Contextualization

Language is an incredible human characteristic that allows us to express thoughts, feelings, desires, and experiences. Whether through gestures, drawings, sounds, words, or written texts, language is essential to our lives. But have you ever stopped to think about how all of this works? How do we manage to understand and make ourselves understood? What is language, tongue, and discourse? What is the meaning behind each word we use? That's what we're going to discover in this project!

Introduction

In our daily lives, we use the Portuguese language to communicate with each other. But language goes far beyond that! Language is any system that uses symbols, signs, or insignias to express or communicate something. Language, on the other hand, is a specific type of language that uses words and grammatical rules to communicate.

Discourse is the oral or written expression of language in use. In it, we can insert our worldview, our feelings, and ideas. The meaning, in turn, is the significance or interpretation we give to the words, phrases, or texts we encounter.

The Importance of the Topic

Words are not just a set of letters and sounds. They carry meanings, contexts, and even emotions. Understanding language, tongue, discourse, and meanings is essential for effective communication and for understanding the world around us.

Moreover, the ability to understand and use language appropriately is an essential skill in the 21st century, both for academic success and for the professional world. Through this project, students will have the opportunity to explore these concepts and apply them in practical situations.

Practical Activity: 'The World of Language: Exploring Language, Discourse, and Meanings'

Project Objective

The objective of this project is to deepen students' understanding of language, tongue, discourses, and meanings we attribute to words. They will need to conduct research, analyze texts, explore synonyms, and finally create a 'Synonym Dictionary' and a 'Discourse Comics'.

Detailed Project Description

Students, divided into groups of 3-5 people, will explore the richness of the Portuguese language, discussing and analyzing discourses and meanings through a project divided into three stages:

1. Research and Analysis: Students will research language, tongue, discourse, and meanings, and how these elements are present in our daily communication. They will analyze the importance of synonyms and the role they play in our conversations and writings.

2. Creation of the Synonym Dictionary: Students will choose 10 words and, for each of them, list at least 5 synonyms. They must also present a short text explaining how the meaning of each synonym differs from the original word and in what context they can be used.

3. Creation of the Discourse Comics: Students will produce a 'comic' of two to three pages, where they will demonstrate the use of direct and indirect discourse, as well as the manipulation of meanings in different contexts.

Required Materials

• Computer with internet access for content and synonym research.
• Grammar books and dictionaries for reference.
• Paper, colored pens, colored pencils, and/or design software for creating the comics.

Step by Step

Stage 1 - Research and Analysis:

1.1 Students should research language, tongue, and discourse, reading and discussing relevant texts.

1.2 Next, they should discuss the meanings associated with words and expressions.

Stage 2 - Creation of the Synonym Dictionary:

2.1 For each of the 10 words chosen by the group, at least 5 synonyms should be listed.

2.2 Next, a short text should be written explaining how the meaning of each synonym differs from the original word and in what context they could be used.

Stage 3 - Creation of the Discourse Comics:

3.1 Start by thinking of a short plot that can be told in two or three pages and that allows for the demonstration of the use of direct and indirect discourse.

3.2 Draw the comics, or use design software if preferred.

3.3 Make sure that both direct and indirect discourses are clearly demonstrated in the comics.

Project Deliverables

Students will deliver the Synonym Dictionary and the Discourse Comics and write a detailed report following the format: Introduction, Development, Conclusions, and Bibliography.

In the report:

• Introduction: The student should contextualize the theme, its relevance and real-world application, as well as the objective of this project.

• Development: Here, the student must explain the theory behind language, tongue, discourses, and meanings. They should detail the activities carried out, the methodology used, present the Synonym Dictionary and the Discourse Comics, and discuss the results obtained.

• Conclusions: The student must conclude the work by summarizing its main points, explaining the learnings obtained, and drawing conclusions about the project. They should also explain how the project contributed to the development of socio-emotional skills such as communication, time management, problem-solving, creative thinking, proactivity, etc.

• Bibliography: The student should indicate the sources they relied on to work on the project such as books, web pages, videos, etc.

This project lasts for one month and requires a workload of 5 to 10 hours per student.