Mira co-coordinated the Spanish branch of the Reading Club UFG. For the discussion in this chapter, due to space constraints, the data comes from the English participants.

Besides the Organising Committee, we discuss here some data collected in an assessment questionnaire that was answered every fortnight by all the participants. We assigned pseudonyms to the participants in this chapter for confidentiality reasons. Members of the UFG community and members of the broad community took part in the meetings. From UFG, we received professors, technicians, administrative staff and students. The only criterion for selecting the participants was that they could understand and speak English, as the discussions were held in that language. But as participation was free, advanced mastery of that language was unnecessary.

The Reading Club UFG experience

In this session, we discuss some of the meanings the participants highlighted about their experience in the Reading Club. The data herein come from two sources: open-ended questionnaires and final reports. The questionnaires were delivered after each session for all the participants to answer. Each member of the Organising Committee wrote the final reports at the end of the project's first year in 2019.

Firstly, it is vital to highlight the main activities developed within the Reading Club UFG. Short stories were selected at every meeting. The participants would have about two weeks to read the text. The meeting lasted about one hour, during which the participants debated the text reader. The texts read were Recitatif (Toni Morrison), Amundsen (Alice Munro), The Arrangement (Chimamanda Adichie), Mastiff (Joyce Carol Oates), Track (Nicole Flattery), Basil and Cleopatra (Scott Fitzgerald), Nightfall (Isaac Asimov), Stone Mattress (Margaret Atwood), The Yellow Wallpaper (Charlotte Perkins Gilman), The outsiders (H.P. Lovecraft), The snows of Kilimanjaro (Ernest Hemingway), The Juniper Tree (Lorie Moore), The veldt ( Ray Bradbury), The thing around your neck (Chimamanda Adichie), The Nightingale and the Rose (Oscar Wilde), The Rocking-Horse Winner (D.H. Lawrence), The fall of the house of Usher (Edgar Allan Poe), Brokeback Mountain (Annie Proulx), The Last Leaf (O. Henry), The Eye (Alice Munro), The Development (Karen Jennings).

In students' eyes, the Reading Club UFG is a vibrant intellectual hub, offering much more than just literary discussions. It provides a unique platform where individuals from diverse backgrounds and academic disciplines converge, transcending the confines of their respective majors, such as one of the PROVEC students tells in the report sent in UFG systems:

The Reading Club UFG provides a space for people with different experiences to interact and exchange ideas. It also offers an environment for sharing experiences and linguistic knowledge of the English language […]; the meetings are not limited to literary, cultural, and linguistic issues; there is interaction between the academic community from different disciplines and the external community. Through discussions initiated by literary works in English, they create an environment of cultural sharing and knowledge. (Brendan. p.3, 2019)

It represents an opportunity for language students to broaden their horizons beyond the confines of classrooms, engaging in stimulating conversations encompassing the intricacies of English literature and the cultural tapestry woven through these texts. Within this inclusive environment, students interact with peers who bring different life experiences to the table, fostering a sense of camaraderie beyond the academic sphere. It nurtures an atmosphere where individuals can freely express their thoughts, ideas, and interpretations, honing their communication skills and refining their perspectives.

Engaging in discussions initiated by English literary works, students not only delve into the realms of literature but also explore the diverse cultural nuances embedded within these texts. This multidimensional approach enhances their understanding of the English language and enriches their overall educational experience, making the Reading Club UFG a cornerstone of their university journey and their Language Center experience – many people who attended the meetings were Language Center students. Through this shared exploration of literature, students find themselves immersed in the beauty of language and connected to a community where cultural exchange and knowledge sharing flourish.

The exchange of ideas within the context of literary works imbued with profound social, political, and cultural significance has fundamentally transformed the student experience within the Reading Club UFG. It has transcended the traditional boundaries of academic discourse, offering students a unique platform where their perspectives are valued and crucial in understanding contemporary society's complexities. Engaging with such relevant themes has sparked intellectual curiosity among students, encouraging them to explore literature as a solitary pursuit and a collective endeavour that mirrors and dissects the world's pressing issues. As said in student Sally's report:

The exchange of ideas and experiences among all involved centred around literary texts with themes of the utmost social, political, and cultural relevance. This has opened new horizons for those who love literature and seek a free and open environment for discussing contemporary issues. (Sally, p. 7, 2019)

In this open environment, students share knowledge and actively contribute to meaningful discussions. The freedom to express thoughts, challenge ideas, and explore diverse viewpoints has empowered students, fostering a sense of agency in their learning journey. Moreover, this exchange of ideas has broadened their horizons, allowing them to appreciate the interconnectedness of literature with real-world challenges. It has become a space where students dissect the narratives and critically analyse the social contexts, enabling them to navigate the intricate intersections of literature, society, and individual experiences. The Reading Club UFG has catalysed intellectual growth through this rich dialogue, encouraging students to become informed, empathetic, and socially conscious individuals in an ever- changing world.

