Listening in the works of María Bertely and a project on reading and writing in indigenous languages

Abstract

Listening is the first sense that human beings develop, it is necessary to learn to speak, read, and write; however, it is not the focus of formal education. Nevertheless, other training and practice spaces recognize the importance of this skill. This is the case of ethnography, which promotes it as a fundamental component of its epistemological and descriptive perspectives. Another area of listening practices is interlearning, which is fostered through the Intercultural Inductive Method.
This article aims to account for both how Maria Bertely, as an ethnographer, co-constructor, and overseer of the Intercultural Inductive Method and coordinator of projects within the Inductive Intercultural Education Network, understood and practiced listening, as well as examine its dimensions in the current project of this network concerning reading and writing in indigenous languages. To do so, concepts of listening, texts by Maria Bertely, and working documents of the ongoing project are reviewed.
Among the findings, the central role of interlearning stands out, as it is linked to certain modes of listening and generated in intercultural contexts. Maria Bertely's listening practices are rooted in her hermeneutical perspective of ethnography and interlearning. The teacher training workshops of the project demonstrate the complexity of listening in indigenous population contexts and the importance of maintaining oral practices.