Teaching Portuguese as Foreign Language in China

This book offers a comprehensive exploration of the dynamics and challenges of teaching Portuguese in China, particularly in Macao and Mainland China. This insightful study delves into the historical, socio-economic, and educational contexts that shape the learning experiences of native Chinese speakers.

The book is structured in four chapters: the contextualization of the study, Chinese learner’ profiles, Portuguese proficiency, and the dynamics of student mobility in the twenty-first century. In addition to a comparative analysis of data from Macao and Mainland China, the authors—through detailed surveys and examples of common errors—offer valuable recommendations for improving pedagogical practices and enhancing language proficiency.

This comprehensive study is highly relevant, as it addresses the growing importance of Portuguese in China’s educational landscape, driven by historical ties and increasing economic and cultural exchanges between China and Portuguese-speaking countries.

Maria José Grosso is Associate Professor in Applied Linguistics at the University of Lisbon and Adjunt Professor at the University of Macau. Her research interests include teaching, learning and assessment of Portuguese as a foreign language, host language, contrastive linguistics (Portuguese-Chinese), and language policy.

Jing Zhang is an Assistant Professor and the Director of the Chinese-Portuguese Bilingual Teaching and Training Centre at the University of Macau. Her research interests include acquisition of L2 syntax and morphology, teaching Portuguese as a foreign language and contrastive linguistics (Portuguese-Chinese).

Catarina Gaspar is an Assistant Professor at the University of Lisbon, being a member of the Programme of Portuguese as Foreign Language / Second Language. Her research interests include historical sociolinguistics, language assessment, learning and teaching language, and language policy.

Madalena Teixeira is Assistant Professor with Habilitation at the University of Aveiro and researcher at CIDTFF. She directs the Master’s in Teaching Portuguese and Foreign Languages and coordinates the AILIT project in Portugal. Her research focuses on language didactics, teacher training, and AI in education.