introduction

Bee’s Knees Portuguese mini-courses are filled with ideas and activities that families and friends can use to learn Portuguese together. These courses are designed for Brazilians living abroad who want to help their loved ones learn Portuguese in a fun way. Brazilians can act as facilitators, guiding and explaining each activity while sharing personal experiences about Brazil and Portuguese.

The facilitator can also modify activities according to the users’ location and abilities. There is no set language level for Bee’s Knees Portuguese mini-courses. With a facilitator, everyone will learn at their own pace. The facilitator can assist beginners with basic activities or extend activities for intermediate learners. The main objective is to work together to learn Portuguese. Although Bee’s Knees Portuguese mini-courses are for everyone, most activities would suit ages 5+.

Bee’s Knees Portuguese mini-courses are designed to develop reading, writing, listening, and speaking skills in Portuguese.

There is no sequential order to the Bee’s Knees Portuguese mini-courses. Each mini-course is created individually. Bee’s Knees Portuguese recommends selecting mini-courses based on the topics that interest you the most.

getting started

You can purchase the mini-courses with instructions in either English or Portuguese. These instructions are for the adult guiding the activities. This adult should select their preferred language. The activities within the mini-courses are the same in both versions.

After purchasing a Bee’s Knees Portuguese mini-course, you will receive a download link via email. The link expires 24 hours after the purchase. If you click on an expired link, you will be sent a new link to the email address used for the initial purchase.

Save the mini-course on your preferred device and/or a USB, but keep in mind that they are designed to be printed out and used in paper format.

The facilitator should read through the entire mini-course before starting the activities with students. This preparation helps the facilitator generate ideas related to the course topic and plan activities effectively.

The mini-course is not intended to be completed all at once. The facilitator might run an activity once a week, on weekends, or during holidays, depending on what fits the family’s routine and lifestyle. Most activities can be repeated and do not necessarily need to be completed in order.

When the group is ready to begin, have the printed mini-course available for everyone to view together. The mini-course addresses both the facilitator and students throughout the pages.

If students prefer to complete written activities such as word searches individually rather than in a group, make extra copies of those pages.

Features and Functions:

• Flashcards: Each mini-course includes a set of flashcards. If printed in black and white, they can be coloured in with pencils. Cut along the lines and keep the flashcards with words in one pile or sealed bag, and the flashcards with pictures in another. The mini-guide provides suggestions on how to use the flashcards, but their potential applications are limitless. Continue using them throughout the mini-course and beyond until students are familiar with the vocabulary.

• Portuguese – English Reference Sheet: This sheet contains a table of the flashcard vocabulary words for everyone’s reference.

• Music Break: Bee’s Knees Portuguese recommends listening to Brazilian songs relevant to the mini-course topic. It’s a great opportunity to explore Brazilian music and try to identify vocabulary from the mini-course within the songs. If it is difficult to understand the lyrics while listening to the song, try searching for the written lyrics online. This will allow your facilitator to highlight the words you've learned in the current mini-course.

Troubleshooting:

• Bee’s Knees Portuguese mini-courses do not include a set of answers as they are intended to be completed with a Portuguese-speaking facilitator who can assist students with the activities.

• If you encounter difficulties with the download link for your purchases, please contact Bee’s Knees Portuguese via the contact page on this website.

• Before printing a Bee’s Knees Portuguese mini-course, use the print preview to ensure all contents are visible on the pages, or select ‘fit to scale’ when printing.