Publicação Contínua
Creation of a speech environment for preschool children in their native language in conditions of its insufficient functioning in family and society
Criação de um ambiente de fala para crianças em idade pré-escolar na sua língua materna no caso do seu uso insuficiente na família e na sociedade
Creación de un entorno de habla para niños en edad preescolar en su lengua materna en las condiciones de su funcionamiento insuficiente en la familia y la sociedad
Creation of a speech environment for preschool children in their native language in conditions of its insufficient functioning in family and society
Revista Tempos e Espaços em Educação, vol. 15, núm. 34, e17759, 2022
Universidade Federal de Sergipe
Recepción: 11 Febrero 2022
Aprobación: 22 Mayo 2022
Publicación: 24 Junio 2022
Abstract: Preschool educational organizations participating in the revitalization of the ethnic languages of the indigenous peoples of the North, Siberia and the Far East need a special bilingual educational system with an effective methodology for creating a speech environment, developed on the basis of the federal state educational standard for preschool education and an environmental approach. In this regard, in order to eliminate language deprivation, which has become a stable phenomenon in preschool educational organizations in which children of the indigenous peoples of the North, Siberia and the Far East of the Russian Federation are brought up, it is necessary to take systemic measures aimed at improving the quality of the native speech of teachers, creating didactic materials, including digital resources to create a developing speech environment, the development of a special technique that reveals the speech potential of children. The purpose of the research is the creation of a model of the ethnocultural speech environment in the native language for preschool children in conditions of insufficient functioning of the native language. The article provides a comprehensive description of the research results on the creation of a speech environment in preschool educational institutions in native languages of the indigenous peoples of the North, Siberia and the Far East of the Russian Federation. The results are presented: 1) a description of educational practices, built on the principle of “one person – one language”, aimed at the development of early bilingualism in preschool children; 2) analysis of the main problems of the speech environment in preschool educational organizations located in places of compact residence of indigenous minorities; 3) a description of the model for creating an ethnocultural speech environment in the native language for preschool children based on the principle of “one person – one language” and the concept of “developing speech environment”. As part of this study, a model for creating an ethnocultural speech environment for preschool children has been developed, taking into account the requirements of important state documents regulating the educational activities of kindergartens. First of all, the model is intended for the use by kindergartens implementing an educational program in conditions of insufficient functioning in the family and society of the native language of the indigenous peoples of the North, Siberia and the Far East of the Russian Federation. In order to introduce a model for creating an ethnocultural speech developmental environment for preschool children in the educational process, guidelines have been developed for parents and employees of preschool educational organizations.
Keywords: Native language, Children’s bilingualism, Language nest approach, Input, Ethnocultural speech environment.
Resumo: Um sistema educacional bilingue especial com métodos eficazes de criação de um ambiente de fala desenvolvido com base no padrão educacional do estado federal para a educação pré-escolar e abordagem ambiental é necessário para as organizações educacionais pré-escolares envolvidas na revitalização das línguas étnicas de pequenos povos indígenas do Norte, Sibéria, e Extremo Oriente da Rússia. A este respeito, para eliminar a privação linguística que tem-se tornado um fenómeno persistente nas organizações educacionais pré-escolares onde são educadas crianças de povos indígenas do Norte, Sibéria e Extremo Oriente da Federação Russa, é necessário tomar medidas sistémicas para melhorar a qualidade da fala nativa dos professores, criar materiais didácticos, incluindo recursos digitais, para gerar um ambiente de fala em desenvolvimento, desenvolvendo uma metodologia especial que revele o potencial de fala das crianças. O objectivo da investigação e criar um modelo de ambiente de fala etno-cultural na língua materna