Children Making Meaning of the World Through
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Children Making Meaning of the World through Emergent Literacies: Bilingualism, Biliteracy, and Biculturalism among the Young Indigenous Children at Tekoá Marangatu, Brazil Item Type text; Electronic Dissertation Authors Feller, Nayalin Pinho Publisher The University of Arizona. Rights Copyright © is held by the author. Digital access to this material is made possible by the University Libraries, University of Arizona. Further transmission, reproduction or presentation (such as public display or performance) of protected items is prohibited except with permission of the author. Download date 01/10/2021 02:13:46 Link to Item http://hdl.handle.net/10150/556877 1 CHILDREN MAKING MEANING OF THE WORLD THROUGH EMERGENT LITERACIES: BILINGUALISM, BILITERACY, AND BICULTURALISM AMONG THE YOUNG INDIGENOUS CHILDREN AT TEKOÁ MARANGATU, BRAZIL by Nayalin Pinho Feller ____________________________ A Dissertation Submitted to the Faculty of the DEPARTMENT OF TEACHING, LEARNING AND SOCIOCULTURAL STUDIES In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements For the Degree of DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY WITH A MAJOR IN LANGUAGE, READING AND CULTURE In the Graduate College THE UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA 2015 2 THE UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA GRADUATE COLLEGE As members of the Dissertation Committee, we certify that we have read the dissertation prepared by Nayalin Pinho Feller, titled Children Making Meaning of the World through Emergent Literacies: Bilingualism, Biliteracy, and Biculturalism among the Young Indigenous Children at Tekoá Marangatu, Brazil and recommend that it be accepted as fulfilling the dissertation requirement for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy. ____________________________________________________________Date: (April 23, 2015) Iliana Reyes ____________________________________________________________Date: (April 23, 2015) Sheilah Nicholas ____________________________________________________________Date: (April 23, 2015) Kathy Short Final approval and acceptance of this dissertation is contingent upon the candidate’s submission of the final copies of the dissertation to the Graduate College. I hereby certify that I have read this dissertation prepared under my direction and recommend that it be accepted as fulfilling the dissertation requirement. ________________________________________________ Date: (April 23, 2015) Dissertation Director: Iliana Reyes 3 STATEMENT BY AUTHOR This dissertation has been submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for an advanced degree at the University of Arizona and is deposited in the University Library to be made available to borrowers under rules of the Library. Brief quotations from this dissertation are allowable without special permission, provided that an accurate acknowledgement of the source is made. Requests for permission for extended quotation from or reproduction of this manuscript in whole or in part may be granted by the head of the major department or the Dean of the Graduate College when in his or her judgment the proposed use of the material is in the interests of scholarship. In all other instances, however, permission must be obtained from the author. SIGNED: Nayalin Pinho Feller 4 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS Esta dissertação não teria sido possível sem a ajuda do professor Eduardo. Seu trabalho e dedicação à sua língua, cultura e modo de ser indígena me inspiraram de muitas formas para entender a profundidade e a riqueza do teu povo. Que onde estejas, sintas que sua dedicação não foi em vão e que eu darei continuidade a seu trabalho de todas as formas possíveis. Aueté. I want to first thank Dr. Richard Ruiz, who in between puzzle pieces, opened the doors of the Language, Reading and Culture department to a dreamy student from Brazil. My gratitude to you for introducing me to the people in LRC and especially to Dr. Iliana Reyes. My journey in the fields of bilingualism, biliteracy and Indigenous education was inspired by many different people, in special by the work and research of my committee members. First, Dr. Sheilah Nicholas who patiently taught me her ways of viewing Indigenous children and the rich and diverse knowledge that they bring into the world. Our work in many different classes inspired me to develop this study and to deepen my understanding about young Indigenous children. I also have to thank Dr. Iliana Reyes, my advisor, for her unconditional support through these years of exploration. Her work in the fields of bilingualism and biliteracy inspired me in seeing literacy as much more than reading and writing and books. Moreover, my special gratitude to Dr. Kathy Short because through her love of books she brought me into the worlds’ of children literature. Seeing her passion and dedication into this wealthy field made me realize that I was exactly where I was supposed to be, learning about and with children. And my gratitude to Dr. Norma Gonzaléz, who as part of my committee during the first phase of my research work, planted a seed of inspiration when we co-taught the Cultural Pluralism for Young Children class. During this time she shared firsthand her work on funds of knowledge and her own funds of knowledge with me in so many different ways. I owe a special acknowledgment to both the lead teacher and bilingual monitor in the first grade I observed in my native country, Brazil. The teacher, although young in her career, was extremely open to working with me and to learn from someone who she barely new. The bilingual monitor, on the other hand, opened my eyes to the importance of Indigenous teachers in the language and literacy development of young Indigenous children. Together with all of the Indigenous staff and non-Indigenous teachers at the bilingual school, they taught me many lessons that will be carried with me throughout my whole career. I would specially like to thank my family in Brazil for their support throughout almost eight years of graduate school, far from their eyes and their immediate love. Muito obrigada a minha avó, Dona Déa, por me apoiar em todas as minhas escolhas mesmo sabendo que eu não estaria do seu lado por tanto tempo. Muito obrigada a minha mãe, Aline, por cada minuto que você se preocupou em saber se eu tinha tudo que precisava pra continuar meus estudos. Muito obrigada a minhas madrinhas, Dina e Roberta, por serem esse seres iluminados que me apoiaram em tantos momentos difíceis. Ao meu pai, aquele maluco beleza, que através da sua loucura me inspirou a ser melhor. Muito obrigada Vica, Fádia, Bel, Sara e Ale pelas horas e horas de apoio moral na internet, cedo ou tarde, vocês sempre estavam lá. A todos os meus tios em tias, primos e primas, sem exceção, muito obrigada. Só quem conhece a nossa família sabe que a nossa união excede qualquer tempo e espaço. Eu amo vocês, incondicionalmente. I also want to thank all of my friends, anywhere in the world you might be. The list would be long to include here, but you know how much you have supported me through this long, long journey. And how blessed of me to have all of you to my side. Thank you to all of you. Obrigada! 5 DEDICATION Dedico esta dissertação as crianças da Tekoá Marangatu pois elas me ensinaram que existem muitas formas de aprender. I dedicate this dissertation to the children at Tekoá Marangatu once they have taught me that there are many forms of learning. 6 TABLE OF CONTENTS LIST OF TABLES .........................................................................................................................10 LIST OF FIGURES ...................................................................................................................... 11 ABSTRACT ...................................................................................................................................13 CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION ..................................................................................................16 Situating the Study……………………………………………………………………….18 The Community .................................................................................................................20 Theoretical Underpinnings.................................................................................................22 The Purpose of the Study ...................................................................................................25 Significance of the Study………………………………………………………………...27 Organization of the Study………………………………………………………………..28 CHAPTER 2: THE GUARANI PEOPLE IN THE COAST OF SANTA CATARINA ...............32 Ethnographic Background .................................................................................................32 Guarani religion .....................................................................................................33 The opy ......................................................................................................35 Cultural and musical elements of the Guarani people ...........................................36 Mobility and displacement .....................................................................................38 Guarani ways of living………………………………………...…………………39 Tekoá Marangatu ...............................................................................................................42 Contemporary Indigenous Education ................................................................................49 Summary ............................................................................................................................54 CHAPTER 3: LITERATURE REVIEW .......................................................................................55