Abstract
ABSTRACT The goal of this paper is to discuss representations about grammar teaching of Portuguese L1 teachers. It draws on the exploratory study designed to identify the invariants and divergences in self-perceptions about L1 grammar teaching of trainees in different training situations: in-service teachers, pre-service teachers and bachelor’s students. The study focus on student’s and teacher’s acknowledgment of the Portuguese L1 Curriculum (Reis et al. 2009), which conveys a clear paradigm change in Portuguese language education, assuming that grammar teaching is based upon language awareness development. The results show an evident gap between students and teachers in what concerns the familiarity with the Portuguese L1 Curriculum and teaching strategies. However, some puzzling convergent points are the importance attributed to grammar and poor linguistics background. The results analysis draws attention to the relationship between teacher cognition and practice, highlighting fragilities in teacher education and potential conceptual changes that may lead to effective changes in classroom practices.
Highlights
In Portugal, there has recently been a curricular reorientation with regard to the teaching of grammar
In order to better understand this discrepancy between the normative principles in force and teaching practice, and assuming that teachers’ beliefs about language teaching have a powerful impact on their teaching practice, this study aims to investigate teachers’ conceptions of grammar teaching, focusing upon in-service and preservice L1 teachers operating at elementary level (6 to 12 years) in Portugal
This study aims to understand the conceptions of in-service and pre-service elementary school teachers about grammar teaching, including in the term ‘conceptions’ the beliefs, knowledges, attitudes and preferences that arise both from their experience, and from their training as teachers and as students (Thompson 1992; Pratt 1992; Borg 2003; Brown 2004)
Summary
In Portugal, there has recently been a curricular reorientation with regard to the teaching of grammar. From iniBtiraalseild-puacraatíisoon: etosttehreóPtoiprtougeuceirsceulLa1çãcolassroom similar to the skills of speaking, writing, listening and reading1 This grammar skill, which in the previous syllabus was called ‘language functioning’ (Funcionamento da Língua), is called ‘explicit language knowledge’(Conhecimento Explícito da Língua), reflecting a paradigm shift in relation to perceived classroom needs in this field. This shift is underpinned by the idea that students bring to their formal education a broad mastery of grammar in his/her mother tongue (implicit grammar). In Reis et al (2009), it is assumed that the work on explicit language knowledge should have a triple objective (see Cardoso 2008; Costa et al 2011):
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