From comparative/contrastive methods to critical and intercultural pedagogies: A new approach to Portuguese for Spanish Speakers in higher education contexts

This chapter presents the processes related to curriculum enactment that moved a Portuguese for Spanish Speakers course from comparative/contrastive methods towards critical and intercultural pedagogies. The following overarching research question guided the investigation: to what extent does the application of critical intercultural pedagogies in a Portuguese for Spanish Speakers course foster intercultural communication competence? Methodology involved analysis of documents and students’ productions. Firstly, syllabi, pedagogical materials (e.g.: textbooks, Canvas pages), and assessment instruments were analyzed for context, content, theoretical construct, and pedagogical approaches. Then, eleven students, enrolled in a two-semester Portuguese for Spanish Speakers course, had their oral and written productions analyzed after having completed one semester under a comparative- and contrastive-based curriculum. As recommended by critical and intercultural pedagogies, notions of language, use of language, competence, and culture were revised in order to engage students in purposeful learning experiences. Pedagogical materials prioritized, through communicative tasks, sociocultural issues. Moreover, discussions, assignments, and assessment instruments promoted and encouraged critical thinking, intercultural competence and, above all, empowerment of those who have been traditionally marginalized and/or silenced by the lack of representation and/or de-democratization in multilingual/multicultural societies. The same eleven students had their oral and written productions analyzed after having completed one semester under a critical- and intercultural-informed curriculum. Data evidenced that students tended to compare language and culture in an essentialist manner when comparative/contrastive methods guided curriculum enactment. On the other hand, students demonstrated to have developed intercultural communication competence when critical and intercultural pedagogies were foregrounded.