On-line reading and writing resources for Portuguese

Here are some useful sites for teaching reading and writing:

1. Verb Conjugator - Simple, but sophisticated (and oh, SO useful!) this site is one of my student's favorites. If you are not sure about how to conjugate a certain verb, type it in, click "conjugar" e pronto! Está tudo lá!

2. English <> Portuguese Dictionary - If you are learning to read and write in a second language, you definitely need a good dictionary. Well, this one is not necessarily the best, but it is decent, free and on-line. Also one of my student's favorites.

3. In order to write well, one needs to read good literature. Biblioteca do futuro, from the University of São Paulo (USP) has an incredible collection, and it is free. I know, I know, this site is currently under maintenance, but I wanted to list it anyway here because it is so incredible. While we wait for it to be updated, we can read some crônicas by Luis Fernando Verissimo, and check some other Brazilian writers like Machado de Assis, Carlos Drummond de Andrade, Mario Quintana and others in the site Para Ler e Pensar.

4. It is also important to read a good newspaper and, although I am a proud carioca (a native of Rio de Janeiro), I recommend A Folha de S. Paulo. If I want to know what's culturally happening in my hometown, I read Veja-Rio or Revista Programa.

5. As you may or may not know, there is a new Portuguese Language Orthographic Agreement, a spelling reform that started in Brazil in January 2009. This means that we (including myself, the Portuguese Teacher!) will have to relearn how to write certain words according to the new Reforma Ortográfica.

6. Last, but not least, the Manual do Estadão, a writing and style manual from the newspaper O Estado de S. Paulo, offer great writing tips for the advanced (very advanced!) student.