Guatemala is a country with 22 distinct languages. Some think that the Maya languages are closely related and that they share many of the same words. The reality is that there are more Spanish words in common than shared Maya words.
Child Aid serves regions where people speak different Maya languages. In the Lake Atitlán region, several villages speak Kakchiquel (Kaqchiquel), while another portion speaks Tz’utujil, and another K’iche. In the rural areas the children learn their mother tongue at home. Then begin to learn Spanish while they are in school.
The first few years are hard for them; the teachers begin teaching everything in their home language. As they graduate to higher grades the teachers use more and more Spanish. By fourth grade, teachers typically teach all classes in Spanish. While students do well, their limited vocabulary reveals Spanish is not their first language. Reading can make a difference. Books expose students to more words, and reading reinforces the words they hear. They can take time to understand words in context. One school director observed that students whose first language is not Spanish often struggle in high school because their vocabulary is underdeveloped. However, she told me, that by reading more, they can do very well.
Guatemala’s multiple languages present both challenges and great opportunities for us. One of our regional coordinators, Carlos Pos Ben, speaks Kakquichel, while people in the community of Tzanchaj, which we’ve partnered with, speak Tz’utujil. When Carlos is working with the teachers and students of the first three grades, he relies heavily on assistance from the teachers. Carlos and the local teacher read a story “tag-team” style. The teacher will interject with Tz’utujil words when he realizes that the students won’t understand something. This way, the students gain further exposure to books, reaffirm their mother language, and enjoy the story without feeling frustrated or confused.
The teachers in the Tzanchaj school are grateful for Child Aid’s assistance. One teacher told me that it is difficult for him to read a story by himself and keep the attention of the kids because he tries to translate the whole book. He said Carlos’ assistance makes it easier for him and more fun for the kids.