The Reading Club UFG exemplifies the application of principles from Applied Linguistics in an interactive and interdisciplinary setting. Applied Linguistics encompasses the practical use of linguistic theories and methodologies to address real-world language-related challenges. Widdowson points out, “Applied linguistics has always been, and continues to be, an elusive kind of enquiry” (p. 3). In the Reading Club UFG context, linguistic theories are actively engaged with, enriching participants’ understanding of language on various levels.

Firstly, the Reading Club UFG fosters linguistic knowledge by delving into the nuances of English literature. Through discussions initiated by literary works in English, participants explore diverse language styles, idiomatic expressions, and linguistic nuances. This immersion aids in linguistic competence, enhancing participants’ grasp of English beyond conventional classroom learning. The process of socialising reading gives it a new perspective, as Peplow (2015) argues:

Reading is, here, a joint, collaborative activity in which people share interpretations and create new ones within their interaction. Reading is anything but silent. And readers’ engagement in particular “text worlds” is, in various ways, embedded in the here and now of their specific reading context. (PEPLOW, 2015, p. 01)

Engaging with literary works that delve into social, political, and cultural issues, participants gain an understanding of the intricate relationship between language and society. By dissecting narratives and critically analysing social contexts, participants develop sociolinguistic competence, allowing them to navigate the complexities of language in diverse social settings. Furthermore, the Reading Club UFG facilitates the development of discourse analysis skills, a key component of Applied Linguistics. Participants engage in meaningful discussions where they analyse and interpret texts, exploring underlying meanings and rhetorical strategies employed by authors. This analytical approach aligns with the principles of discourse analysis, enabling participants to decode language structures and discursive patterns within literary texts.

Post-pandemic times: the new Reading Club UFG

The outbreak of COVID-19 has significantly changed the way we connect and collaborate with others. However, for the Reading Club UFG, this change has presented an opportunity for growth and development. As the world turns to online platforms, the club can adapt and find new ways to thrive. This transformation ensures that the club's activities will continue and pave the way for a more inclusive and diverse community, breaking the barriers of physical space and embracing the digital realm.

The adoption of online meetings brings forth a multitude of advantages for this project. The online platform has enabled the club to reach beyond geographical limitations. Members who couldn't attend in-person meetings earlier due to distance or other constraints can now actively contribute to discussions, bringing diverse perspectives and literary preferences to enrich the club. The online aspect allows everyone to participate and engage in the club's activities.

Furthermore, the online format has made communication and coordination effortless. Scheduling meetings, organising events, and sharing resources have become more efficient, leading to smoother club operations. Moreover, online platforms have created a repository for past discussions and materials, making them easily accessible for members to revisit, enhancing their learning experience.

Instead of meeting in person, literary club members now gather for lively discussions on Google Meet. These virtual meetings last one to two hours and occur every two weeks. This change has not only ensured the club's continuity but has also expanded its reach and impact. The shift to online meetings has eliminated geographical barriers and allowed literary enthusiasts worldwide to come together in a virtual space. What was once a local reading group is now transforming into an international forum, welcoming participants from different countries. This expansion has added depth to the discussions by incorporating diverse cultural perspectives and interpretations, making each session a unique tapestry of global viewpoints.

The way of distributing reading materials has been transformed by technology. In the past, texts were physically delivered to the participants, but now they are shared electronically via email. This allows instant access to the materials and enables the members to read at their own pace. This digital distribution aligns with environmental concerns and gives the participants enough time to immerse themselves in the literature before engaging in meaningful discussions.

The newfound accessibility of the online format paves the way for the Reading Club UFG to connect with individuals beyond national borders. Literary enthusiasts from different linguistic and cultural backgrounds might join the club, broadening the horizons of the discussions. This global engagement has transformed the club into a melting pot of ideas, where members learn not only about literature but also about the diverse cultures and perspectives represented by their fellow participants.

The digital transformation of Reading Club UFG was not just a reaction to external challenges but a strategic evolution that has amplified its impact and relevance. As the project expands globally, it demonstrates the power of literature to bring people together across continents, fostering a shared love for reading and learning. This worldwide reach enriches the literary experience for all participants while emphasising the universality of the written word, transcending borders, and connecting individuals in pursuing knowledge and cultural understanding.

