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The scope of the present study is the discourse about grammar, as a curriculum component, in the syllabi and learning outcomes for Basic and Secondary Education in force in Portugal from 1991 to 2019. The corpus includes thirteen curricular documents that conveyed the prescribed curriculum for Portuguese L1. A comparative study guides the analysis of the curricular discourse, focusing on three issues: (i) the concept of Grammar, (ii) the place of Grammar among other curriculum components, namely Speaking, Listening, Writing, and Reading, and (iii) the degree of explicitness in grammar instruction. Three dichotomies (dependence / autonomy, prescriptivism / descriptivism, and language skills / reflective thinking), addressed in research, cross over the discourse about Grammar in the official documents. The results show different frames for Grammar conceptualizations, place and type of instruction, in a pathway from a dependent to an autonomous curricular component, and from instrumental goals to a balance between language skills enhancement and reflective activity.

The role of salt marshes as nitrogen sink is examined taking into consideration the seasonal variation of above and belowground biomass of Spartina martima and Halimione portulacoides in two marshes from Tagus estuary, Pancas and Corroios, and the degradation rates of belowground litter. Total nitrogen was determined in plant components, decomposing litter and sediment. Biomass was higher in Corroios, the saltier marsh, with 7190 g m -2 y -1 dw of S. maritima and 6593 g m -2 y -1 dw of H. portulacoides and the belowground component contributed to 96% and 90% of total biomass, respectively. In the other marsh, Pancas, belowground biomass contributed to 56% and 76% of total biomass for S. maritima and H. portulacoides, respectively. Litterbag experiment showed that between 25% and 50% of nitrogen is lost within the first month and remained relatively constant in the next four months. Slower decomposition is observed in sediments with higher nitrogen concentration (max. 0.7% N in the saltier marsh). Higher concentrations of N were found in the sediment upper layers. Considering the sedimentroot system, most of the nitrogen is stored in the sediment compartment and only about 1-4% of the total N was found in the roots. Considering these results, Tagus salt marshes act as a sink for nitrogen.

In this article, we present an empirical study on early argumentative writing, in opinion texts written by children of the 2nd and 4th grade (1st cycle of basic education). The analysis of discourse and linguistic properties shows early skills in written argumentation. These results call into question the Portuguese teaching guidelines, which only begin providing for the writing of opinion texts in the 5th grade. This study also brings to light the conclusions of similar studies (Brassart, 1990, Leal & Morais, 2006) and contributes to the characterization of writing development and linguistic awareness in the initial school years.

In this paper, studies on language acquisition and development are seen as most relevant to grammar teaching and learning. Grammar teaching may be conceived as a process of building awareness of the language used from the earliest stages, as well as a process of scaffolding knowledge depending on later language development. In this perspective, grammar instruction (including curricular orientations) must take into account what belongs to spontaneous linguistic knowledge, and which linguistic knowledge crucially depends on the richness of discourse experiences at school. Data on the acquisition of contrast connectives in European Portuguese will support the idea that, even assuming that some innate principles rule early language acquisition, linguistic proficiency depends on language learning experiences accumulated through years of schooling. Furthermore, language development is not entirely accomplished by linguistic mastery: the ability to explain language through language may be considered a later stage of linguistic accuracy, associated with formal instruction.