Português para principiantes

Reviewed by Patricio Rizzo-Vast, Instructor, Northeastern Illinois University on 4/10/20

Comprehensiveness rating: 4 see less

I enjoyed the work presented in this textbook. It is very comprehensive and clear but a bit old fashioned as other commentators or evaluators have pointed out. However, I believe it comprehends almost all that is necessary to teach a beginner's course, that is the purpose of the textbook and I think it accomplishes it well. I put a four instead of a 5 because the comprehensiveness is hindered by the sort of mechanical organization. It would have been equally comprehensive and yet more effective if it had some graphic art and literature to exemplify the grammar and vocabulary in each chapter. Instead, it has a few pieces of literature and culture at the end of the textbook.

Content Accuracy rating: 4

The accuracy of the work presented is great. It is a textbook to teach beginner's grammar and vocabulary in Portuguese. My suggestion would have been to incorporate more "giria" (slang) as most Brazilians use.

Relevance/Longevity rating: 5

The textbook is free and relevant to a class such as Portuguese I. Since Brazil is 47% (almost half) of South America and Portugal is such a beautiful country I find it very relevant to have a textbook such as this that helps instructors educate students on this most beautiful language!

Clarity rating: 5

The textbook is extremely clear, to the point of being almost formulaic. You can expect in each of the thirty chapters the same order: an Introduction about what the chapter covers, examples of grammar, vocabulary, a translation and a dialogue with questions about what the chapter presented. It is very clear and well organized.

Consistency rating: 5

Again, just as it is clear, it is consistent. And yet, this is not how the language appears to students day to day. So again, a suggestion would have been to place daily dialogues or music in each chapter instead of placing many internet links at the end of the book. Perhaps by being a bit less clear and organized it could have been more like the real day to day Portuguese that people encounter when they travel to countries where Portuguese is spoken,

Modularity rating: 5

Yes, it is divisible and read in clearly separated sections. A comment here would be to add color. The text is only black and white and the subject it covers, Portuguese in countries such as Angola, Brazil, Portugal has so much color that using some color in the text and art would have been a way to enhance the learning experience for students!

Organization/Structure/Flow rating: 4

The text is well organized in thirty chapters with an introduction, the grammar covered, vocabulary, a dialogue and a translation in each. But only at the end of the text --which is more than six hundred pages long-- there are links to cultural aspects and music. By having this type of organization it runs the risk that busy students would not get to the savory and flavorful part of their education in Portuguese: listening and participating in real events as they appear in website links in the last ten pages of the textbook.

Interface rating: 3

Perhaps this is the weakest part of the textbook. There are no images nor charts. There is nothing that confuse the reader but at the same time there is nothing that excites the reader with humor or color to enhance the learning experience.

Grammatical Errors rating: 4

This textbook does a great job at presenting Portuguese grammar. However, it rarely uses examples of different usage of Portuguese grammar in places like Cabo Verde, Angola, Mozambique, Brazil, Portugal. These type of examples would make the textbook more fun to use.

Cultural Relevance rating: 3

There are cultural links in the internet and a few --five or so-- literature readings in Portuguese at the end of the textbook, after page six hundred. The placement of cultural links at the end of the text create a bit of a mechanistic approach to education when most people like to read something lively such as cultural commentaries of daily life. It is not offensive nor insensitive, it only has a different approach than most other textbooks: it is sort of cut and dry but I am thankful that it is available for our students and I am thankful that is so clear and well organized!

Comments

I appreciate the opportunity to have this textbook available and I am thankful to the writers and the people who took the time to make the textbook available in this day and age when other textbooks on Portuguese such as "Ponto de Encontro" are so expensive, more than two hundred dollars per book. Without forgetting being thankful I would like to suggest to ad a bit of color to the text: color in graphics (at least a photo per chapter) and cultural color in a song per chapter or a cultural vignette of what is going on in Portuguese speaking countries using some of the vocabulary and grammar of each chapter.

Reviewed by Gorkry Cruz, Director, Center for Language Exploration, Acquisition and Research (CLEAR), World Languages Department, American University, Washington DC on 2/1/18

Comprehensiveness rating: 5 see less

This textbook is designed to present a thorough introduction to the grammatical structures of Brazilian Portuguese through a scope and sequence directed mainly to English speaking learners of Portuguese as a second language at the introductory level. The text, however, also includes punctual acquisition pointers for Spanish speaking learners. As such, it includes a detailed set of preliminary lessons that introduce the basics of Portuguese pronunciation, orthography and pragmatics. The lessons enshrined in the main section of the text begin by introducing grammatical objectives and move on to include very specific speech functions and introduce relevant sets of vocabulary words. Practice opportunities are provided following the introduction of each grammatical and functional topic. The vocabulary section is further supplemented by a set of recordings that illustrate the pronunciation of each word. Additionally, each lesson is capped by a dialogue that incorporates the materials presented, and provides additional opportunities for listening comprehension, written expression and explicit grammar recognition trending towards the communicative. The book provides an extensive appendix about the Portuguese verbal system, but there is not a general unified glossary of the vocabulary presented. Vocabulary is only presented in each discrete lesson.

