This personal narrative of an Arapaho teacher compares the development of an indigenous language program to running the gauntlet. On the Wind River Reservation (Wyoming), Arapaho instruction was introduced in reservation schools during the late 1970s. By 1984, it was taught in grades K-12, but for only 15 minutes per day. Although recordings of…

Responds to Scott Ferrin's argument (EJ 583 598) and, as the former policy director for the U.S. Office for Civil Rights (OCR), decries both Ferrin and OCR for their relentless and, in his view, unwarranted promotion of bilingual education. Contends that no civil-rights laws, including the Native American Languages Act (NALA), support or allow…

This paper presents personal reflections on factors in the preservation and stabilization of North American indigenous languages. All indigenous languages in North America are in danger of being lost. Linguistic and cultural minority communities must control the institutions that affect their lives if there is to be significant and sustainable…

For Canada Natives, storytelling and describing dreams are the beginnings of literacy. Many elders survived abuse in residential schools because of language, and claim that one cannot be Indian without the language. This author works in English, yet her writings are informed by Native culture. Language can be a tool or a weapon; it depends on how…

Provides an overview of indigenous-education programs in the United States, including Alaska and Hawaii. Discussion focuses on the historical context that has seen consistent attempts to eradicate the languages and life ways of Native Americans. Case studies are presented that illustrate the role of indigenous-language-education programs in…

Culturally appropriate means of conducting language research among American Indians is critical for maintaining cooperation and for increasing the depth of data collected. The apprentice-elder and fictive kinship models used in research with two Siouan-speaking tribes are discussed, as well as their practical applications, the importance of…

Language revitalization programs should focus on whether they want to teach the language, teach about the language, teach with the language, or teach the language for academic credit. A program at Chief Dull Knife College (Montana) teaches the Cheyenne language using the Total Physical Response method, which replicates the manner in which first…

Discusses the reasons for the decline and loss of American Indian languages in the United States and efforts to reverse this trend, including the effects of the Native American Indian Languages Acts of 1990 and 1992. It is argued that linguistic diversity and renewal has important social, cultural, and intellectual implications. (35 references)…

For American Indian students, the secret and art of navigating the EuroAmerican education system is to balance the best instruction in the Western canon with original Native knowledge and wisdom. Retaining or relearning one's Native language, and speaking and writing in that language are important in keeping that balance. (TD)

The introduction to this edition of the journal discusses why and how an effective translator must carry over Native American oral traditions into poetic and musical printed words for modern audiences. It evaluates various translation efforts and summarizes each article in the edition. (SB)

Examines language loss and associated losses experienced in American Indian communities. Discusses those who become lost in their encounters with languages of another culture. Considers the parts that teachers, schools, and communities can play to forge positive links between school and community so that American Indian children's language…

A brief overview of the status of language use in Native American communities reveals that while approximately 206 different languages and language dialects persist today, an estimated 49 languages have fewer than 10 speakers aged 50 or over, while 6 of these languages have more than 10,000 speakers of all generations. That these languages persist…

A discussion of U.S. language policy formation and planning covers the following: the literacy crisis, education of language minority populations, "official" English movement, gender neutrality, federal legislation, and emerging issues such as the status of Puerto Rico, American Indian languages, foreign language education, and the…

Academic fieldworkers in language-endangered communities must be able to undertake all aspects of linguistic work, elicit linguistic information from speakers, document naturally occurring speech data, present research results in a comprehensible manner to the community and to academia, and develop cooperative programs based on mutual trust.…

To successfully maintain endangered Native American languages, Native communities must collectively recognize their language's vulnerability and commit to its continuity. Linguists need more experience with fieldwork and pragmatics, knowledge of various language transmission practices in cultures other than their own, an understanding of cultural…