At the beginning of the new millennium basic education faced yet another reorganization, this time in terms of curriculum, which had as one of its end results the reinforcement of the role of English at all levels.
In line with the Decree-law 6/2001, the Ministry of Education delineated not only the essential and underlying competences in the elaboration of the national curriculum in each “ciclo”, but also the achievement competences and the kinds of educational experiences that should be delivered to every student (Guerra 2005).
Resulting from an extensive project, the “Currículo Nacional do Ensino Básico” (Basic Education National Curriculum) (2001a) plays a fundamental role in
this innovation process of the school curricula49; for instance, it identifies the ongoing educational/social issues in basic schools (e.g. the lack of successful completion of mandatory education for numerous reasons), it recognizes the poor correlation existent between the three “ciclos”, as well as the markedly homogenous pedagogical practices and depleted contents. With this in mind, instead of establishing a stringent set of regulations, the national curriculum has sought out to provide: essential educational aims, necessary competences to be cultivated, as well as learning experiences that ought to be given to everyone.
Along with this, the role of teachers has likewise been reconsidered. As professionals, they are now given the liberty and flexibility to adapt and employ new practices of curriculum management in more independent schools; the age of uniformity in classrooms and of teachers as “‘transmission belts’ between syllabi or ‘ready-made’ textbooks and the students” (Guerra 2005: 15) has come to an end. The National Curriculum essentially seeks to present guidelines regarding the competences to be fostered and the kind of experiences to be developed in each subject according to “ciclo”.
As for the specific case of foreign languages, the Decree-law 6/2001 gives particular emphasis to the thorough examination of the teaching of modern languages (Abrantes 2001), besides also implementing three additional measures in foreign language teaching (Article 7): 1) first “ciclo” schools may introduce a foreign language in their curriculum, particularly stressing oral skills, 2) learning a foreign language is obligatory in the second “ciclo” and that same language continues on to the next “ciclo” to foster fluency and adequacy and 3) learning a second foreign language is compulsory in the third “ciclo” (Guerra 2005).
Regarding the first measure, in the 2005/2006 school year, the Ministry of Education introduced within the context of the afterschool programs a syllabus for English teaching in the third and fourth year of compulsory education (ranging ages 8 to 10)50. At that time, schools had the option to participate, depending on the
49 The National Curriculum resulted from a collective effort in which a great number of organisms
were involved – professional organizations, schools and working parties – as well as many meetings, documents and reports. Some examples of this effort include the fact that schools were given the opportunity to present projects on certain issues, and that drafts on general and specific competences were also examined and reviewed by various schools of education, universities, teachers’ associations and many basic education schools; these in turn led to reports that would later serve as a basis for the final version.
50 After-school programs (“actividades de enriquecimento curricular”) usually function until 5:30pm
resources available; but, as of the 2006/2007 school year, all schools are required to offer English to those in this age group. Since the 2008/2009 academic year, this agreement has also expanded to the first and second years of education (ranging ages 6 to 8) and continues still today (Eurydice 2008)51. According to Mackenzie (2012), in 2008, over 99% of the schools had put English into practice in the first “ciclo” and over 50% had implemented English since the first year of education. However, seeing as English classes are integrated in the afterschool program, attendance is not compulsory, so there may be children who attend English classes while in the first “ciclo” and others who do not. In September 2013, the Minister of Education, Nuno Crato, announced that the plan is to make English obligatory within years 3 and 4 of the official curriculum of the first “ciclo” starting in 2015/2016, but before that can be done, the syllabi for English in the second and third “ciclos” will need to be restructured52.
As for the second measure, up until 2012, students could choose which foreign language they would like to learn (usually English, followed by French); however as of that same year, English became obligatory in the second and third “ciclos”, thus guaranteeing five consecutive years of English language learning (Decree-law 139/2012).
