Proposta de material didático para a língua Sakurabiat

Abstract

Currently spoken for about 12 people in the Brazilian state of Rondonia, Sakurabiat is an endangered language that composes the Tupari branch of the Tupi family. In the context of formal teaching of the language, Sakurabiat has the status of a second language and heritage language in the community. The appropriate and continuous training of indigenous teachers is a fundamental stage in the process of teaching and recovering of the language and the traditional culture, then, based on the decision taken informed and appropriate the Sakurabiat community will be able to reach their linguistic goals. The production and systematic publication of specific materials according to the demands of indigenous people is one of the principles of indigenous education in Brazil. However, many schools lack this type of material. In this sense, the present study aims to describe and analyze the process of elaboration of teaching material to the Sakurabiat language. Based on the theoretical assumptions of Brazilian policies of languages teaching (BRASIL, 1988, 1996, 1998), as well as on theories of linguistic learning and the methods and approach of language teaching, including literacy in minoritized languages (BAKER, 2001; PAIVA, 2014; RICHARDS; RODGERS, 2001), the present study is guided by the qualitative approach of data analysis and by the methodological principles of bibliographic research, case study, ethnography and action research. The methodological procedure included fieldwork for data collection utilizing interviews, on-site observation, and elicitation. Were done two field trips, focused on different audiences. The first trip was focused on the educational demands of Sakurabiat teachers. The second trip focused on the indigenous language learning objectives expressed by parents of students from the Aipere school and members of the community in general. The data collected exposes that the Sakurabiat community yearns for a material that supports them in the recovering process of their traditional language and culture. Thus, the research highlights the need to use different learning theories, as well as methods and language teaching approach to attend the specificities and demands of the Sakurabiat context. The expectation is that the material analyzed in this research works as a tool in the process of recovering the indigenous language and culture. To do this, community members will need to cross school boundaries and take the Sakurabiat language and culture to different spaces of use.