PORTUGUESE AS A WELCOMING LANGUAGE IN PUBLIC SCHOOLS: A LINGUISTIC AND CULTURAL WELCOMING EXPERIENCE WITH VENEZUELAN STUDENTS IN MARIANA, MINAS GERAIS

Abstract

This article analyzes a linguistic and cultural integration initiative developed by the Center for Language Teaching and Research at the Federal University of Ouro Preto (NEPLI/UFOP) with Venezuelan students enrolled in a municipal public school in Mariana, Minas Gerais. The study stems from the growing Venezuelan presence in municipalities in the interior of Minas Gerais—a result of internal migration policies—and focuses on the educational challenges arising from the arrival of children and adolescents with diverse linguistic and cultural backgrounds and distinct displacement trajectories. The general objective is to analyze the actions taken within the school setting, the proposed "Portuguese as a Language of Integration" (PLAc) course for families, and the institutional, pedagogical, and social conditions surrounding its implementation. This is a qualitative account of the experience—drawing on action research principles—supported by reports from the project coordinators and participating scholarship students, as well as questionnaires completed by three teachers who received Venezuelan students. The analysis was organized around themes such as school integration, Portuguese language acquisition, literacy, the emotional impact of displacement, intercultural relations, and family participation. The results indicate progress in the students' oral communication skills, persistent difficulties with reading, writing, and school routines, the importance of teacher mediation, and the limitations of local initiatives. The lack of family participation in the PLAc course revealed barriers related to institutional mistrust, low literacy levels, and material constraints affecting participation. The study concludes that PLAc initiatives require trust, institutional continuity, teacher training, and intersectoral coordination.