para crianças em idade pré-escolar em condições de funcionamento insuficiente da língua materna. O artigo fornece uma descrição complexa dos resultados da investigação sobre a criação de um ambiente de fala em organizações educacionais pré-escolares nas línguas nativas dos povos indígenas do Norte, Sibéria e Extremo Oriente da Federação Russa. Os resultados apresentados são: 1) descrição de práticas educacionais baseadas no princípio "uma face-uma língua" com o objectivo de desenvolver o bilinguismo precoce em crianças pré-escolares; 2) análise dos principais problemas do ambiente de fala em organizações educacionais pré-escolares localizadas em locais de residência compacta de minorias indígenas; 3) descrição do modelo de criação de ambiente de fala etno-cultural em língua nativa para crianças pré-escolares baseado no princípio "uma face-uma língua" e do conceito "desenvolvimento do ambiente de fala". Como parte da nossa investigação, desenvolvemos um modelo de criar um ambiente de discurso etno-cultural para crianças em idade pré-escolar, tendo em conta as exigencias de importantes documentos estatais que regulamentam as actividades educativas dos jardins de infância. Primeiro que tudo, o modelo destina-se a ser utilizado nos jardins de infância que implementam o programa educacional no contexto do funcionamento insuficiente da língua nativa dos povos indígenas do Norte, Sibéria e Extremo Oriente da Federação Russa na família e na sociedade. A fim de introduzir o modelo de criar o ambiente da fala etnocultural de desenvolvimento para crianças em idade pré-escolar no processo educativo, foram desenvolvidas as directrizes para pais e funcionários de organizações educativas pré-escolares.
Palavras-chave: Língua nativa, Bilinguismo infantil, Método "ninho de línguas", Inculcação, Ambiente de discurso etno-cultural.
Resumen: Para las organizaciones educativas preescolares que se dedican a la revitalización de las lenguas étnicas de los pequeños pueblos indígenas del Norte, Siberia y el Lejano Oriente, es necesario un sistema educativo bilingüe especial con métodos eficaces para crear un entorno de habla, desarrollado sobre la base de la norma educativa estatal federal para la educación preescolar y el enfoque ambiental. En este sentido, para eliminar la privación lingüística que se ha convertido en un fenómeno persistente en las organizaciones educativas preescolares en las que se educan los niños de los pequeños pueblos indígenas del Norte, Siberia y el Lejano Oriente de la Federación Rusa, es necesario adoptar medidas sistémicas para mejorar la calidad del habla nativa de los profesores, crear materiales didácticos, incluidos los recursos digitales, para crear un entorno de habla evolutivo y desarrollar métodos especiales que desbloqueen el potencial de habla de los niños. Objetivo del estudio: crear un modelo de entorno de habla etnocultural en la lengua materna para niños preescolares con un funcionamiento insuficiente de la lengua materna. El artículo ofrece una descripción exhaustiva de los resultados de la investigación sobre la creación de un entorno de habla en las organizaciones educativas preescolares en las lenguas nativas de los pueblos indígenas del Norte, Siberia y el Lejano Oriente de la Federación Rusa. Se presentan los resultados: 1) una descripción de las prácticas educativas basadas en el principio “una cara – una lengua” destinadas a desarrollar el bilingüismo precoz en los niños de preescolar; 2) un análisis de los principales problemas del entorno del habla en las organizaciones educativas de preescolar situadas en zonas de residencia compacta de las minorías indígenas; 3) una descripción del modelo para crear un entorno del habla etnocultural en una lengua nativa para los niños de preescolar basado en el uso del principio “una cara – una lengua” y el concepto de un “entorno del habla en desarrollo”. Como parte de nuestra investigación, desarrollamos un modelo para crear un entorno de habla etnocultural para los niños de preescolar, teniendo en cuenta los requisitos de importantes documentos estatales que regulan las actividades educativas de los jardines de infancia. En primer lugar, el modelo está destinado a los jardines de infancia que aplican el programa educativo en el contexto del funcionamiento insuficiente de la lengua materna de los pequeños pueblos indígenas del Norte, Siberia y el Lejano Oriente de la Federación Rusa en la familia y la sociedad. Con el fin de introducir un modelo para crear un entorno de desarrollo del habla etnocultural para los niños de preescolar en el proceso educativo, se han elaborado recomendaciones metodológicas para los padres y el personal de las instituciones educativas de preescolar.