Content Accuracy rating: 5

Grammar, vocabulary and supported materials (readings, recordings) are consistently formatted, annotated and glossed (where necessary). It seems great care has been taken in presenting a carefully curated text that is free of typos or erroneous information.

Relevance/Longevity rating: 4

The overall content is up-to-date and is aligned with the most widely accepted scope-and-sequence approaches to the teaching of Portuguese. The supplemental materials are, understandably, more aligned with presenting a balanced view of cultural topics related to Brazil, but perhaps it would be useful to include a few more non-traditional themes, such as technology and modern communication, as well as further information about the importance of Portuguese in the context of an increasingly globalized world from more recent sources.

Clarity rating: 4

The explanations are clearly written and edited consistently throughout the book, although –as happens in most language textbooks- they assume learners possess in-depth knowledge of grammatical terminology. Within these constraints, the book remains consistent in tone and format from lesson to lesson and presents descriptions and explanations of Portuguese grammatical structures in a succinct, uncomplicated manner, relying strongly on marked up and glossed examples to illustrate each one.

Consistency rating: 5

The information within each lesson is presented in a consistent fashion across all 34 lessons by identifying learning objectives for each lesson at the top and unpacking them in a similar fashion from lesson to lesson: The grammar is introduced, practice opportunities are given, then vocabulary is introduced and related activities are presented. The dialogue at the end of each lesson seeks to both integrate and illustrate the concepts and materials introduced in its corresponding lesson and affords the learner additional opportunities to practice them in collocation and in light of different linguistic skills.

Modularity rating: 5

The material is presented in chapters of roughly equal length, taking into account the complexity of the grammar and vocabulary being tackled. The text manages to present a very detailed description of overall grammar usage within each chapter, covering both morphology and functional applications of each topic. Vocabulary sections are also presented within idiomatic expressions and phrasal verbs where appropriate. Since each chapter section contains practice opportunities throughout, it would be easy to adapt the text to challenging class schedules or use specific sections as remedial or supplemental materials for more advanced classes.

Organization/Structure/Flow rating: 5

The chapters are organized taking into a scope-and-sequence that supports and scaffolds the learning of Portuguese by unexperienced learners, the different grammatical topics are presented in increased order of complexity and are sequenced to underpin more difficult constructions and reciprocally support each other along with the relevant vocabulary selections that accompany each of them.

Interface rating: 3

The interface provided for the navigation of the book complements the compact format of each individual chapter. It might be desirable to split the grammar and the vocabulary of each lesson into different pages to cut back on the need to scroll down for prolonged periods, but as the book includes 30+ lessons this might not be the best solution. Another idea would be to group lessons into modules of 5 to make the drop-down index more approachable. The ability to move back and forth across pages at any point is quite useful. Again, in thinking of the Appendix, there is another opportunity there to break the content into discrete pages that would make it easier to locate specific information. It would also help to have a more informative TOC that would help the user identify the materials covered in each lesson more readily. 

Grammatical Errors rating: 5

The text is free of grammatical and spelling errors.

Cultural Relevance rating: 4

The basis of the text is very comprehensive when it comes to its coverage of the subject matter, however it would be great to incorporate more contemporary issues (and, potentially, more examples of evolving usage) in future revisions. Likewise, given current technological affordances, it would be great to see improved sound quality as well as the addition of visuals, and video in future revisions.

Comments

Português para principiantes is an approachable, thorough and well-organized textbook that might be best suited to adult classroom and self-learners. As is, it could definitely be successfully implemented as the main grammar text for a basic through intermediate Portuguese sequence if supplemented with additional relevant related realia.

Reviewed by Aura Thuresson, Foreign Language/Part-Time Faculty, Rogue Community College on 8/15/17

Comprehensiveness rating: 4 see less

This book is a re-work of a 1964 publication, with emphasis given to Brazilian Portuguese. The four preliminary lessons introduce the different sounds of vowels and consonants, stress and pronunciation of words, the formation of plural nouns and adjectives and an introduction of the formal and informal address.
The main body of the text consists of 30 lessons, each include learning objectives, a grammar section, several practice exercises, vocabulary and audio for vocabulary words and expressions. After each chapter there is a dialogue presented in audio and script forms, followed by comprehension exercises.
There are short texts included for reading practice accompanied by reading comprehension exercises. The appendix has conjugation tables for regular and irregular verbs.
The grammar section is explained in English and examples given include words and sentences with a translation to English. The audio for some of the dialogues doesn't play, and vocabulary audio doesn't work in some of the words.

