ERIC Number: EJ1425843
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2024
Pages: N/A
Abstractor: ERIC
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-1052-5505
EISSN: EISSN-2163-3630
"We All Spoke O'odham": Tohono O'odham Community College's Collaborative Approach to Language Sustainability
Frances Benavidez
Tribal College Journal of American Indian Higher Education, v35 n3 2024
For decades, the O'odham language has been in decline. But like many tribal nations, the Tohono O'odham are working to reclaim their language. Located on the campus of Tohono O'odham Community College (TOCC), the center was founded in 2020 and is for all O'odham, including those from other O'odham speaking nations. Creating opportunities where the language is passed from one generation to the next is a mission of the O'odham Language Center. Language is a source of strength, and ensuring its continuity has prompted much attention over the years, especially within the schools and formalized settings like TOCC where all students must take an O'odham language course. Still in its early stages of development, the O'odham Language Center staff have focused on strengthening language learning, teaching, and visibility. Making connections from the past to today is an underlying theme that arises when thinking about language sustainability. Tribal colleges and universities, such as TOCC, are in a position to preserve, protect, and revitalize heritage languages, as language is a central part of the greater tribal college mission.
Descriptors: Community Colleges, Tribally Controlled Education, Native Language, Native Language Instruction, Language Maintenance, Second Language Learning, American Indian Languages, American Indian Education, Partnerships in Education, Community Involvement, School Community Relationship, Family School Relationship, Family Role, Immersion Programs, College Role, Minority Serving Institutions
Tribal College Journal of American Indian Higher Education. P.O. Box 720, Mancos, CO 81328. Tel: 888-899-6693; Fax: 970-533-9145; Web site: http://www.tribalcollegejournal.org
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: Higher Education; Postsecondary Education; Two Year Colleges
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: Arizona
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A