The idea was simple, but different: students wrote short stories in Portuguese that were drawn from their own community and then translated them into English. Ambitiously, the project was to culminate in the publication of a bilingual book. Each page of the book was constructed with contributions from the students themselves, making the material an authentic mirror of the rural community in which they live.
Difficulties
From the outset, Nossos Contos / Our Tales faced barriers typical of contexts with limited resources. We have difficulties in accessing quality bilingual materials, but initial resistance to innovative methods were overcome thanks to our collective commitment. The school’s leadership and staff organized workshops, meetings and collaborative activities, turning obstacles into opportunities for learning and growth.