Palabras clave: Lengua maternal, Bilingüismo infantile, Método del “nido lingüístico”, Input, Entorno de habla etnocultural.
INTRODUCTION
Each language is a unique phenomenon of human thought, culture and history; it is part of the humanitarian wealth. More than 3% of languages in the world have more than a million native speakers. More than 95% of the world’s population speaks these languages as native languages. The overwhelming majority of the languages of our planet (about 85%) are “small” languages with less than 100 thousand speakers. Thus, the bulk of the linguistic component of the world cultural heritage is in the hands of a relatively small group of people. It depends on them whether the linguistic cultural heritage of the world will be preserved for the future (Zamyatin, Pasanen & Saarikivi, 2012).
Meanwhile, the rich diversity of existing indigenous languages is rapidly declining (Fitzgerald, 2019). Processes are taking place all over the world with many indigenous languages, regardless of their kinship and typological characteristics. This is the reason for the UN announcement of the International Decade of Indigenous Languages for 2022-2032. The Los Pinos Declaration of UNESCO, adopted on 28 February 2020, prioritizes the empowerment of indigenous speakers, emphasizing their right to receive education in their native language. This document will serve as a strategic roadmap for the Decade of Indigenous Languages.
Among the languages of the world, those that are not used in education, administration and the media are currently under threat. But the most important criterion for the existence of a language is its transmission to the next generation. Language is threatened when its transmission to children is disrupted or stopped (Edwards, 1992).
The director of the Institute of Linguistics of the Russian Academy of Sciences A.A. Kibrik compiled an approximate classification of linguistic situations in the Russian Federation, according to which the languages of small peoples are divided into three subgroups in terms of their viability: a) endangered (the process of intergenerational transmission of the language was not completely interrupted); c) disappearing (the process of intergenerational transmission was interrupted); c) on the verge of extinction (there are only elderly carriers) (2020).
What languages fall under this classification? According to Government Decree No. 255 dated March 24, 2000, there are 47 indigenous small-numbered peoples in our country, of which 41 are indigenous small-numbered peoples of the North, Siberia and the Far East. As a result of a linguistic shift that took place over several decades at the end of the 20th and beginning of the 21st centuries, for most of the indigenous peoples of the North, Siberia and the Far East of the Russian Federation, Russian became their native, functionally first language.
In recent years, state and municipal authorities, the scientific and pedagogical community, leaders of public organizations of indigenous minorities of the Russian Federation have taken various measures aimed at reviving and preserving their native languages. Together, languages can be brought to a more secure level. There are historical examples of the revival of languages in the world. For example, linguistic activists and linguistic scholars have made a significant contribution to the return of Hebrew, Florida in the United States, Manx in the Isle of Man (UK), mainly using the natural way of transferring the language from adults to children in the context of family education (Vakhtin, 2017).
The most optimal condition for the preservation and revival of the languages of indigenous peoples is national-Russian or Russian-national bilingualism, which is gradually shifting to trilingualism (when studying a foreign language), as a natural life situation. “Therefore, we must abandon the prejudice that a large prestigious state language can be learned only by abandoning the language of our ancestors. The Russian language is not instead of the language of its ethnic group, but together with it. It is necessary to increase the prestige of small languages. It’s also important to do everything to stimulate their study” (Kazakevich, n.d.). At the same time, it is very important that the purposeful formation of bilingualism begins precisely in preschool childhood (de Mejia, 2012; Genesee, 2006).
