This research aimed to investigate the effects of using collaborative activities in English classes with 14 students with basic proficiency level of the 9 th grade of a Brazilian public school in Balsas (MA). Working with collaborative activities allows us to debunk the belief that English teaching in the Brazilian public schools does not work. Based on the sociocultural perspective, this research highlights the relevance of learning through interactions which learners use to build knowledge and argue about the language they are learning. The data analysis revealed that the collaborative tasks were fruitful to English teaching and learning as they promote socialization environments and develop self-esteem as well as the language proficiency.