Reading Instruction in the Primary Grades
Instructional Materials
Schools and teachers of the Portuguese language must follow a set of curricular orientations and goals that allow for partial autonomy regarding teaching methodologies and assessment practices.37 In addition to using textbooks certified by the Ministry of Education’s Directorate-General of Education, Portuguese language teachers may follow the recommendations set forth by the National Reading Plan regarding the books that students should read from Grades 1 to 4 under the guidance of their teachers.38
Use of Technology
Portugal’s National Reading Plan states that students may use ebooks or ereaders in addition to the traditional paper format for required class reading and books for personal learning or enjoyment. The National Public Schools’ Library (Rede Nacional de Biblioteca Escolares) promotes local projects and activities within school libraries that Portuguese language teachers may integrate into their reading and writing curricula in order to improve students’ digital literacy. Although the technology necessary for these activities (e.g., interactive forums, Web 2.0 tools) usually is available, a recent study on the use of technology in Portuguese language classrooms has found that most teachers do not use Information and Communications Technology (ICT) resources in classroom activities.39 Common explanations for this include a shortage of ICT resources at schools and teachers’ unfamiliarity with ICT practices.40
Role of Reading Specialists
There is no regular, direct involvement of reading specialists at the classroom level. Rather, reading specialists primarily are involved in teachers’ graduate and postgraduate studies. These specialists also serve on the ministerial teams in charge of developing reading and writing curricula and defining reading and writing standards.
Second Language Instruction
In recognition of the increase of immigrant families in Portuguese society and their effect on schools’ heterogeneity, the Ministry of Education in 2005 launched a program for Portuguese as a Foreign Language (Português Lingua Não-Materna) aimed at students for whom Portuguese is not the main language spoken at home.41 This program enables teachers to identify students’ areas of difficulty when using the Portuguese language, and proposes the remediation of these difficulties through instruction targeted toward these areas. The objective of the program is to integrate non‑native students into regular classes with the other students, promoting their full integration at the academic and psychoemotional levels. The curriculum for Portuguese as a Foreign Language is developed with consideration of the age group of the students and their proficiency in the Portuguese language. By the end of primary education, non-native Portuguese speakers enrolled in Portugal’s basic and secondary education programs should have a basic level of language proficiency equivalent to the A1 or A2 (beginner or elementary) level of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFRL). Progression through the program is decided on an individual basis according to teachers’ recommendations regarding each student’s knowledge of the Portuguese language and other major subjects. By the end of upper secondary education, non-native students should demonstrate a level of fluency equivalent to or higher than the B1 (intermediate) level of the CEFRL.42
Accommodation Policies for Instruction and Testing
Portuguese law requires that accommodations for instruction and testing be provided for students with special education needs, including mental and physical challenges.43 Accommodations for assessment tests and national examinations also are provided for students with special education needs. Regular assessment, part of the systematic collection of information regarding students’ progress, helps to improve students’ academic achievement.
At the basic and secondary education level, assessment is divided into three modalities: diagnostic, formative, and summative.44 The diagnostic assessment, taken at the beginning of the school year, is aimed at identifying students’ areas of difficulty in order to formulate remedial strategies for improvement, facilitating their integration with the rest of the student body, and supporting educational and vocational guidance. Formative assessment employs various information collection tools in order to adjust the processes and strategies for teaching and learning.45 Summative assessment consists of an overall evaluation of students’ learning for the purposes of grading and certification. These include both the internal summative assessment obtained from teachers’ individual observations and tests and external summative evaluations via national certified examinations―at Grade 9 for Portuguese language and mathematics, and Grades 11 and 12 for subjects including biology, physics and chemistry, Portuguese, and mathematics―required for the completion of secondary level studies.