In this regard, in order to eliminate language deprivation, which has become a stable phenomenon in preschool educational institutions in which children of the indigenous peoples of the North, Siberia and the Far East of the Russian Federation are brought up, it is necessary to take scientifically grounded systemic measures aimed at improving the quality of the native speech of teachers, creating the necessary basic conditions, including digital resources, a developing speech environment, a special technique that reveals the speech potential of children.
METHODOLOGY
The methodological guidelines of this research are the ideas of domestic pedagogy and psychology: the development of the child’s personality in activity; value attitude to the child’s native language, the idea of the essence of childhood as a sensitive period of speech development and the formation of bilingualism; amplification (enrichment) of a child’s development by means of various “specifically children’s activities”, including ethnocultural ones.
In the study, the author operates with the concept of “developing speech environment”, formulated by L.P. Fedorenko, an approach to the formation of bilingualism in children, which is based on the linguistic interaction of a child and an adult native speaker – the principle “one person – one language”. A developing speech environment is an environment that activates the process of developing speech communications and reveals the speech potential of children in a kindergarten. The developing speech environment is the result of purposeful sequential activity, it has three main components: the quality of the teachers’ speech, the creation of a subject-developing environment and the teaching methodology.
The principle “one person – one language” is the main principle of the formation of bilingualism in children of early and preschool age, when a bilingual child communicates with one adult in only one language, and with another – only in another. As a result, the child independently of each other forms two language systems; he simultaneously masters two languages without bias and interference. Parallel mastery of two languages is possible only in childhood, subject to the purposeful management of the formation and development of speech in two languages by adults. With the strategy of mastering two languages according to the principle “one person – one language”, the child develops a speech setting in one language or another in connection with a particular person or situation, and the other language is deactivated at this time. The concept of “attitude” in the formation of bilingualism was introduced by representatives of the Georgian psychological school D.N. Uznadze, N.V. Imedadze (2016). The attitude of speech in a second language does not arise immediately; it must be formed, differentiated. The basis of this development is the presence of the need for speech in a given language and the corresponding situation.
Taking into account the principle of “one person – one language”, the Georgian psychological school introduced the concept of “separation of languages” (allocation of languages), which is most conducive to the development of a speech attitude in a second language. Based on this principle, methodologists of bilingual education recommend linking each period of study with one language in terms of time or content (Genesee & Lindholn-Leary, 2013). This can be a division by days, by classrooms, by subjects, while switching from one language to another is undesirable, although it can occur naturally, some coordination of teachers speaking different languages is necessary.
Modern researchers of multilingualism in childhood E.Yu. Protasova and N.M. Rodina (2013) confirm this position; they experimentally prove that the observance of the principle “one person – one language” is one of the most effective ways of mastering several languages at the same time.
The purpose of the study: using the principle of “one person – one language” and the structure of the developing speech environment, create a model of the ethnocultural speech environment in the native language, intended for preschool educational organizations that implement educational programs in conditions of insufficient functioning of the ethnic language.
Research objectives: 1) study of educational practices using the principle of “one person – one language” in the formation of early bilingualism in preschool children; 2) identification of the main problems of creating a speech environment in preschool educational institutions located in places of compact residence of the indigenous peoples of the North, Siberia and the Far East of the Russian Federation; 3) development of a model for creating an ethnocultural speech environment for preschool children, used in conditions of insufficient functioning of the native language in the family and society.
To solve the set tasks, theoretical and empirical research methods were used: content analysis of scientific literature; observation of the educational process of bilingual and polylingual kindergartens, conversation and questioning of participants in educational relations; analysis, classification, interpretation of research results; model design.
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
To study the best educational practices that use the principle of “one person – one language” in the formation of early bilingualism in children, the author has chosen kindergartens that implement the “language nest” approach and kindergartens that implement bilingual and multilingual educational projects. This is necessary to understand the effectiveness of the principle of “one person – one language” in the conditions of a preschool educational organization, since it is most often used in families in raising children by bilingual (trilingual) parents. When using the “language nest” approach, children who do not speak their native (ethnic) language in kindergarten are immersed in an ethnocultural linguistic environment, in which basic conditions have been created for mastering a second language on the basis of the principle “one person – one language”. The main language of family communication is mainly the language of the “majority”, the main language of modern society, due to the fact that parents do not speak the language of the “minority”. Thus, situations are created “kindergarten – the second (ethnic) language, home – the first language”. The educational process of bilingual and multilingual kindergartens also provides for the use of specific languages in specific situations, taking into account the principle of “one person – one language”.
