Parental and elder support in Kalanguya learners' education: Insights from teacher-made Kalanguya narrative instructional materials

Teacher-made narrative instructional materials (IMs) connect classroom learning with cultural heritage, particularly by portraying the family roles that shape children’s educational journeys. Despite their significance, limited research has examined how such narratives represent parents and elders in indigenous contexts. This study investigated the portrayal of children, parents, and elders in teacher-made Kalanguya narrative IMs, and how these reflect cultural values and changing community perceptions toward education. Employing a descriptive-evaluative research design, data were gathered through documentary analysis of six Kalanguya IMs and semi-structured interviews with five teacher-authors from Tinoc, Ifugao, Philippines. Thematic analysis revealed that children were consistently portrayed as responsible learners who prepared for school, attended classes, and engaged in home-based tasks. Parents and elders appeared as key supporters, providing encouragement, financial assistance, moral guidance, and cultural wisdom. These highlight their essential role in reinforcing learners’ motivation, perseverance, and identity formation. The study revealed a notable shift in the Kalanguya community’s outlook, that, while education was once undervalued, it is now prioritized, with parents and elders demonstrating strong commitment to schooling. The findings suggest that teacher-made Kalanguya narrative IMs can bridge cultural traditions with modern education, strengthen school-community ties, and foster intergenerational learning.