Contextualization

Portuguese is our mother tongue, and as we use it, it presents itself in two distinct ways: Spoken language and written language. But what are these two forms and what are their main differences?

Spoken language is the most natural and ancient form of language use. It is characterized mainly by direct interaction and the possibility of real-time adjustments. Speech is always contextual, meaning it depends on the location, the moment, and the people involved in the conversation to be understood.

On the other hand, written language is a graphic representation of spoken language, a more recent form of expression and communication. It is more rigorous and less flexible, as it has fixed rules and established standards that need to be followed for the text to have coherence and cohesion.

This difference between spoken and written language is noticeable in our daily lives. For example, when talking to a friend, you can use slang, repeat words, and even speak incomplete sentences. In a written text, such as an email or a school essay, you need to pay attention to grammar, punctuation, and clarity of ideas.

It is essential to know and understand these differences because each form has its importance in different contexts and situations. Mastery of written language is essential for academic and professional success. On the other hand, proficiency in spoken language is necessary in daily communication, conflict resolution, and articulation of thoughts and ideas.

Practical Activity: "The Grand Staging of the Portuguese Language"

Project Objective: To understand in practice the differences and characteristics of spoken and written language, as well as their applications and relevance in different contexts.

Detailed Description of the Project:

Students will be divided into groups of 3 to 5 members. Each group must produce a theater play that contrasts the differences between spoken language and written language. The play should have two parts: one representing everyday communication (spoken language) and another representing formal communication (written language).

For the development of the project, students should research and delve into oral and written language, using the suggested resources and others of their choice.

Required Materials:

• Notebook and pen for idea notes;
• Device for research (computer, tablet, or smartphone);
• Materials for set and costumes (optional).

Detailed Step-by-Step for Activity Execution:

1. Group Division and Project Explanation: Students will be divided into groups of 3 to 5 members, where they will become familiar with the project and its objective.

2. Research on Spoken and Written Language: Each group will be encouraged to research and study the concept, characteristics, and differences between spoken and written language.

3. Brainstorming for Play Creation: Groups should gather to discuss ideas for situations that illustrate spoken and written language.

4. Script Creation: Students will write a script for their play, detailing dialogues and actions of the characters.

5. Rehearsal and Adjustments: Groups rehearse the play, making necessary adjustments to the script and performances.

6. Play Presentation: Each group presents their play to the class. Presentations can be done live or in video format.

7. Report Writing: After the presentation, the group must prepare a report detailing the creation and execution process of the project, as well as the learnings obtained.

Project Submission:

The final project submission consists of two elements:

1. Play Presentation: The theater play created and performed by the students is the main product of the project.

2. Final Report: After the play presentation, students must prepare a report detailing:

   • Introduction: The group must contextualize the theme, its relevance and real-world application, as well as the objective of this project.
   • Development: The group must explain the theory they learned about spoken and written language, detail how they elaborated and executed the theater play, the methodology used, and finally present and discuss the results obtained.
   • Conclusion: The group must conclude the work by summarizing its main points, explaining the learnings obtained, and drawing conclusions about the project.
   • Bibliography: The group must indicate the sources they relied on to work on the project such as books, web pages, videos, etc.

This activity will help students understand in practice the differences between spoken and written language, and exercise both creativity and teamwork.