“Language nest” approach. This approach was created and successfully implemented in New Zealand during the revival of the Maori language through its transmission to preschool children (Kohanga, 2018). This method was also used in Hawaii when expanding the functions of the Hawaiian language and in the Sami region of Finland when saving the Inari-Sami and Koltta-Sami languages (Zuckermann & Walsh, 2014). According to leading linguistic scientists who study the native languages of indigenous minorities, the most effective method for revitalizing endangered languages is the “language nest” – the transfer of an ethnic language from the older generation to preschool children in full immersion in the language environment without translation. From the very beginning, children who speak only the language of the national majority are addressed exclusively in the language of the national minority. As a result of this approach, children learn to understand a new language quickly enough, and over time they begin to use it in their speech (Garnica & King, 1979).
In Russia, this approach was introduced through the implementation of the Finno-Ugric projects “Kielipesa” (Language nest) and “Finno-Ugric languages and cultures in preschool education” (Dolzhenko & Bayanova, 2015). The method in the format of full immersion in the language environment was used in the Karelian village of Kalevala of the Republic of Karelia from 2000 to 2006 in two kindergartens. Its use has led to an increase in the status of the Karelian language in the region (Pasanen, 2010).
The “language nest” approach in the format of partial immersion in the language environment has been introduced in educational institutions of the Taimyr Dolgano-Nenets municipal district of the Krasnoyarsk Territory. In the context of the implementation of the federal state educational standard of preschool education, teachers make the most of all the possibilities of basic and additional education to transfer the linguistic and cultural heritage to their pupils.
In the system of additional education, the “language nest” approach is also partially implemented once a week in the Taimyr House of Folk Art in the study of the languages and cultures of the Entsy, Dolgan, Nganasan, Evenk, and Nenets peoples. In “linguistic nests”, the transfer of ethnic language is carried out through direct communication between children and adults in the process of active development of traditional culture by methods of ethnopedagogy (Golovko et al., 2018).
Bilingual kindergarten in the Republic of Tatarstan. In Tatarstan, bilingual kindergartens, in contrast to ordinary kindergartens, where the native or foreign languages are taught in the form of classes, try to introduce the Tatar language in everyday (regime) moments. Thus, in bilingual kindergartens, children speak Tatar for half a day and in Russian in the afternoon. Thanks to this approach to teaching kids in kindergartens in the Republic of Tatarstan, children are immersed in a natural language environment.
Polylingual preschool education in the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia). In the kindergartens of Yakutia, the “polylingual kindergarten” project is being implemented, which provides for the study of three languages: native, Russian and English. In kindergartens participating in the project, children speak their native (Yakut) and Russian languages, which are actively functioning in families and society. Educational organizations employ bilingual teachers with a command of the Yakut and Russian languages, English is taught by teachers using the developing educational technology K2L (Key To Learning) for English-speaking preschoolers. To use the principle of “one person – one language”, tutors teaching in English came up with their own brand “Mister V” – a legend about a teacher who came from distant England and knows no language other than English.
Thus, the study of the best educational practices of organizations introducing the “language nest” approach when teaching a second (ethnic) language shows, on the one hand, its demand by representatives of the indigenous minorities of the North, on the other hand, the need for its adaptation for use in the preschool education system Russia. The experience of kindergartens implementing bilingual and multilingual educational projects demonstrates that the principle of “one person – one language” is successfully used in the implementation of the federal state educational standard for preschool education. Consequently, the principle “one person – one language” can be used in creating a model of the ethnocultural speech environment in the native language for preschool children in the conditions of insufficient functioning of the native language of the indigenous peoples of the North, Siberia and the Far East of the Russian Federation.