In the evolving landscape of the Reading Club UFG, a notable paradigm shift has been the adoption of an even more accentuated decolonial perspective, marking a significant departure from traditional literary discourse. This approach seeks to deconstruct established norms and power structures within literature, challenging the predominantly Eurocentric narratives that have historically dominated scholarly discussions; in this perspective, we must be aware that “in the Eurocentric paradigm, modernity is constructed as exclusively European” (ANDREOTTI, 2011, p.383). By embracing decolonial perspectives, the Reading Club UFG actively engages with texts representing diverse cultures, voices, and experiences, broadening the literary canon beyond the confines of Western literature. Andreotti (2011) even elucidates that “Mignolo, Dussel, Quijano, and Escobar attempt to create a common ground for peoples in the periphery by proposing that the colonial difference should be the starting point for knowledge and thinking” (p.3855). This intentional effort to decolonise the reading list catalyses critical discussions, allowing participants to explore narratives that have been marginalised or silenced, shedding light on the rich tapestry of global literature.

In this decolonised space, the Reading Club UFG becomes a transformative platform where participants engage with literature from underrepresented regions, indigenous cultures, and marginalised communities. By examining texts through a decolonial lens, the club challenges established literary hierarchies and fosters a deeper understanding of the interconnectedness of historical, cultural, and linguistic contexts. This approach encourages participants to critically assess the impact of colonialism on language, identity, and representation, leading to nuanced discussions that dismantle stereotypes and amplify marginalised voices. Through this intentional decolonisation, the Reading Club UFG broadens participants’ literary horizons and cultivates a heightened awareness of the power dynamics embedded in language, fostering a more inclusive and equitable academic discourse.

This perspective makes itself extremely important in the Brazilian cultural scenario. For about 300 years, Brazil was a colony, for a long time, part of a decadent Portuguese Empire, and we still face prejudice from some Lusitanians regarding our communication in our mother tongue, not to mention in additional ones, such as English. These colonial ideologies get themselves deep into the Brazilian minds. To many non-native teachers, the very process of teaching a considered foreign language takes time and effort. Pardo (2019) argues that, to common sense, one of the mandatory steps to become a teacher is to have lived in the U.S. or U.K., as if comprehending, reading, speaking, or even writing in another language was not relevant enough to guarantee a proper sense of belonging of the language to the speaker. Therefore, the coloniality issue permeates the contact and development of a new language.

When we talk about creating narratives that embrace and create a Brazilian and a Global South reality that goes beyond the European perspective, it is necessary to mention one of the most prominent educators of our nation, Paulo Freire. Not only does he talk about the importance of thinking about how each student’s reality should shape the way education takes place, but he also conveys that education must be related to emancipation. Otherwise, the oppressed could become an oppressor:

No contemporary writer more persistently explores the many dimensions of critical consciousness than Paulo Freire, a multicultural educator with the whole world as his classroom. (…) Freire never tires of looking at new forms of critical consciousness and unearthing new links between oppression in various settings and the liberating effects of “conscientização”. The unifying thread in his work is crucial as the motor of cultural emancipation. (Freire, 2005, p. vii)

In this sense, he states that we should think dialectically and that it implies teachers seeing themselves not in a conventional way but as educators-educatees. That is precisely what this Reading Club is about: promoting discussions among people – whether they are college students or not, since it is an extension program – where everyone will educate or be educated dialectically. We all know that the consequences of colonialism are countless and that the more we become aware of them in a setting like this, the more we can shape our reality. Freire(2005) states that one can only know to the extent that one “problematises” the natural, cultural, and historical reality in which s/he is immersed.

To understand what the outcomes of a critical approach could be in an educational environment, Pessoa and Freitas (2012) carried out research in a language institute of a Brazilian federal university. They state the students were pleased with their development concerning critical thinking in the dialogic process established in class for four months and also that “all people are likely to use language consciously or unconsciously either to spread alienation, reinforcing prejudice and discrimination, or conversely, to exploit the words in their linguistic repertoires in order to claim for justice and freedom” (Pessoa and Freitas, 2012, p. 2).

Although this Reading Club is not a class per se, we can draw a parallel between these two because it will also be a learning environment with a decolonial perspective, with the expectation that the participants’ relationships will be as horizontal as possible. So, it is crucial to study the likely outcomes and be aware of similar experiences others might have had. Some remarks concerning critical education that these authors consider essential to be taken into account in further experiences are collaborative theme negotiation with students for critical classroom discussions; encouraging diverse student input, even challenging viewpoints, to create fresh meanings; and focusing on both student and teacher subjectivity to enhance and personalise classroom discourse (Pessoa and Freitas, 2012, p. 22).

