Grammar teaching in Portugal

Abstract

Although some studies evidenced a divide between the practices and the curricularguidelines for first language teaching, in the Portuguese curriculum, there wasalways some place for grammar teaching. The debate focuses on the questions "whyteach grammar?", "what to teach?" and "how to teach?" In the Portuguese case, answeringto the first question, we may identify the development of linguistic awareness andthe construction of explicit knowledge about the language, in order to form linguisticallyand discursively competent citizens, using language proficiently in oral formal andpublic contexts, in reading and in writing. Through an overview of the curricular guidelines,as well as other official documents, the answer to the second question points atwhat is taught about grammar in the Portuguese curriculum. Finally, since it is one ofthe grammar teaching approaches with more empirical research, the Grammar Lab ispresented as being a good practice.