INTRODUCING BASIC ERUMANEN LANGUAGE: A BASIS FOR IMPROVING THE COMMUNICATION SKILLS OF YOUNG LEARNERS
Keywords:
communication, indigenous language, language integration, young learnersAbstract
This action research examined the integration of the Erumanen language into early childhood education as a strategy for enhancing the communication skills of young learners while preserving indigenous culture and fostering multilingual competence. Using a qualitative, multiple-case-study design, the study purposively selected five participants — an elder, a woman, a person with disability, a youth, and a family head — with substantial background in language advocacy. Data were gathered through interviews, focus group discussions, observation, and document review, and were analyzed thematically following Yin's (2014) framework for identifying experiences, describing phenomena, interpreting meaning, and clustering themes. Findings were organized into three subtopics comprising ten themes: language integration (the nature of the Erumanen language, early-education language, young learners' language challenges, and the benefits of language integration); language and cultural enhancement (the extent of the Erumanen language, enhancement of language users, cultural awareness development, and young learners' language development); and the influence of language introduction on young learners (the influence of basic language introduction and the influence of language adaptation). The study found that early exposure to the Erumanen language enriches vocabulary, promotes cognitive flexibility, and strengthens interpersonal communication skills. It recommends the wider adoption of indigenous-language instruction in early education as a foundation for linguistic and social development, supported by teacher training and culturally relevant materials.
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