Did you know that in Portuguese schools there are lessons dedicated to students who have just arrived in other parts of the world, with different languages and cultures? Have you ever wondered how these students, often without dominating the Portuguese language, can integrate into our educational system? These are the welcome lessons so called, a unique pedagogical space, in which linguistic and cultural diversity is the starting point for a learning process full of challenges, but also of great opportunities.
By Belisanda Tafoi and Rosa Maria Faneca *
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What makes a teacher a “good” teacher in these special circumstances? According to the principles of Professor Pedro d’Orey from Cunha, a good teacher is one who, with passion and enthusiasm, arouses students the taste for knowledge. But how do you apply to a classroom where students barely speak the school’s language? Is it just a passion for enough teaching to overcome the linguistic barrier? The charm of learning, without confidence in the skills of each student and respect for their learning rhythm, can create false expectations.
Imagine entering a classroom where there are no traditional school manuals. Students, many of other countries, cross the shy appearance, ask themselves: “How do you learn like this?” The initial surprise becomes a challenge. Here, learning is like the use of rubber: he cancels, rewrites and, during the process, knowledge is built. Some are used faster, others employ a little more, but everyone recognizes the importance of mastering new skills in a constantly changing reality. And gradually the students remain and learn.
The diversity in the reception classes is not only linguistic, but also cultural and emotional. Each student brings its history, often marked with forced travel, radical changes in life. These lessons receive us in different periods of the year-September, November, January or until April and become a sharing space, in which desire is softened by conversations in several languages.
The role of the teacher in this scenario is more than teaching the Portuguese language; It is to build bridges between cultures, mediate fears and doubts and create an environment in which each student feels appreciated. In these classes, teachers adapt their pedagogical practices to individual needs, promoting learning through projects and activities adapted to their skills. And at the same time, they encourage open dialogue, helping students develop linguistic and social skills that will prepare them for a community life in the host country.
But is the Portuguese educational system ready to face these realities? The reception classes, legally framed by regulations such as decree no. 139/2012, and integrated into programs such as the promotion program of national school success, have shown positive results. However, success does not depend only on the laws or programs, but on the ability of each school and each teacher to adapt to the specificities of each student.
What in the end show these classes is that inclusive education is possible, but requires dedication, flexibility and, above all, an opinion that all students are able to learn, regardless of their origin or their initial difficulties. What if more schools adopted this reception model? Wouldn’t we build a more right and fair educational system?
The success stories that leave these lessons are proof that the challenge is worth it. Each student who, at the beginning, has just tried to speak Portuguese, who has fought to accompany the lessons and who now dominates his language and integrates fully at school, is a victory not only for his, but for the entire school community. It is proof that, with the right support, everyone can dream and achieve academic success.
In the background, what these reception lessons teach us is that when teaching is inclusive and focused on the real needs of students, there are no barriers that cannot be overcome. After all, as Professor Pedro d’Orey from Cunha said, a good teacher is one who, with passion, can transmit to his students the charm of the discovery. And when this discovery provides for the construction of a new life in a new country, the impact is even deeper.
* The trainers of the Center for Research in teaching and technology in the training of trainers (Cidtff) of the University of Aveiro. Article originally published on the UA.PT.
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