Teaching Strategies and Children's Indigenous Language Performances of an Atayal Book Program

• In Event: Bookmaking Projects to Sustain Indigenous Languages in Taiwan and the United States

Abstract

-Purposes
Storybook reading is considered an effective way for children to learn language (Flack et al., 2018; Swartz, Shook & Klein, 2002) and thus can be operationalized as a means for children to learn Indigenous languages. We therefore invited teachers to use a set of bilingual books developed by Tribal Leaders. We asked:
• What were the teaching strategies and the effects of an Atayal book program?
-Theoretical Framework
We drew on sociocultural theories of literacy learning to honor that teachers can serve as cultural mediators and agents of change by scaffolding children’s learning of bilingual languages and cultural practices that benefit students, their families, and communities (Alfaro, 2019; Bodrova & Leong, 2016).
-Methodology
Multiple cases study methods were used. Fourteen teachers from six classrooms in two Atayal communities in northern Taiwan were invited to use books featuring a recurring grammatical structure. Due to Covid-19 measures, only two classrooms, Mtrasul and Syax, completed the program.
-Data Sources and Analysis
We asked teachers to videotape their classroom instruction and note when children spoke Atayal language. We conducted pre- and post-tests to assess children’s learning of vocabulary and sentences structures as well as their reading accuracy and fluency with two bilingual books. Following the completion of the program, we interviewed teachers regarding their practices. Qualitative analysis techniques and quantitative analysis (i.e., Wilcoxon signed rank tests and Chi-square tests) were used to make sense of numerical data (e.g., test scores).
-Findings
The teachers used various strategies to promote children’s learning of Atayal vocabulary, sentences, and culture. For example, to practice vocabulary, teachers asked children to label or repeat words. To enhance understanding of vocabulary, teachers translated words. To help children learn Atayal sentences, they encouraged the children to use complete sentence. To support children as readers, they asked children to read aloud. To teach Atayal culture, teachers used various modalities to supplement the books and provided information about Atayal culture. Also, our analysis showed that Mtrasul teachers stressed learning of both Atayal vocabulary and sentences while Syax teachers only emphasized vocabulary.
The investigation into the effect of the program revealed that children improved significantly in their target vocabulary and sentence structures as well as the accuracy rate for both books. Regarding children’s spoken Atayal language, Mtrasul children produced higher percentages of complete target sentences, non-target sentences and words while Syax children produced higher percentages of hybrid sentences involving some Mandarin words in a target sentence and target words.
The examination of the relationships between teachers’ strategies and children’s performances revealed that Mtrasul children’s better performances in complete sentences may stem from Mtrasul teachers’ devoting more time to the project and their use of a wider range of instructional strategies for learning sentences. The Syax children’s propensity to produce more hybrid sentences and Atayal words may reflect the tendency of Syax teachers to focus on teaching vocabulary.
-Scholarly Significance
The findings provide insight into kindergarten teachers’ role as cultural mediators and professional development designed to support Indigenous language sustenance.

Authors

• Ching-Ting Hsin, National Tsing Hua University
  Presenting Author

• Ming-Fang Hsieh, National Tsing Hua University
  Non-Presenting Author

• Ya-Lun Tsao, National Tsing Hua University
  Non-Presenting Author

• Wan-Chen Chang, National Central University
  Non-Presenting Author

• Catherine F. Compton-Lilly, University of South Carolina
  Non-Presenting Author