To identify the main problems of creating a developing speech environment in preschool educational institutions located in places of compact residence of the indigenous peoples of the North, Siberia and the Far East, a study was carried out in 6 constituent entities of the Russian Federation: the Amur Region, Khabarovsk Krai, Kamchatka Krai, the Republic of Buryatia, the Republic Sakha (Yakutia), the Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous Okrug. The following research questions were posed:
1. What is the level of native language proficiency among teachers who are potential participants in the process of restoring endangered languages in a kindergarten?
2. What conditions are created for the study of native languages in the subject-developing space of preschool educational organizations in places of traditional residence of indigenous minorities?
3. Is a special method of teaching the mother tongue of children who do not speak the ethnic language used in the places of traditional residence of the indigenous minorities?
Based on the results of a study of 12 preschool educational institutions, a classification of the functioning of native languages was compiled. The study paid attention to all three main components of the developing speech environment, identified by L.P. Fedorenko: the quality of the teachers’ speech, the creation of a special condition for the development of speech in the native language, the teaching method used to enhance the speech activity of children (Androsova, 2021).
Based on the data obtained, it can be concluded that in preschool educational institutions the potential of a developing speech environment in the native languages of indigenous peoples is only partially realized. Of the three components of the developing speech environment, only special visual and informational material is most actively used (thematic corners, information stands for parents, didactic demonstration materials). The other two components – the teaching methodology and the teacher's speech are practically not taken into account. In most of the kindergartens that participated in the study, due attention was not paid to the development of teachers’ speech in the native language of children, there was no general system of organizing the educational process in their native languages (Androsova, 2021).
The next task of this research was associated with the development of a model for creating an ethnocultural speech environment that contributes to the formation of Russian-national bilingualism in kindergartens in conditions of insufficient functioning of native languages in the family and society. The development of the model was based on the principle of “one person – one language”. The “language nest” approach was adapted in the model, taking into account the requirements of the federal state educational standard of preschool education, the content of the approximate basic educational program of preschool education, an approximate work program of upbringing for educational organizations that implement educational programs of preschool education (approved by the decision of the Federal Educational and Methodological Association on General Education (The report dated July 01, 2021 No. 2/21). The last document reveals such an important concept for our research as the “way of kindergarten”, which is defined as a social contract of the participants in educational relations, based on national values, containing the traditions of the region and the educational organization, setting the culture of community behavior, describing the subject-spatial environment, activities and socio-cultural context.
The order takes into account the specifics and forms of organizing the daily, weekly, monthly, annual life cycles of a preschool educational organization, contributes to the formation of upbringing values that are shared by all participants in educational relations (pupils, parents, teachers and other preschool staff). The upbringing environment is determined by the goal and objectives of upbringing, spiritual, moral and sociocultural values, models and practices. The main characteristics of the upbringing environment are its richness and structure.
The kindergarten, in the part formed by the participants in educational relations, complements the priority areas of education, taking into account the main educational program being implemented, regional and municipal specifics of the implementation of the Strategy for the development of education in the Russian Federation for the period up to 2025.
Thus, the author considers the ethnocultural speech environment as a part of the structure and educational environment of a preschool educational organization, for the creation of which the author proposes a model consisting of three main components: 1) subject-developing environment; 2) a teacher who speaks the native (ethnic) language of his pupils; 3) the method of transferring the native (ethnic) language to preschool children.
Creation of a subject-developing environment. When designing an ethnocultural developing environment, it is necessary to take into account the requirements of the federal state educational standard of preschool education for a developing subject-spatial environment in five educational areas and the specifics of national culture. Particular attention is paid to ethnic elements associated with the play-based activities of children. Games and play-based activities should be aimed at social and communicative, cognitive, speech, artistic, aesthetic and physical development of children based on familiarization with national culture, local history and language learning.
