The bilingual literacy policy: history, initiatives for the training of indigenous teachers and the pedagogical production

Abstract

Following international strategies designed since the beginning of the 20th century, there is an Indigenous School Education policy in Brazil based on interculturality with a focus on bilingual literacy. However, considering the country's socio-linguistic diversity, historical integration policy, and, more recently, recognition of the own learning processes, bilingual literacy programs require local initiatives, linked to the training of teachers that result in the production of special pedagogical resources. In this text, we present the history of the bilingual literacy policy by discussing documents and guidelines that culminated in the creation of the Indigenous Knowledge at School initiative that started a pedagogical production prepared by the teachers. The results show that the production of materials in the communities themselves, in addition to taking into account the dialectal variations, makes it possible to create fertile spaces for dialogues and research among indigenous teachers with wise elders, involving young people and children on cultural issues, motivating also dialogues about school teaching and learning in the community.