Prepared by a committee of the Oklahoma Curriculum Improvement Commission, this resource booklet is designed for teachers and librarians who work with Indian students. In chapter 1, the emphasis is on helping the teacher understand the Indian, his problems, his culture, and his past. A list of Indian customs and beliefs, contrasted with those of…

Designed to cover all media on all areas of Mohawk life, the bibliography also included general materials on the Iroquois where nothing on the Mohawks had been produced. To be relevant to Mohawks on the St. Regis Reserve, the bibliography used an informational survey of community priorities (1972, National Indian Education Association Library…

This issue of "English for American Indians" is devoted to the study of literature and creative writing in the school with special emphasis on the problems teachers face when they work with Indian students. The lead article, "Reading as a Life Style," by T. D. Allen, stresses the author's conviction that the first and most essential step is to…

This paper describes a system for Choctaw orthography and discusses the principles and rules that can be used to govern the spelling system for the language. The orthography system is based on a study of documents written by comtemporary Chocktaws. The system proposed here seeks to be as accurate a representation of the spoken language as possible…

Five Ottawa legends and three sayings are given in the bilingual reader (Ottawa and English). The legends are entitled: (1) "Odawa" ("Ottawa"), (2) "Agon Enjipmashit" ("Why the Snow Blows"), (3) "Gigohik Enjiwawisowat" ("Why the Fish Have Names"), (4) "Piche" ("The…

Presents model for developing localized district computer software targeted to Native American students from particular language communities. Describes process through which Yukon/Koyukuk School District developed computer software for Athabaskan students. Emphasizes software as one tool in teacher-directed language arts program, not replacement…

To identify the most effective teaching strategies for use with Cree-speaking children, 1six student teachers taught lessons in 25 grade one-four classrooms in eight northern Manitoba schools using six strategies organized under four major approaches. Most effective were group problem solving at elementary levels and individual assignments at…

The use of traditional stories in American Indian language programs connects students' reading to their lives and familiarizes learners with the rhythms of the oral language. Puppet performances are one way of connecting reading programs to the Native oral tradition. A high school reading lesson in a first-year Hupa language class uses many…

Although traditional indigenous stories are widely recognized for their artistic merits and their role in the linguistic and cultural continuity of indigenous peoples, they are seldom used in schools. This paper discusses the instructional uses of traditional coyote stories, with particular reference to bilingual revitalization programs involving…

This paper describes the American Indian Language Development Institute (AILDI), which can serve as a model for connecting school, community, and university resources to strengthen indigenous languages. Since 1978, AILDI has held annual summer institutes that team community-based native speakers of indigenous languages with academic linguists and…

This paper describes the use of Theatre of the Oppressed (TO), a movement of radical theater and popular education designed for communities sharing common oppression, to help First Nations people return to and stabilize their mother tongues. It suggests that for many First Nations people, relearning their languages involves confronting histories…

These guidelines offer suggestions for strengthening Alaska's indigenous languages. The guidelines aim to provide assistance to the local language advisory committees created under Senate Bill 103, that are responsible for making recommendations about the future of the heritage language in their community. The underlying theme is that heritage…

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)