Dear colleague:

Canta Brasil is not just another book for teaching Portuguese as a foreign language. Canta Brasil has proven our belief that it is possible to enjoyably learn a language. To do this, it is only necessary to expose students to the beauty of Brazilian music and culture.

Each unit in the book features the same steps, divided as follows:

I)                   Canta Brasil (Sing Brazil) presents a theme song through various exercises designed to immediately capture the student’s attention.  In some units, the lyrics are used to complete a puzzle. In others, there are memory exercises or introductions to grammatical concepts. The form varies, but the objective is always the same: to stimulate the student's interest from the beginning of each unit.

II)                 Brincando com as palavras (Playing with words) encourages the student to maintain and develop vocabulary by transferring knowledge from one situation to another. The exercises are easy, entertaining and can be executed in pairs or small groups.

III)              Um pouquinho de gramática (A bit of grammar) addresses a grammatical point that has been exemplified in the lyrics. We know that students of Portuguese as a foreign language are not necessarily seeking a deep knowledge of grammar. On the other hand, we are also aware that students need to understand the basic structures of the language in order to significantly develop their oral and written abilities. The grammatical exercises have been carefully elaborated to achieve this balance. 

IV)              De orelha em pé (With ears upright) gives the student the opportunity to hear other Brazilian voices, and to test his/her progress in listening comprehension, enrich his/her vocabulary, exchange ideas, and compare cultural issues that are presented in the dialogues. Depending on time, the instructor, after correcting the exercises, can hand out the dialogues as “scripts.” The students then become actors, participating and learning in a light-hearted and entertaining way.

V)                Bate-papo (Chat time) encourages the student to analyze the poetry of the song, the sense in which it was written and what it says between the lines. This is an opportunity for “open discussion.”  Professors and students exchange opinions, experiences, and feelings. We believe that this opportunity encourages learning through a climate of happiness and friendship.

VI)              De olho aberto (With open eyes) not only meets the basic objective of providing a moment of silent reading, but also strives to inform. It provides information about Brazil’s history, geography, and culture, and it discusses problems and triumphs. These interesting and culturally rich topics often awaken the student’s curiosity. Many students are then motivated to begin a process of personal research, sharing their discoveries with study groups.

VII)              Ponto final (Final point) closes each unit. By this time the student is comfortable with the concepts revealed in the unit. This is when we introduce our “game” in which we substitute the lyrics of the original song and adapt the words to the students' reality. Again, depending on time, we encourage students to write their own lyrics, individually or in groups.  Frequently we end the unit with karaoke. Once again, the point is to make learning fun.

As you know there is no perfect textbook. We have been working hard to give students access to tools that will help them learn a language as complex as Portuguese. We have been constantly revising and improving the material. We know, however, that this activity is endless, and we were happy about that. As we continue this review process, we count on you for your invaluable criticism, suggestions and comments.  Please contact us! We would love to hear from you.

Welcome to the captivating world of Canta Brasil!

Anamaria Teixeira   e   Clarice Deal