Dr. Lindsay A. Morcom [email protected]. Introduction Acknowledgement of territory About me About...
-
Upload
warren-dawson -
Category
Documents
-
view
216 -
download
0
Transcript of Dr. Lindsay A. Morcom [email protected]. Introduction Acknowledgement of territory About me About...
Language Preservation, Education, and Diversity
Dr. Lindsay A. [email protected]
OverviewAboriginal Languages and Education: What
does it mean to you?
Programming for Aboriginal languages: Preservation and maintenance
Programming in Aboriginal languages: Language as a tool for education
Why Diversity is KeyCase Studies: Pokomchi’, Dene, and MichifFocus on Immersion Programming
Cultural Reasons for Maintaining and Teaching Aboriginal LanguagesLanguage as a tool for sharing cultureLanguage as a tool for maintaining order and
communityLanguage as a unique system of expressionLanguage programming as a tool for affirming
the validity, worth, and dignity of Aboriginal languages
Programming for Aboriginal Languages
“Hotié nuhech’anię́� chu nuheyatié húton dézą, t’ąt’ú t’eh hot’įné dáhołʔą sí benerídí hasį.”"Our language and culture is the window through which we see the world.“
- Paul Disain, Dene Elder, Stony Rapids, SK(http://www.sicc.sk.ca/dene-elders-quotes.html)
Programming for Aboriginal LanguagesSocial Reasons for Maintaining and
Teaching Aboriginal LanguagesLearning from the
After-Effects of the Residential School System
Social WellbeingHealth: Healthcare recipients
and providersEnvironmental Protection
“ki-ká-nihta-néhiyawihinin ki-ká-sohki-téhiyan mina ká-kístéyimotín ki-t-aniskomakíwin.”“Knowing your language gives you an inner strength and pride in your heritage.”
- Freda Ahenakew, Elder, Muskeg Lake First Nation(http://www.sicc.sk.ca/plains-cree-elders-quotes.html)
Academic Reasons for Maintaining and Teaching Aboriginal LanguagesL2 Learners show:
Improved reading comprehension Better ability to communicate in
writing Improved numeracy and non-verbal
intelligence Improved mental flexibility and
enhanced creative thinking Greater intercultural and international awareness
Programming for Aboriginal Languages
Programming in Aboriginal Languages
“Indigenous peoples have the right to establish and control their educational systems and institutions providing education in their own languages, in a manner appropriate to their cultural methods of teaching and learning.”
(United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous People, Article 14)
Immediate impacts:Strengthens Culture-Based Educational programmingLets students learn in their first language while
acquiring their secondGives students a context in which to build on previous
experiences and increases community tiesFacilitates the use of traditional approaches to
education in schools, and lets students explore ways of learning
Helps propagate traditional knowledge and valuesGives access to traditional practices that are
important to the local way of life
Reasons for Using Aboriginal Languages as a Medium for Education:
Impacts on Students’ future outcomesGives students a bridge between two culturesValidates Aboriginal languagesIncreases program relevanceResults in higher attendance and completion
rates
Reasons for Using Aboriginal Languages as a Medium for Education
"Nóngom kici-kakinahomaté wigamigong izáhin pigo-imá kitá-anokísanágan ci anokíhin kíspin izásiwan kakinahomatéwigamigong.”“Post Secondary Education is important today, because you can't get a job without education.”
- Mary Strongquill, Elder, Keeseekoose First Nation (http://www.sicc.sk.ca/nakaw%C4%93-elders-quotes.html)
Non-Aboriginal Métis Aboriginal
Male Female Male Female Male Female
Drops out of High School
$693,273
$349,189
$546,671
$260,104
$362,023
$202,279
Completes High School
$984,773
$597,140
$975,225
$609,609
$796,762
$479,788
Completes Tech School/College
$1,219,559
$748,057
$1,242,661
$789,437 $999,511 $757,689
Completes UndergradDegree or higher
$1,577,505
$1,453,503
$1,666,032
$1,516,473
$1,469,756
$1,382,858
Lifetime Earning Potential in Saskatchewan
Figures from Howe (2011), Bridging the Aboriginal Education Gap in Saskatchewan.
Why Diversity is Key
North America has:• Approximately 57
Indigenous language families
• At least 290 known Indigenous languages
• Approximately 28 language isolates(Campbell 1997)
Europe has:• Approximately 9 Indigenous language
families
• At least 80 known Indigenous languages
• One Language Isolate
Why Diversity is Key
Linguistic Diversity: Cree
atim api-wDog sit-AN.INTR‘The dog sits.’
api-w atimsit-AN.INTR dog‘The dog sits.’
kaskitêsi-w atimblack-AN.INTR Dog‘The dog is black.’
Linguistic Diversity: Lillooetλ’ak ti=nk’yap=ago the=coyote=the‘The coyote goes.’
nk’yap ti= λ’ak =aCoyote the=go=the‘The one who goes is a coyote.’ (lit. ‘The goer coyotes’)
Case Study: Pokomchi’Spoken in Central GuatemalaAbout 90,000 speakers split between two main
dialectsWidely spoken by people of all agesIn contact with Spanish and several related Mayan
languages
Pokomchi’ Educational SituationChallenges
Guatemala has the lowest literacy rate in Latin America
Rural areas face extreme poverty and limited access to education
rate in L1 is 5-10%; literacy rate in L2 is 35%Country is recovering from a civil war waged
largely against indigenous peopleBilingual education is dependent largely on
foreign aidSupport for bilingual education waxes and
wanesMaterials are hard to obtain and sometimes of
low qualityTeacher training and bilingualism are
problematic
StrengthsMost ethnically Pokomchi’ people speak Pokomchi’Language is stable and unlikely to become seriously
endangeredPokomchi’ culture is vibrant Local cultural institutions
existGovernment policy exists
including a Directorate of Bilingual and Intercultural Education
Schools contain a cultural componentEducational methods have proven successful
Pokomchi’ Educational Situation
The Way Forward for Pokomchi’Should the focus be on:
Programming IN Pokomchi’;Programming FOR Pokomchi’; orA combination?
