Developing Communicative and Cultural Competences in Portuguese through an Online Collaborative Project

Abstract

Lessons should provide opportunities to use language in relevant ways. Cultural awareness is essential, as studying a language implies learning its cultural values. ACTFL advocates that cultural understanding is vital to prepare students for the demands of today’s globalized world. The U.S. Dept. of Education National Education Technology Plan (2010) claims that learning by technology “prepares them [students] to be more productive members of a globally competitive workforce”(p. xi). In order to promote a communicative experience with a cultural focus, the concepts of collaboration and autonomy were applied in a project where students used a Brazilian website and learned about the importance of a community tradition called Amigo Secreto. Students write personal descriptions and interact online. On the last day of class, students describe their secret friends and the class must guess who they are. The objectives are for students to work collaboratively, use authentic language and improve cultural knowledge.