Towards a Characterization of Grammar Teaching and Learning in Portugal: Teachers'Perceptions

Abstract

Our main goal is to investigate, in the Portuguese educational context of the last two decades, marked by a rapid succession of curricular norms concerning language education, how grammar teaching is perceived by primary and middle school teachers, responsible for the frst six years of schooling.

Based on the Educational Linguistics' framework (SPOLSKY, 1999) and on grammar teaching in particular, we analyze and discuss the perceptions these teachers have about their professional knowledge involving grammar teaching, in the light of the model proposed by SHULMAN (1987) and adapted by GROSSMAN (1990). Te selected methodological framework was a collective case study. We present the results of a questionnaire survey, applied to 200 teachers, in order to identify (i) the importance given to and the frequency these teachers work with grammatical knowledge, (ii) the degree of appropriateness perceived as to their own content and pedagogical content knowledge involved in grammar teaching, as well as (iii) the difculties they perceive in grammar teaching and learning.

Te results allow us to assume a complexity of factors involved in building these perceptions and potentially involved in grammar teaching: content knowledge, pedagogical content knowledge and also curricular knowledge. Based on these results, we problematize grammar teaching by emphasizing the need for a renewal of pedagogical practices training and the awareness as to the different dimensions involved, so that teachers can take more consistent pedagogical options regarding their implications. Terefore it seems to be necessary to rethink these teachers training, aiming to (re)create awareness among teachers about the complexity of the implied knowledge involved in grammar teaching and its effective role in the construction of students learning.