Indigenous language endangerment is critical in Australia, with only 120 of 250 known languages remaining, and only 13 considered strong. A related issue is the gap in formal education outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people compared with other Australians, with the gap wider in remote regions. Little empirical research exists in…

Drawing from papers presented at the five "Stabilizing Indigenous Languages" symposia held since 1994, this paper recommends strategies for language revitalization at various stages of language loss. Based on a study of minority languages worldwide, Joshua Fishman postulated a continuum of eight stages of language loss, ranging from the…

Describes the current language situation in Tunisia while maintaining a historical perspective that is helpful in understanding how language-related changes have come about, and a prospective view that may illuminate future developments. (Author/VWL)

Examines literacy practices at Genoa Industrial Indian School (Nebraska), 1884-1934, one of the largest federal Indian boarding schools. Focuses on literary texts that students read, particularly "Stiya: A Carlisle Indian Girl at Home" and "Ramona"; student essays about preservation versus extinction of Indian languages and…

This book introduces the general reader to the mosaic of American Indian languages and cultures as they exist in time and space, and supplies limited technical linguistic orientation to encourage further exploration of language interrelationships, cultures, and other ways of knowing. Chapter 1 provides an overview of the status, diversity, and…

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…

As indigenous communities begin to develop language revitalization programs, they inevitably must face the decision of whether to incorporate written forms of their historically oral languages into their efforts. This paper argues that as indigenous people go about the decision-making process, they must be aware of the implications of relying on a…

The member countries of the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development generally provide monolingual basic education, and the imposition of a common language remains one of the political and economic functions of the schools. Multilingual or bilingual education is marginal. The individual states' language policies reflect interests in…

The issues of reading in bilingual education are examined with a primary focus on the contemporary classroom in the United States. Within bilinqual education, concern for reading has seldom reflected current research and theory, and little research has focused on reading within bilingual programs. In addition to focusing on the specifics of the…