Contextualization

Phonetics is the area of linguistics that studies the sounds of speech. Within phonetics, phonemes are the most basic units of a language system. They are essential for communication and understanding words and sentences. The Portuguese language, like all others, has an inventory of phonemes that are classified according to their acoustic and articulatory characteristics.

Portuguese phonemes can be classified into vowels, semivowels and consonants, and each of these categories has its own subdivisions. For example, vowels can be nasal or oral, consonants can be occlusive, fricative, nasal, among others. Furthermore, all phonemes can be classified according to their point and mode of articulation, as well as their sonority.

Throughout this project, you will dive into the fascinating world of phonemes, learn to classify them, understand the rules of combining phonemes to form words, and realize their importance in the formation of meaning and linguistic variability.

In our daily lives, we are surrounded by the intensive use of language, whether in conversations with friends and family, in writing texts, or in reading books and articles. Learning about phonemes and how they are classified allows us to better understand how language works, and also helps us to improve our reading and writing skills.

Understanding the classification of phonemes can also be useful in various careers, such as linguistics, phonology, language teaching, speech therapy, among others. In addition, it can help develop skills such as phonological perception and awareness, which are important for learning new languages.

To deepen your knowledge on the subject, we suggest the following resources:

1. CAGLIARI, Luiz Carlos. Elementos de Fonética do Português Brasileiro. São Paulo: Paulistana, 2007.
2. Português no IFRN - Classificação dos Fonemas
3. YouTube - Classificação dos fonemas

Remember: research and theoretical knowledge are essential for the success of the project.

Practical Activity

Activity Title: Classifying Phonemes - An Auditory and Visual Journey

Project Objective:

This practical activity aims to consolidate students' theoretical knowledge regarding the classification of phonemes into vowels, semivowels and consonants; and their respective subdivisions. In addition, it aims to develop teamwork, time management and research skills.

Detailed Project Description:

Students participating in this project should form groups of three to five members. The proposed work involves research, creativity, critical analysis and collaboration. The task will be carried out in stages and will involve the creation of a podcast on the "Classification of Portuguese Phonemes" and an infographic to visually illustrate this classification.

Required Materials:

• Computers or smartphones with internet access.
• Audio recording and editing software (such as Audacity, which is free).
• Infographic creation software (you can use a design program, such as Canva, which is free).

Detailed Step-by-Step Guide to the Activity:

1. Research and organization of the content: Each group should research the classification of phonemes. Based on the research, students should create a script for the podcast that addresses the following topics: definition of phoneme, classification of vowels, classification of consonants, practical examples of the application of phoneme classification in everyday life. In addition, they should research the use of infographics as a didactic resource to convey information in a visual and attractive way.

2. Podcast recording: Using the created script, students should record the podcast with a duration of 20 to 30 minutes. It is important that during the recording, all categories of phonemes are clearly explained, with illustrative examples.

3. Creation of the infographic: Based on the knowledge acquired and the content of the podcast, students should create an infographic that clearly and didactically illustrates the classification of phonemes.

4. Report preparation: Finally, the group should prepare a report documenting the entire process of carrying out the project. The report should contain an introduction (with the project context and objective), development (with the explanation of the process, methodology and presentation of the results), conclusion (with the students' learning and observations about the experience) and the bibliography used.

Project Deliverables:

Upon completing the project, groups must submit:

1. The recorded podcast with the discussion on the classification of phonemes.
2. The digital infographic on the classification of phonemes.
3. The report documenting the entire process of carrying out the project.

These deliverables are directly connected to the proposed practical activity, as each one reflects an important aspect of the work: the research and organization of the content (podcast), the ability to translate this content into an auditory (podcast) and visual (infographic) narrative and finally, the ability to document the process and reflect on the learning acquired (report).

Remember that the main objective of this project is to learn in depth about the classification of phonemes, so use your creativity, work as a team and have fun in the process!