Educational area | Ethno-cultural developmental environment | |
1 | Social and communicative development | Communication and various types of activity create conditions for introducing the child to national traditions, the formation of love for the family, his native land.Creation of a center for national games (didactic games, attributes for role-playing games). |
2 | Cognitive development | Speech skills and abilities in the native language are developed through the cognitive interest of children in the world around them. This direction is implemented through the organization of classes, observations, excursions, targeted walks, conversations, games. Creation of the Center (zone) of the native land (nature, traditional types of economic activities, etc.). |
3 | Speech development | National games based on cognitive interests, the formation of correct sound pronunciation, intonational expressiveness of speech, enrichment of the lexical composition and grammatical structure of speech. |
4 | Artistic and aesthetic development | Pedagogical potential of national music, fine arts, theater, folklore, folk songs and dances. |
5 | Physical development | National outdoor games, competitions. |
The digital space has become an integral part of the child’s life space, a source of forming ideas about the world around, universal human values. In this regard, the educational environment of a modern kindergarten includes digital educational resources. This is connected, on the one hand, with the state policy of the development of education in Russia, on the other hand, with the interests and needs of teachers, children and parents. Interactive learning applications in native languages will help create conditions for simultaneous education of children with different abilities and capabilities to build an individual educational route for teaching their native language. Thus, digital educational resources in the native languages of children should become an obligatory part of the ethnocultural speech environment of preschool educational organizations.
A teacher who speaks the native language of his pupils. For the correct development of the speech of children of early and preschool age in their native language, the input is very important – the speech of adults addressed to the child, especially the mother and other close people who constantly communicate with him (Eismont, 2015) They convey the cultural experience created by previous generations and necessary for life in the modern world in the process of communication and joint activities with adults (Valian, 1999).
In modern conditions, children of early and preschool age attend kindergartens, children’s development centers, during an active day for 10-11 hours they are under the supervision of educators and their assistants. Therefore, the problem of special training for bilingual teachers is the cornerstone of the revival and preservation of native languages that do not function in the socio-cultural environment.
The author considers the most optimal solution to provide kindergartens with teachers with bilingual communicative competence, which allows them to communicate in Russian and native languages in the context of educational activities.
Many researchers, specialists in preschool education noted the close relationship between the culture of the teacher’s speech in the development of the speech of children (Ambridge & Lieven, 2011). In kindergarten, mastering the native language, the child masters the main form of verbal communication – oral speech. The teacher’s speech becomes an important source from which he receives a sample of his native language; therefore, it should be exemplary, with a clear and distinct pronunciation of all the sounds of the native language. It is important that the teacher’s speech is not fast, intonationally expressive, grammatically correct, simple and understandable for the pupils. Children learn from the teacher to clearly pronounce sounds, words, build sentences grammatically correctly, retell fairy tales and stories, express their thoughts, and draw conclusions. Thus, the developmental potential of the speech environment of the kindergarten largely depends on the quality of the teacher’s speech.
For a teacher, mastering the native language of his pupils is one of the main and valuable indicators of his professionalism. As Annika Pasanen, head of the Finno-Ugric project “Language Nest” notes, there are also special requirements for the speech of a kindergarten teacher working in the context of language revitalization. To facilitate understanding, the teacher should speak slowly, clearly, using the maximum number of gestures and supporting material (for example, pictures). The educator should not translate what is said in the language of the national minority into the language of the national majority, even in order to facilitate understanding. It is believed that translation slows down the perception of the language, because it gives children the opportunity to use an easier way out of the situation and makes them expect translation instead of full-fledged perception of what they heard. Educators among themselves and with parents who speak the language of a national minority should also speak the target language. At the same time, children are not forced to communicate in the language of the minority, they can freely speak the language of the majority, the educator only over time cautiously encourages using the language of the national minority (Passanen, 2011).