Regarding Secondary Education53, the Ministry of Education introduced new guidelines in November 2002 and published the final version of the Guidelines for the Curriculum Reorganization of Secondary Education (GCRSE) in April 2003 (2003b). The objectives put forth by the document54 take into consideration the directives stipulated by the Council of Europe, so as to create a common European educational and training system, which among the various essential values put forth by the Member States of the EU, include opening “the education and training systems to the outside world through reinforcing the links with the labour domains, the increase of mobility and the learning of foreign languages, among others” (Guerra 2005: 19).
implemented so as to meet ends with parents’ long working hours; however, attendance is not compulsory.
51 For more information on English taught in the first “ciclo” in Portugal, see Graça (2013).
52 The curriculum reforms for the second and third “ciclos” will be implemented in the 2015/2016
academic school year.
53 Since 2009, secondary education has now become mandatory until the age of eighteen (Decree-law
85/2009).
54 The main aims of the document include: improving the quality of learning, fighting academic failure
and cutting back drop-out rates, gradually articulating educational and training policies, and strengthening the autonomy given to schools (Guerra 2005).
In addition, the GCRSE put forward five courses at a secondary level, of which include scientific-humanistic education 55 , technological education 56 , specialized artistic education, professional education and vocational training. The first two courses are of particular interest, as they share several common subjects, of which one of them includes Foreign Language I or II (Years 10 and 11) – one of the two languages studied in basic education. The aim of this discipline consists in developing language skills that will enable students to communicate in an interdependent world and in everyday activities, especially within the European panorama. Of the four foreign languages offered (English, French, German and Spanish), English is the most chosen option to continue studying in secondary education in Years 10 and 11; English may continue to be studied in Year 12, however, it is only for those enrolled in the Languages and Literatures course (part of the scientific-humanistic area).
In Tertiary education, both at polytechnics and universities57, English is offered in a variety of different courses, besides the obvious English Language and Literature degrees (BA) and pre-service teacher education programs in English (MA). Courses like Computer Sciences, Engineering, Medicine or Psychology (to name just a few) also offer English for Academic Purposes or English for Scientific Purposes in their programs. Although, contrary to basic and secondary education, at tertiary level, universities/polytechnics have the freedom to devise the curriculum they plan to develop (e.g. the number of years and the number of hours per week), the only requirement being that it must be ratified by the Ministry of Education. As for the program and structure of each course, lecturers, under the coordination of a
55 Scientific-humanistic education is further divided into five courses: Sciences and Technologies,
Economics and Social Sciences, Humanities and Social Sciences, Languages and Literatures and Visual Arts.
56 Technological education is likewise further divided into other courses, ten in total: Civil
Construction, Electricity and Electronics, Computer Science, Environment and Land Organization, Equipment Design, Multimedia, Marketing, Management, Social Services and Sports.
57 Polytechnics comprise higher education schools specialized in fields such as the Arts, Education and
Technology, among other areas. The difference between the two types of institutions is dealt with the degrees awarded (Polytechnics have bachelor’s and master’s degrees, but not doctoral programs, which are restricted to the universities) as well as the specific aims, as Guerra (2005) explains:
While university education is designed to ensure a sound scientific and cultural background and provide technical education equipping people for administering professional and cultural activities and furthering the development of comprehension, innovation and critical analysis, polytechnic education is designed to provide a sound higher level of cultural and technical education, develop a capacity for innovation and critical analysis and inculcate theoretical and practical scientific knowledge and its application to exercising professional activities.
pedagogic and/or research supervisor, usually organize this aspect, giving them the autonomy to explore what is deemed adequate for the course and students in question.
Furthermore, in tertiary education, the Erasmus program (European Commission) has likewise played a significant role in the mobility of students within the European context. Portuguese universities have particularly seen a significant increase of incoming Erasmus students58, which has changed how classes in every area are taught. One example is that professors have had to learn to adapt to this new reality by teaching their classes in English. Not only does this measure require them to improve and work on their English, but it also places Portuguese universities in the competitive market of higher education, by attracting more and more students.