ALFABETIZAÇÃO NA LÍNGUA MATERNA COM CRIANÇAS INDÍGENAS GUARANI-KAIOWÁ

Abstract

Literacy in the mother tongue among Guarani Kaiowá indigenous children is essential for cognitive development, cultural preservation, and inclusion. This study investigated the use of the mother tongue and how it influences children’s learning and the strengthening of their cultural identity. The research adopts a qualitative approach, with the study conducted at an indigenous school located in the village of Sassoró, in the municipality of Tacuru, in the state of Mato Grosso do Sul. Data collection involved classroom observations in a 3rd-grade elementary school class, an interview with a literacy teacher, and an analysis of the educational program at the Ubaldo Arandu Kwe-Mi – Polo Municipal Indigenous School. The results indicate that the use of the Guarani language as the first language facilitates content comprehension, increases children’s engagement, and strengthens their cultural identity. It is concluded that bilingual education, when implemented in a way that ensures children initially study their mother tongue, with the gradual inclusion of the second language, contributes significantly to broader learning and preserves the culture of the Guarani Kaiowá people