Portuguese at IPS Cascais (Group 1)

Portuguese at IPS, in Group 1: curricular framework and pedagogical practices

Curricular Framework

Portuguese at IPS is taught in EYFS and KS1 (Reception and Y1), KS2 (1º Ciclo, from Y2 to Y5 and 2º Ciclo, Y6 and Y7) and KS3 (3º Ciclo, from Y8 to Y10) of Basic Education. Students in this group speak the language with confidence and are able to interact orally, communicating clearly and fluently in Portuguese.

The content taught in Group 1 is based on the Curricular Guidelines for Preschool Education in Reception and Year 1, Orientações Curriculares para a Educação Pré-Escolar.

From Year 2 to Year 10 the reference documents are: the Portuguese Language Curriculum and Learning Standards for Basic Education (o Programa e Metas Curriculares de Português do Ensino Básico), and are organised in accordance with the Essential Learnings (Aprendizagens Essenciais), a key document that establishes what students are expected to learn in each year of schooling. These guidelines are complemented by the Student Profile at the End of Compulsory Schooling (Perfil dos Alunos à Saída da Escolaridade Obrigatória) a document that establishes a framework of transversal competencies, including critical thinking, autonomy, aesthetic awareness, and the ability to communicate effectively.

These contents are organised according to the following competencies: Speaking, Reading, Writing, Grammar, and Literary Education. The Portuguese textbooks used at IPS, from Year 2 to Year 9, are developed in accordance with the documents and competencies mentioned above.

Pedagogical Practices

In the early years of Preschool (Reception) and KS1 (Y1) in line with the Portuguese guidelines for preschool education, the focus is on developing oral language, phonological awareness, and familiarization with the written code. The areas addressed are as follows: Personal and Social Development, Expression and Communication, and Knowledge of the World. Pedagogical practices include, for example:

• Activities for segmenting and manipulating sounds (identifying initial and final syllables);
• Exploration of stories through expressive reading and oral retelling;
• Initial supported writing (writing key words, adding captions to images);
• Learning songs and dramatizing traditional tales, such as A Sopa de Pedra.

In KS2 (1º Ciclo, from Year 2 to Year 5), teaching focuses on consolidating reading and writing skills, as well as developing grammatical awareness. Students work progressively on:

• Guided reading of narrative and informational texts, with identification of main ideas and simple inferences;
• Production of short texts with a defined structure (e.g., narratives with introduction, development, and conclusion);
• Application of grammatical knowledge in context (use of verb tenses, agreement, punctuation);
• Reading of recommended books (obras recomendadas)  such as A Flor Vai Ver o Mar by Alves Redol, A Girafa que Comia Estrelas by José Eduardo Agualusa, Poemas da Mentira e da Verdade by Luísa Ducla Soares, O Gigante Egoísta by Oscar Wilde, and A Fada Oriana by Sophia de Mello Breyner Andresen.

In the KS2 (2º Ciclo, Y6 and Y7) and KS3 (3º Ciclo, Y8 to Year 10), there is an increased focus on analytical and reflective work on language and texts. Practices include:

• Analysis of literary excerpts, identifying expressive devices and constructing well-founded interpretations;
• Production of argumentative and expository texts, with logical organization of ideas and use of discourse connectors;
• Development of formal speaking skills through presentations and structured debates;
• Consolidation of explicit knowledge of the language, including syntactic functions and word-formation processes.
• Reading of recommended books (obras recomendadas) for the Y6 and Y7, such as A Fada Oriana by Sophia de Mello Breyner Andresen, Ulisses by Maria Alberta Menéres, A Viúva e o Papagaio by Virginia Woolf, and Robinson Crusoe by Daniel Defoe.
• Reading of recommended books (obras recomendadas) for Y8 to Y9, such as Leandro, Rei de Helíria by Alice Vieira, História de uma gaivota e do gato que a ensinou a voar by Luís Sepúlveda, O Cavaleiro da Dinamarca by Sophia de Mello B. Andresen, Odisseia contada a jovens by Frederico Lourenço, “Saga” in Histórias da Terra e do Mar by Sophia de Mello B. Andresen, and O Último dos Grimm by Álvaro Magalhães.

Assessment

The assessment conducted at the beginning of the school year is diagnostic, in which students are evaluated in the following competencies: speaking (oral expression and comprehension), writing, grammar, and reading. Formative assessment is continuous, diagnostic, and takes place throughout the school year. It is carried out through worksheets, written texts, presentations, group work, grammar tests, etc., allowing the teacher, the student, and the parents to obtain information on learning progress, with a view to adjusting processes and strategies. Finally, summative assessment takes place three times a year (once per term) and enables the teacher not only to evaluate learning but also to make decisions regarding students’ grades.

Conclusion

It is important to emphasize that the teaching of Portuguese in this context goes beyond the instrumental dimension of the language, serving as a privileged space for the development of complex cognitive skills. Critical reading, structured writing, and the ability to argue effectively are fundamental pillars of this process, contributing to the formation of students capable of communicating accurately, interpreting information independently, and participating knowledgeably in various academic and social contexts.
Thus, the teaching of Portuguese establishes itself as an essential component of the curriculum, fully integrated into a rigorous and coherent educational approach, oriented toward academic excellence and the holistic development of students.