YAKUTSK, February 7. /TASS/. Experts presented methodological guidelines for upbringing of preschool children in nomadic conditions, head of the nomadic education department at the Federal Institute of Native Languages of the Russian Federation's Peoples (Yakutsk), Natalia Sitnikova, told TASS.
"The methodological guidelines are addressed to managers and teachers of children's educational organizations, working with parents who lead a nomadic lifestyle. The recommendations have been developed for organizational, methodological and practical assistance in a preschool nomadic group. The recommendations comply with provisions of the federal and regional regulations," she said.
According to the scientists, traditions, work, the unity of universal and national education should become the base for upbringing children in families of the North's peoples. However, they say, nowadays not all parents and kindergarten teachers are using folk traditions in their work. "In the current conditions, it is important that parents and kindergarten teachers are well aware of folk traditions, family values in raising children," the expert continued.
Each nation has its own education system, reflecting peculiarities of living conditions and mentality. For example, family education traditions among the Hunts are based on labor. "Girls used to learn household skills, helped to make skins, learned to sew, decorate clothes with beads and fur. Boys were taught to make fishing gear, sleds, boats," she added.
In the Evenks tradition, each family member, including children, used to have an assigned area of responsibility. "At the age of seven, children could catch and tie a domestic deer. Fathers took to hunting their boys of six or seven. The kids watched the process, helped the elders, and carried out certain tasks. At that age, boys were given rifles, bows, and spears which fit their height, and with which they played thus learning how to use them," she said.
The Evenks brought up children's interest and respect for the parents' labor. "As the Evenks move towards the sedentary and semi-nomadic lifestyles, the direct connection between the traditional economy and the nomadic life degrades gradually. However, nowadays, in spring and summer, children can observe the work of reindeer herders, fishermen, and they participate actively in the work of adults," the scientist said.
Revival of languages
Returning a language into everyday communication is a key goal for many traditional communities. "Though many languages have been taught at school and kindergarten, the new generation practically lacks speaking skills. The generation of young parents also not always is able to make a speech environment in the family," the expert told TASS.
The teaching is limited mostly to mechanical learning of words and learning to read. Experts advise paying more attention to the spoken language, she noted. The world knows several "positive methods of revitalizing languages that can be used in families, including in nomadic conditions." For example, the "master-student" method of reviving endangered languages, offered by the American Indian Language Development Institute at the University of Arizona and the Arctic, Remote and Cold Territories Interdisciplinary Center (ARCTICenter) at the University of Northern Iowa (the USA).
The classes, involving masters and students, do not require any formal meetings, she stressed. They may be organized in any form and in any conditions: during berry gathering, fishing, cattle care, cooking, sewing and other daily routines. "The most important condition is that the master and the student are close and are talking in their language."
The training is in the language immersion format. The master and the student undertake to spend 10 to 20 hours a week together, talking mainly in their language. "We realize it is quite difficult to organize classes for 10, let alone 20 hours a week. However, in places of nomadic temporary settlement, reindeer herders - parents and grandparents - have the opportunity to immerse children into the linguistic and cultural environment," she said in conclusion.
About nomadic education
About 82,500 representatives of low-numbered indigenous peoples live in the Russian Arctic zone. About 20,000 people with their families roam the Arctic tundra year-round. They have a special status and enjoy state incentives. Children from such families may receive the education in two formats - a boarding school or a nomadic school.
In the Soviet times, boarding schools were the only education form for children from families of low-numbered indigenous peoples. Specialists point to drawbacks of that form, including problems for kids to get adapted to living in settlements away from their families, a dramatic change in everyday life and in the cultural environment. Scientists have suggested developing education processes within nomadic communities.
In 2005, Yakutia adopted laws on nomadic schools. The region's ten nomadic units educate about 100 children. The Amur, Yamalo-Nenets and Taymyr regions have joined the approach.
Some 4,676 families in Russia's Arctic regions lead a traditional way of life in areas of traditional economic activities of the indigenous peoples of the North, Siberia and the Far East. According to the Institute, nomadic families have about 7,000 children, where more than 2,000 are of preschool age.
Many regions have developed the practice of language immersion during summer holidays. This initiative has been supported by parents and language experts.