Indigenous Community-based Language Education in the USA

Language Planning and Microlinguistics

“…This scale is the basis of Fishman's model for the assessment of language endangerment and revitalization efforts. Several authors McCarthy and Watahomigie, 1998;Nettle and Romaine, 2000) warn that official status does not guarantee revitalization or protection, with Nettle and Romaine (2000, pp. 39-40) explicitly stating that 'conferring status on the language of a group relatively lacking in power doesn't necessarily ensure the reproduction of a language'.…”

Revitalizing indigenous languages through indigenous immersion education

“…These elements include shared community vision, legal status and governmental support, shortage of licensed teachers who are proficient in the target language, and resources including facilities, lack of curricular materials, and financial support, especially in the initial start-up phase. (Kawai'ae'a, Alencastre & Housman 2007;McCarty, 2005;Tapine & Waiti, 1997;Wilson & Kamanā, 2001Wilson & Kawai'ae'a, 2007) Community and government responses to language endangerment are highly context-dependent, and program models emerge from what the community has the capacity to enact (King, 2001;McCarty & Watahomigie, 1998;Murphy 2012). Partial immersion, total immersion (including language nests), and two-way immersion (see Tedick, this issue) are all common program models found in indigenous immersion programs (Grenoble & Whaley, 2006).…”

Big change questionShould indigenous minorities have the right to have their own education systems, without reference to national standards?

“…We argue for diversity -not standardization -as a foundational value for a just multicultural democracy, but diversity is feared by some as a threat to the nation's integrity (McCarty & Lomawaima, 1998). Culture-based education is at the heart of an era of self-determination in Native education. The Indian Education Act of 1975 was developed in response to the assimilationist policies preceding it.…”