Research and publications

Raizes Brasileiras believes that research can be integrated to social practices. Therefore, we support research projects on heritage/community languages, Brazilian culture, and Portuguese language in Australia.

Dr Lilian Fleuri, the director of Raizes Brasileiras, has been a lecturer in Portuguese and Latin American Studies at the University of Queensland since 2011, and as such, has supported other investigator to develop their research.

Parents of Raizes Brasileiras also are happy to contribute in interviews, and classes can be opened for observations and application of innovative pedagogical projects.

Dr Lilian Fleuri

PhD. Linguistics, Lecturer in Latin American Studies (University of Queensland)

Conferences and Seminars:

Fleuri (2021). UFMS

Fleuri (2021) ESAQ

Fleuri (2021). 4th & 5th Parents & Teachers' seminar

Fleuri (2021) Heritage Language Teacher's training.

Fleuri, L. (2020). Community organization of the Brazilian diaspora in Australia and the promotion of Portuguese as a community language. Public Seminar. School of Languages and Cultures, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, 18 September/2020.

Fleuri, L. (2020). 3nd Parents and teachers’ seminar: Raising Bilingual Children. Open Seminar for Raizes Brasileiras Community Language Schools, Brisbane, 8 February/2020.

Fleuri, L. (2019). Challenges and needs in implementing a community language school: the case of project Raizes Brasileiras. Queensland AUSIt 9th Annual Mini-Conference: The many faces of our profession, Brisbane, 8 June/2019.

Fleuri, L. (2019). 2nd Parents and teachers’ seminar: Raising Bilingual Children. Open Seminar for Raizes Brasileiras Community Language Schools, Brisbane, 9 February/2019.

Fleuri, L (2018). Challenges in implementing a community language school: a dialogic approach. 15th National Community Languages Schools Conference, Brisbane, 06 October/2018

Fleuri, L (2018). Raising bilingual children and the path to translation. AUSIT Seminar on Heritage language maintenance, Brisbane, 14 July/2018.

Fleuri (2018). Diáspora brasileira na Austrália e o ensino de português como língua de herança: o caso do projeto Raízes Brasileiras. Centro de Comunicação e Expressão da Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Florianópolis, 06 April/2018

Fleuri, L (2018). Maintaining the heritage language within the Brazilian diaspora in Brisbane (Australia): the case of Projeto Raizes Brasileiras. 3rd International Conference on Heritage/Community Languages. UCLA, Los Angeles: 16-17 Feb/2018. http://international.ucla.edu/nhlrc/events/conference/3rd/home

Fleuri, L. (2018). Parents and teachers’ seminar: Raising Bilingual Children. Open Seminar for Raizes Brasileiras Community Language Schools, Brisbane, 25 January/2018, 08 February/2019 and 09 February/2020.

Fleuri, L. (2017). The Brazilian diaspora in Brisbane: heritage community initiatives and cultural/linguistic identity. 2nd Congress South-South Dialogues. The University of Queensland: 29-30 November/2017. Brisbane https://languages-cultures.uq.edu.au/event/session/2831

Fernanda Alves

M.Phil. Linguistics (University of Queensland)

Learning Brazilian Portuguese as a heritage language:

Students’ needs and pedagogical challenges.

The study aims to explore the needs of children learning Portuguese as a heritage language at the Raizes Brasileiras Project. We will be investigating the children’s linguistic needs and looking into what language aspects are the most challenging for the children to produce. In addition, we will be examining the topics and themes that are most relevant for the children based on what their interests are and their individual motivation to learn Portuguese. By having access to this information, we hope to work together with their teacher and director to recommend ways in which they can include the valuable information obtained in the content of their lessons and in the course curriculum.

Heritage language learning and teaching is a very complex phenomenon which has many challenges for families, teachers, and school directors all over the world. Any contribution in the field enables all parties involved to make better decisions about the learning and teaching of the community language. This study hopes to contribute to the body of knowledge of Portuguese as a heritage language learning and teaching in Australia and consolidate its practices in order to help learners achieve the best results.