Portuguese is spoken differently in Portugal and Brazil. For this reason it is often recommended to learn Portuguese dividing your Portuguese course between some schools in Portugal and Brazil. Remember, that people also speak Portuguese differently in different parts of the same country.
The main differences between Portuguese spoken in Portugal (European Portuguese) and Brazilian Portuguese are: second person verbal forms are seldom used, the pronunciation is different, word order is more flexible in Brazilian Portuguese, there are some differences in spelling.
Taking into consideration all that, you can learn Portuguese in Brazil (in Maceio or in Salvador Da Bahia, for instance), if you need the particular Brazilian Portuguese version. But you can also search on a large scale in order to find the place matching your special needs. Here are some options: Brazilian universities offer condensed summer programs in Portuguese language and culture courses in Los Angeles, you can find the same in Florida, Palm Beach county, Houston area, Santos SP. Portuguese classes from beginner to advanced students, in the form of individual studies or in small groups are offered . Classes include a large variety of real - life situations where the students learn Portuguese through conversation.
Standford University program for Brazilian Portuguese language is worth being described more precisely.
You`ll learn Portuguese easily from the Portuguese Programmatic Course by imitating and repeating everyday conversations recorded on cassettes or CD's by native speakers. A variety of drills and exercises help you develop fluency while guiding you to the correct intonation and pronunciation. At the end of each lesson unit in Volume 1 is a brief "culture capsule," that provides insight into the language usage and customs of Brazilian Portuguese. Volume 2 will extend your vocabulary and facility in more complex dialogues.
The Brazilian Portuguese Familiarization and Short-term Training (FAST) Course was written by Neire Barim Johnson, Portuguese Language and Culture Instructor.
Here is an explanation of the methodology used in a FAST course. The order of these lessons will help you obtain the language skills and confidence needed to deal with any given situation. In class, of course, things will not always go smoothly - nor should they. Your teacher is responsible for assessing your progress and attitude throughout the lessons and is also responsible for making adjustments whenever sensible and necessary.
Self-confidence is the ultimate goal of a FAST course. The sequence of these lessons has been proven successful at FSI. It is important that you follow the sequence as given. Inverting the order or skipping steps will seriously diminish your gains. Both teachers and students find this approach more natural, less arduous and at least as productive as other approaches.