Framework Teaching Portuguese as Foreign Language in China
The University of Macau (UM) and the Macau Scientific and Cultural Center (CCCM) in Lisbon jointly held an online event, simultaneously in Macao and in Lisbon, to launch a new book titled ‘Framework Teaching Portuguese as Foreign Language in China’, which attracted more than 100 participants. The book conducted a survey and study on adult Portuguese language learners whose mother tongue is Chinese, analysing their learning situation and the challenges they encounter, in order to give readers a better understanding of the current situation of Portuguese language teaching in China.
Prof Manuel Heitor, minister of science, technology and higher education of Portugal, and UM Rector Prof Yonghua Song emphasised the importance of scientific and academic cooperation between Portuguese and Chinese institutions and scholar. Both acknowledged the contribution of this book in bringing Chinese and Portuguese-speaking communities closer. Prof Carmen Amado Mendes, president of the CCCM, and Prof Rui Martins, vice rector of UM, mentioned the good relationship between UM and CCCM that led to the publication of this book, which is also the first publication in the ‘Language and Culture Collection’ recently launched by CCCM. Dr Ana Paula Cleto Godinho, director of Oriental Foundation in Macao, discussed the research background of the book, the profile and language ability of Portuguese language learners, and the conclusions drawn by the authors.
The book was jointly authored by Maria José Grosso, a visiting professor in the Department of Portuguese of UM and associate professor in the Faculty of Arts of the University of Lisbon; Zhang Jing, an assistant professor in the Department of Portuguese of UM; Catarina Gaspar, an assistant professor in the Faculty of Arts of the University of Lisbon; and Madalena Teixeira, an assistant professor in the Faculty of Education and Psychology of the University of Aveiro. According to the authors, the book is not dogmatic but open to discussion and future updates. The event ended with valuable comments by Prof Catarina Xu, director of the Department of Portuguese at the University of International Studies of Shanghai and Foreign Corresponding Academician of the Lisbon Academy of Sciences; and Prof Francisco Song, undergraduate programme director of the University International College of Macau University of Science and Technology.
