This year two Brazilian girls (sisters)came into our school They are 14 and 15 and they have been placed in our 6th grade.

 

Our primary school (4 years)  starts at 5/6 years old . When they are 9/10 students attend 5th and 6th grades. Then 11 to 14/15, 7th to 9th grade! Then secondary school, etc

 

Can someone tell me how your school system works? My colleagues are having real problems because they- the girls-  don �t understand us (Our two countries are both Portuguese native speakers- I know there is a different accent and different expressions used- but they don �t really understand us) !

 

At this age- 14 and 15- in what year should they be? What classes should they have- if they were still in Brazil?

They are going to have Portuguese, Maths, Geography and History, Science,  English, Physical Education, Art and Music.

 

Thanks in advance!

 

Big hug from Portugal

 

I �m a Brazilian teacher of English at a language institute and also at a regular school here in Brazil.

 

When kids are 14/15 years old, they usually are in their 9th/10th grade. The Brazilian school system demands a lot from the students because of the university entrance examination called "Vestibular". So our students take Math, Portuguese, History, Geography, Science, English, Filosophy, Arts and Physical Education until the 9th grade. And as I can see it is not very different from your kids.

 

In the 10th grade, on the other hand, they have many more classes because Science, for example, is divided into Chemistry, Physics and Biology, each school subject with two or three teachers; Portuguese is divided into Portuguese Language (grammar), Literature, and Writing techniques (wich we call here Reda��o).

 

I can �t see why they can �t understand you. Especially because they should be a little autonomous and try a bit harder to adapt to the new culture and country.

 

I hope I have helped a little. If you need anything else, let me know.

 

Good luck and tell me when they succed.

 

Big hugs from Brazil.

 

Thanks a lot for your help... irm�o para irm�o... mais irm� para irm�!

 

Greetings from Portugal!