Minister Attends Portuguese Language Assembly
The Department of Education’s Portuguese Language programme began four years ago at the primary level and was restructured in January this year after a dedicated teacher was assigned to the programme.
In alignment with the Elementary Level Curriculum and Modern Languages of the National UK Curriculum, students at Heron Bay and Port Royal have received instruction one period a week for thirty minutes.
Heron Bay Primary P2 and P3 students and Port Royal Primary P4 and P5 students have been learning the language at the direction of their teacher, Patricia Eatherley.
This morning at the Port Royal Primary School, Minister of Education and Economic Development, Dr Grant Gibbons attended the first of two assemblies planned for the students to demonstrate what they have learned since January.
Minister Gibbons is pictured below with Port Royal Primary School student in years P4 and P5.
Minister Gibbons spoke with the students before presenting them with certificates. He said, “This is the right age for you to learn a language because it will stay with you for life. I encourage you to keep practicing and learning the Portuguese language and culture. You did a terrific job today, well done.”
The goal of the Portuguese Program is to expose students at an early age to a second language spoken in Bermuda and to encourage awareness of cultural similarities and differences. The goals of the programme are grounded on the principles that children at the preschool and primary age acquire language naturally and can readily learn a second language if the environment for the second language is similar to that of the predominant language (English). Further, children at the preschool and primary age can understand the concept of culture through comparisons of cultures studied with their own; whether it is family, school, or broader community/societal culture.
The Department of Education plans to continue offering the Portuguese Language Programme at these two schools in September 2014, with a future goal to deliver Foreign Language in all primary schools.
Scoods….
This is fantastic. Should have been instituted from long ago.
I agree, I always wondered why we teach French and not Portuguese in the schools here. I understand why we teach Spanish because it is used throughout Latin America, the Caribbean, the US and Europe. Portuguese is just as popular and we have a local Portuguese community. However, unless you plan on going to France or Quebec there is little benefit to students.
Good job to all who made this happen!
Lol…the more things change the more they stay the same…..do you know how many times we went through this? This program was introduced back in the day when Mr, Dale Buttler was a Principal at St,George’s primary school,and other schools too,,,don’t mean to des courage anyone but let’s see how far we are going this time ,after all Portuguese have only been here about 160 years……I do like the idea though……
African children don’t know and are not taught their own culture, in school, so are they really learning another culture. Is this any different from the European culture taught to blacks in the 60ies.
what is interesting is many children right now with Portuguese parents do to not teach it it their very own homes
in*
Ta tudo bem! Parabens alunos! Continuam estudando e daqui a pouco, vao falar bem!