Content Accuracy rating: 4

It is a textbook designed for grammar acquisition. It is an effective beginners manual.

Relevance/Longevity rating: 4

The grammar is presented in a way that is relevant, but some of the vocabulary and examples are outdated.

Clarity rating: 4

English is used throughout the text to explain the grammar sections and provide instructions for exercises. Directions are easy to understand.

Consistency rating: 5

Each lessons is presented in a consistent form, and it is easy to follow.

Modularity rating: 5

Each lesson can be studied as a separate unit or module.

Organization/Structure/Flow rating: 5

The structure of the text is clear, and the progression of the topics allows easier acquisition of the language.

Interface rating: 4

The book doesn't present navigation problems since it is mostly text, but some of the audio doesn't play.
The practice exercises with fill in the blank activities, and other interactive features seem to be working well.

Grammatical Errors rating: 4

There are a few typos, but no grammatical errors.

Cultural Relevance rating: 2

The text doesn't have a cultural focus. It is a grammar textbook for the most part.

Comments

Portugues para Principiantes is a good introductory manual for grammar and vocabulary acquisition. It could be paired with activities to enhance language proficiency and cultural awareness. It is overall well-suited for beginners.

Reviewed by Sílvia Oliveira, Associate Professor, Rhode Island College on 4/11/17

Comprehensiveness rating: 2 see less

Português para principiantes is a re-working of a 1964 edition by the University of Wisconsin Extension Division ("Preface") and overall shows its datedness. The authors intend this book to be used “in conjunction with a variety of approaches to the teaching of beginning Portuguese” (4).
The manual is organized in four preliminary lessons followed by 30 lessons, each focused on grammar description. The vocabulary in each lesson is random and not contextualized in a social situation. The sentences illustrating grammar points are likewise random. Practice exercises throughout the book are translation and sentence rewriting. Online features of the book include fill in the blanks and audio files of isolated words and short dialogues. There are no images except in the cover. Cultural content is minimal. The book includes some short texts, mostly not authentic, and the authentic texts do not include bibliographic attribution. There are Appendices with verb charts.
The book follows the Brazilian Portuguese variant although in a prescriptive fashion. For instance, the authors explain that “[t]he word “you” (singular) in Portuguese which denotes greatest familiarity is tu. However, in Brazil its use is limited and often ungrammatical (used with the wrong verb conjugation). Due to this restricted use, this text will not include it…” Nevertheless, “[t]he student should learn to recognize [it]” (40). The text does include it in the Appendix. No mention is made to the fact that the “tu” form of the verbs is common in the European (referred to as “Continental”) and African variants of Portuguese.
Proficiency guidelines are absent from the methodology considerations.

Content Accuracy rating: 3

Presentation of grammar and grammar progression follows the structure of a grammar book, not a language learning manual - for instance, prepositions are introduced toward the end of the book after the subjunctive mode; the content and language structure of non-authentic texts are limited and/or problematic (such as the reading on Portugal).

Relevance/Longevity rating: 2

Some of the vocabulary is dated: "O nosso toca-discos não funciona, mas o toca-discos de Marta funciona" (123), but overall the vocabulary is not grounded on and organized around relevant social communication situations or clusters of social life. The content of the non-authentic cultural texts is simplistic for a College audience and outdated (such as the cultural text "Portugal").

Clarity rating: 4

The text employs simplified grammar jargon. English is used throughout the book except on cultural texts.

Consistency rating: 4

Consistent.

Modularity rating: 4

The lessons can be easily used as modules.

Organization/Structure/Flow rating: 3

The organization is clear, although the progression of grammatical topics and vocabulary is not always logical and the vocabulary is not organized.

Interface rating: 2

The book is text only. The only advantage of the online book is the use of interactive fill in the blanks exercises and audio files.

Grammatical Errors rating: 4

I found a few typos such as "Brails" (366).

Cultural Relevance rating: 1

Low cultural relevance. The objective of the book is to present grammar structures.

Comments

Português para principiantes is a descriptive/ at times prescriptive grammar book that encompasses beginner-level structures and advanced-level structures (such as all the tenses in the subjunctive mode) in non-standard language learning procedure. The methodology is not communicative and the cultural relevance of the book is low.