Reflecting on those topics mentioned, it is clear that it does not matter how important a topic is; the way it will be approached has to consider everyone’s backgrounds, even when their opinions resonate with hegemonic and biased perspectives. In some politically polarised groups, standing by fundamental human rights using a feminist narrative could come off as a leftist agenda, for example. Even saying that indigenous people deserve to have their lands preserved makes a lot of people uncomfortable. On the one hand, as people are aware of these topics, these conclusions seem very obvious. On the other hand, as educators who want to encourage others to think about such important issues, it is essential to talk about them dialectally and cautiously. Many authors also understand a place of language learning – in the quote below, Okazaki (2005) discusses the political agenda in educational environments:

Critical pedagogy in ESL (English as a Second Language) maintains that both language learning and language teaching are political processes, and it sees language as not simply a means of expression or communication but as a practice that constructs, as is constructed by, the ways language learners understand themselves, their social surroundings, their histories, and their possibilities for the future (Okazaki, 2005, p. 175).

Paulo Freire states that education goes beyond having cognitive skills and learning from decontextualised letters and words. In this way, learners become the creators rather than the recipients of knowledge. They become subjects instead of objects of their world, learn to recognise hegemonic forms of control for what they are and find ways to resist them together. (Okazaki, 2005, p. 177) Since we idealise re-starting the activities of Reading Club UFG, we have to keep our expectations on a realistic level so as not to expect significant changes of perception in the participants but rather to create seeds that may germinate at some point and also to understand that whatever we plan to do throughout the meetings will be influenced by the individuals who are present because this is how critical environments work. Okazaki (2005) reinforces that:

we need to see critical approaches not so much as a static body of knowledge and practices but as always being in flux and involving a complex cluster of social, cultural, political, and pedagogical concerns. (…) He (Pennycook) maintains that a critical approach to pedagogy needs to aim at transformation, a way of shifting pedagogical relations to give students more curricular control, and ways of engaging with difference not merely in terms of inclusivity and issues but also at the level of desire. (Okazaki, 2005, p. 178)

Thus, the Reading Club UFG aims to contribute to societal transformation for a better world. A reading club presents many advantages, catering to intellectual enrichment and social connections. By uniting individuals from diverse backgrounds, it broadens literary preferences and nurtures critical thinking skills. Our purpose at the Reading Club UFG is to facilitate social interaction and instil a sense of commitment to reading while fostering profound and critical comprehension through discussions. Moreover, we aim to cultivate enjoyment, forge lasting relationships, facilitate structured conversations, offer exposure to diverse cultures, and serve as a therapeutic escape from stress. The Reading Club UFG provides a fulfilling experience that blends the joy of reading with meaningful social bonds.

Final remarks

In this chapter, we discussed the experience of the Reading Club UFG parallel to the Language Center: an extension project working within the borders of a more extensive action. As we know, Brazilian universities are built upon three principles: research, teaching and extension. This reading club has enabled the students and professors at the Faculdade de Letras – UFG and at the Language Center UFG to share their knowledge with the broader community and keep working on their development as additional language speakers, educators, educatees, and, last but not least, human beings.

The club has provided its participants with a wide range of contemporary and classic writers who have helped shape how we perceive literature, human beings, and society. It was clear from the beginning that, given the Brazilian reality, making people want to attend a reading club every other week would be challenging, so Professor Lago and the organising committee chose to work with short stories rather than lengthy books. That way, students who had missed one meeting would still be able to attend the upcoming ones and make their points whenever they wanted to. As we read the reports submitted by the Organising Committee, we understood that only some were willing to participate in the discussions. Still, it does not mean those who remained silent did not take advantage of the sessions. Passive learning is integral to the overall process for those who want to improve their language skills.

Another aspect of this endeavour to be considered is the fact the students and teachers of the Language Center UFG can have the opportunity to join two extension courses to achieve the same goal: mastering another language. Those who dedicate their time to reading and discussing what they read will likely feel more comfortable using an additional language in their lives, and the fact that the Reading Club must not be seen as something demanding or with too many formalities might reflect on everyone seeing it more as a significant hobby than as a task to be completed.

In this new version of the Reading Club UFG, we more than ever want to make these two extension courses interact as well as more people from the community. That will be facilitated by the fact that we will focus on online meetings so that people can join the meetings anywhere in Brazil or the world, and we will also give more emphasis to a decolonial perspective. This shift is essential because we will only be able to improve our communities effectively when we fully understand what our narratives and perspectives are like.

We expect this new chapter of the Reading Club will consider everything learned before and reflect on what our society demands nowadays. The online meetings will be part of this new reality, and even though it was never used before in this extension course, it has been used frequently ever since the COVID-19 pandemic hit the world in 2020. This fact will ensure some confidence in the participants to continue with the procedures that worked out before and try the new ideas that will show up along the way.

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