Educação escolar indígena e o ensino de línguas: uma análise das práticas docentes em uma escola do povo Apurinã

Abstract

This study, titled “Indigenous School Education and Language Teaching: An Analysis of Teaching Practices at a School of the Apurinã People,” investigates pedagogical practices focused on language teaching at the Aitari Sikakiti Municipal School, located in the village of Vila Nova, in the municipality of Tapauá (AM). The research is based on the premise that indigenous school education should promote the strengthening of the cultural and linguistic identity people, especially in the face of external pressures and the predominance of the Portuguese language the study is situated within the sociocultural context of the Apurinã people, whose history is marked by territorial conflicts and the impact of colonization, with direct implications for the preservation of language and culture. UNESCO (2010) classifies the Apurinã language as critically endangered, highlighting the need for language revitalization efforts and educational policies that ensure the intergenerational transmission of the language. In this context, the study is guided by the following question: What are the pedagogical practices for language teaching employed by teachers working in Indigenous School Education among the Apurinã people? Have these practices contributed to the linguistic strengthening of the Apurinã language? Based on this concern, the general objective is established as follows: To analyze the pedagogical practices of teachers working in Indigenous School Education at the Aitari Sikakiti Municipal School of the Apurinã people in the village of Vila Nova, municipality of Tapauá, considering both Indigenous and non-Indigenous teachers, with an emphasis on the teaching and learning practices of the Portuguese and Apurinã languages. The specific objectives include i) conducting a sociolinguistic survey in the village, involving indigenous teachers, community members who are parents of students, and Apurinã students at the Aitari Sikakiti indigenous school; ii) to map pedagogical practices focused on the teaching of Portuguese and the Apurinã language; and iii) to analyze the effectiveness of teaching practices in strengthening the indigenous language. Methodologically, the research adopts a qualitative approach (Triviños, 1987; Minayo, 1994, 2001), combining bibliographic research (Kroemer, 1985; Facundes, 1994, 2000; Weiguel, 2000, 2004; Schiel, 2004; Bettiol, 2007; Calvet, 2002, 2007; Bergamaschi(2007); Candau, 2008, 2012; Duarte, 2009; Walsh, 2009, 2010; Simas, 2016; Barros, 2018; Baniwa, 2019; Aquino, 2022; Rubim, 2022; and Santos, 2022), documentary (Brazil, 1988; Brazil, 1998; Brazil, 2012; Brazil, 2017), and field data. As data collection tools, we used participant observation, semi-structured interviews, and sociolinguistic questionnaires. Data analysis followed the hermeneutic-dialectical method, allowing us to understand the effectiveness of pedagogical practices in language teaching and their contribution to the preservation of the Apurinã language. This dissertation is structured into four main sections: (i) Linguistic Diversity, Historical, Sociocultural, and Linguistic Context of the Apurinã People; (ii) Methodological Approaches to the Research Process and the Construction of the Dissertation; (iii) The Legal Framework for Language Teaching in Indigenous School Education; and (iv) Teacher Training and Pedagogical Practices in the Teaching of the Apurinã Language and Portuguese in the Village of Vila Nova: an analysis of their effectiveness for linguistic strengthening. The results indicate that the Apurinã language remains the central axis of community life, characterized by maintenance bilingualism, albeit with generational changes. In pedagogical practices, bilingual education is not yet fully implemented in a contextualized manner, with limitations in teacher training, institutional support, and the availability of materials. Regarding effectiveness, it is evident that these practices are more effective when linked to teacher training and community participation. The research reinforces the importance of language education for the affirmation of identity and the preservation of indigenous knowledge, contributing to the strengthening of educational policies tailored to the reality of the Vila Nova Village.