How can this be achieved?
1) The duties of kindergarten workers located in the places of residence of indigenous minorities must be supplemented with requirements for the knowledge of the native language of kindergarten pupils, recommendations for using this language in the implementation of educational programs and in regime moments. The professional standard of a teacher, the labor code allows the employer to make such a wish, taking into account the socio-cultural specifics of the educational process.
2) In the local document “Regulations on the languages of the educational activities of the kindergarten” it is necessary to describe the specifics of the use of Russian and native languages in formal and informal communication between children and adults on the basis of the principle “one person – one language”.
3) Organization of seminars on the topic “Language of pedagogical activity” for all kindergarten workers with the departure of lecturers, language trainers to the places of residence of the peoples of the North, Siberia and the Far East is one of the most effective forms of improving their speech competence in the native languages of pupils.
4) The motivation for kindergarten workers for the successful creation of an ethnocultural speech environment can be increased wages through the establishment of additional incentive payments for the use of the pupils’ native language in their work.
Methods of transmitting to children of early and preschool age their native (ethnic) language. The development of a methodology for teaching a native language in the specific conditions of its functioning (private methodology) is based on the linguodidactic foundations of teaching. The selection of teaching methods and means, first of all, takes place taking into account the methodological principles.
The principle of following the speech pattern. Children’s speech develops in the process of imitation. It is important to remember that children learn to speak by imitating the people around them, therefore, the more the child communicates with adults and peers in his native language, the faster and better his speech will develop. Adult speech is a model for children. Therefore, it should be spelling and grammatically correct, unhurried, understandable, not overloaded with difficult to pronounce words and complex sentences.
The principle of using folklore and literary works in the ethnic language. For the creation of a speech environment in the native languages of small indigenous peoples, folk methods of education (folklore) are of particular value. These are nursery rhymes, sayings, proverbs, riddles, songs, fairy tales. Literary works created taking into account the specifics of the mastery of children of early and preschool age in their native language are important.
The principle of learning in the game. Motivation plays an important role in the acquisition of any language as a means of communication. At preschool age, the desire to know the language in children arises, first of all, under the influence of external favorable conditions that are created by the adults around him, taking into account the activity and interest of the child. Using play as one of the main methods in teaching language to preschoolers, an adult gets the opportunity to support
CONCLUSION
One of the effective ways to overcome linguistic deprivation in relation to the ethnic language in the places of residence of indigenous small peoples is to create an ethno-cultural speech environment in which the native language should function mainly, taking into account the use of the method of language separation and the gradual formation of an attitude towards a specific language.
Taking into account the unique opportunities of the early and preschool age period for mastering languages, the need to introduce a model of the ethnocultural speech environment in the native language into preschool educational organizations located in the places of residence of indigenous minorities is of particular relevance. When building and implementing the model, it is necessary to pay attention to the development of each of its components: strive to maximize the enrichment of the subject-developing environment, ensure continuous training of employees in the ethnic language, improve and develop private methods of speech development in their native languages, ensure the involvement of all participants in the work on the speech development of children educational relations, including parents of children.
As the main mechanisms for introducing the model of the ethnocultural speech environment into the educational process, we have developed guidelines for parents and kindergarten workers, conducted seminars on the implementation of innovative projects to create an ethnocultural speech environment for teachers.
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Notas de autor
androsova08@mail.ru
Información adicional
How to cite: Androsova, Yu.V. (2022). Creation of a speech environment for preschool children in their native language in conditions of its insufficient functioning in family and society. Revista Tempos e Espaços em Educação, 15(34), e17759 http://dx.doi.org/10.20952/revtee.v15i34.17759
Authors' Contributions: Androsova, Yu.V.: conception and design, acquisition of data, analysis and interpretation of data, drafting the article, critical review of important intellectual content. The author has read and approved the final version of the manuscript.