Português como língua de acolhimento : um facilitador para mediação intercultural de migrantes e refugiados

Abstract

A notorious increase in migratory flows of migrants and refugees has been observed worldwide. According to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), approximately 122.6 million people were forced to flee their countries of origin by June 2024, facing various challenges. The primary obstacle is the language barrier, as a lack of proficiency in the host country's language prevents access to basic rights such as education, employment, and housing. Cultural shock in a foreign country also hinders the full integration of these groups into Brazilian society. Consequently, this research sought to explain and analyze how Portuguese as a Welcoming Language (PLAc) courses in public universities—specifically the course promoted by the extension project Refugees and Migrants in Paraíba: Welcoming and Integrating (REFMIG) at the Federal University of Paraíba (UFPB)—facilitate the learning of the host language through an intercultural approach, contributing to better intercultural mediation for refugees and migrants. The methodology used in this study followed a qualitative approach, being applied in nature, exploratory in objective, and utilizing bibliographic and field procedures. Authors such as Grosso (2010), Cabete (2010), Silva and Costa (2020), and São Bernardo (2016) were referenced, alongside a questionnaire applied to the project's students. The results indicate that PLAc teaching within the REFMIG project, based on an intercultural approach by teachers and the content delivered, contributed to a better insertion of migrants and refugees into Brazilian society. This was achieved through classroom themes that students could apply in their daily lives, as well as their affirmation that the teachers' experience was fundamental for better acquisition of the host language.