Textbooks on endangered indigenous languages are planned to be developed in Russia.
The Yakut branch of the State Institute of Native Languages of the Peoples of the Russian Federation will develop textbooks on the Evenki, Tofalar, Chelkan, and Nanai languages.
“The tasks for developing textbooks and manuals for teachers in the Tofalar, Chelkan, and Evenki languages for primary school, in the Nanai language for secondary school, and teaching aids for developing functional literacy and the fundamentals of reindeer herding for teachers have been approved. — the branch director explained Natalya Sitnikova. A set of literary reading materials in the Evenki language will also be developed.".
According to Sitnikova, in 2024, staff at the Institute of Native Languages of the Peoples of Russia developed a methodological guide on child safety in nomadic settings and an extracurricular activity program for children living a nomadic or semi-nomadic lifestyle with their parents. These have already been tested in Amur Oblast, Nenets, Khanty-Mansi, Chukotka, and Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous Okrugs, and so in Yakutia.
Tofalars — a Turkic people living in the Irkutsk region. Only a little more than 700 representatives of this people, and their language is on the verge of extinction. According to experts, only three people can speak Tofalar fluently on any topic. There is a complete lack of language transmission to children. The 2010 census shows that only 92 person.
Chelkandy (obsolete name - Lebedintsy or Lebedin Tatars) - a Turkic people Altai. The number is less 1300 people. Their language is unwritten, as it contains sounds not found in the Altai literary language. Therefore, no textbooks or reading materials have been compiled. The language is listed in the Red Book of Languages of the Peoples of Russia.
Nanai people There are 11,6 people living in Russia, according to the 2021 census. Of these, less than 1,5 thousand people — speak their native language. Researchers put the figure even lower—no more. 300The Nanai language is endangered.
The Evenki language has the most stable situation. According to the 2021 census, almost 40 thousand EvenksBut researchers claim that at present the number of native speakers among them does not exceed 8%.
