AUTHORSHIP BEFORE RECEPTION: A LITERATURE TEACHING EXPERIENCE IN EAST TIMOR

Abstract

In this paper, we aim to present the experience of teaching Portuguese and Lusophone Literature in East Timor during a school year in the only public university of the country, Universidade Nacional Timor Lorosa’e (UNTL). We will show the difference between the initial planning of the classes and its concrete unfolding, in which it became evident that students should be encouraged to become authors of their own stories before being readers of literary texts. Initially, it was believed that working with Lusophone tradition would enable an interesting way to discuss the particular way that East Timor dialogues with the culture of one of its official languages. However, given the large cultural and linguistic differences that separated teachers and students, we present how this goal was modified and postponed. We will discuss the educational choices made in accordance not only with the specificity of that group of students, but also the literary text itself, which would lose in effect if it would be read only by the teacher’s interpretation. Thus, we show in this article, the need for autonomy and authorship as a way to ensure the effective reception of literary texts in the classroom.