What factors need to be considered?What steps can/should be taken?What are the intended outcomes of
programming?
Case Study: Dene Also known as Dene Sųłiné or ChipewyanSpoken in Northern Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba,
and NWT6,000-10,000 speakersWidely spoken in Dene communities by all ages in most
(but not all) communitiesIn contact with English, other Athapaskan languages,
and Woods Cree
Dene Educational SituationChallenges
Dene language and culture were put under serious threat by the residential school system and are endangered
Language sometimes lacks terms for modern concepts
The quality of language instruction varies by location
Access to post-secondary and sometimes secondary education is a challenge due to remoteness
Employment is a problem due to remoteness and isolation, leading to some people leaving
Dene Educational SituationStrengths
Remoteness contributes to community cohesion and culture
Most bands take a proactive approach to language maintenance
Dene is actively taught in schools in many Dene communities, and is often the language of instruction
Radio and TV programming existsStrong support of Culture-Based EducationCommunity members are undergoing training to be Dene
teachersLanguage is taught at the University of Regina and
FNUniv Satellite campusesRevitalization in threatened communities is taking place
with cooperation between elders, community leaders, and linguists
Networking with Navajo language programs and schoolsCommunity and inter-community political and cultural
organizations are creating learning materials, eg. Dene Language Retention Committee
Technology and Dene
Dene: There’s an App for That
The Way Forward for DeneShould the focus be on:
Programming IN Dene;Programming FOR Dene; orA combination?
What factors need to be considered?
What steps can/should be taken?What are the intended outcomes of
programming?
Case Study: MichifCombines elements of French and
Cree:
John ki:-wa:pam-e:w æ̃Y šæ̃Y -wa
John PST-see.AN-3->3’ a dog-OBV ‘John saw a dog’ (Bakker 1997)
Unique in the world’s languagesDeveloped in the Red River Valley
during the fur tradeCommunity now in diaspora following
government pressure to leave Manitoba and Riel rebellion
Fewer than 1000 speakers, mostly elderly
In contact with English, French, and several Aboriginal languages, though speakers generally only speak English in addition to Michif
Michif Educational SituationChallenges
Only 2-3% of Métis people under 40 speak an indigenous language, rising to 12% of those over 75
Michif is not always recognized as a language in its own rightMichif is not spoken in a cohesive area, or even by whole communities
in most casesMétis culture loss is often profoundDeveloping and following a revitalization plan is difficult due to
widespread community and diverse membershipUnderdocumented because it does not fit easily into a language familyMichif does not have a standardized writing system, and the mixed
nature of Michif history and grammar makes developing one difficultLanguage activists and linguists have not always collaborated for
programming, resulting in documents and programs of varying quality
Michif Educational SituationStrengths
Interest exists in relearning MichifMixed nature of communities with Métis students offers an
opportunity to foster intercultural understandingHas been declared the official historic language of the Métis
Nation by the Métis National Council (2000)Michif courses and resources aimed at adults and children are
available through numerous institutions including the Gabriel Dumont Institute, Métis Resource Centre, and Manitoba Métis Federation, among others
Spoken widely in Turtle Mountain , North DakotaResources available online:
Examples of Michif Online Resources
The Way Forward for MichifShould the focus be on:
Programming IN Michif;Programming FOR Michif; orA combination?
What factors need to be considered?What steps can/should be taken?What are the intended outcomes of
programming?
Aboriginal Language ImmersionWhat is immersion programming?
Teaching in the language vs. teaching about the language
Strong Immersion ProgrammingWeak Immersion Programming
What are the goals of AL Immersion programming?LinguisticAcademicSocial
How does Aboriginal Language (AL) immersion differ from other language immersion programs (ie. French Immersion)?
AL Immersion and Language MaintenanceOutcomes of strong and weak bilingual
programmingStudents acquire language naturallyStudent age: early childhood to adulthoodCultural knowledgeLanguage success stories
HawaiiMaoriMi’kmaq
Benefits when fluency is not achievedUnsuccessful programs
AL Immersion and Academic OutcomesLargest parental concernUsborne et al. (2011) compared Mi’kmaq
(strong) immersion and L2 instructionAL Immersion had better English and Mi’kmaq
skillsAL and mainstream language scores correlate
in immersion but not with L2 instructionAdditive bilingualismSkills transfer, particularly for literacyBenefits of learning polysynthetic languagesRisks: Families and language skills
AL Immersion and Self EsteemWright and Taylor (1995)Personal and collective self-esteemImpacts on self esteem of different types of
programsReasons for programming differences
ComprehensionCultural Discontinuity HypothesisAffirmation of importance of heritage languageStatus of co-ethnic teachers
Risks: Transition to mainstream language programming
Community CooperationThree key elements:
Speaker baseFinancial resourcesAdvocacy and community support
Part of Aboriginal pedagogyContributes content, resources, curriculum,
and perspectivesAncient and modern traditional knowledgeCombining educational and linguistic expertiseRole modelling
What do the Best Programs Do?Strong bilingual
programmingSlow transition to
mainstream language, if at all
Bring in community membersRole modelsModels of natural
languageKnowledge carriers
Incorporate and support families
THANK YOUIntiox aweh
taq
Kinanâskomitinawaw
Niá:wen
Marsi
Marsee
Kw’as hoy
Kleko kleko
pilamaya
miigwech
Qujannamiik
Háw’aa
T’oyaxs
GunalchÈesh