Overcoming Difficulties through the Use of Determined Activities in the Learning of Portuguese as a Foreign Language

Abstract

This study aims at addressing the main difficulties faced by students from the Português Intensivo 1 course at the University of Costa Rica-Western Branch during the first, second and third terms of 2018.

This paper is branched into two sections as follows: 1. Historical background of the Portuguese Language, CPLP, and its importance within the framework of dissemination of the Portuguese Language; and 2. The main difficulties in the learning of Portuguese as a foreign language as well as certain activities carried out by the teacher to overcome these difficulties during the practice and learning of the topics studied.

The instrument consisted of a questionnaire with closed and opened questions used to interview sixty-six students. The gathered data showed that the usage of verb tenses, prepositions and contractions are the major difficulties that Portuguese learners face in the learning of this language.

In light of that, the in-class activities that had more comprehension and acceptation amongst the learners to overcome their learning difficulties were the most traditional ones such as the use of exercises and practices, the use of songs and the analysis of cases.