Indigenous peoples have rightful aspirations for their languages and cultures, supported under international conventions, jurisdictional treaties, laws, policies and enquiry recommendations. Additionally, the inclusion of Indigenous languages in education can impact positively on Indigenous students' learning, engagement, identity and well-being,…

Outlines a mechanism for action in language preservation and renewal, preventing extinction of Canada's aboriginal languages. Proposes the Aboriginal Languages Foundation as part of a national strategy whereby the community retains control over language renewal programs with funding and resources from the Canadian government. Contains 37…

This paper discusses the status of the endangered Kwak'wala language on Vancouver Island, British Columbia, and efforts to revive it. Kwak'wala, also known as Kwakiutl, belongs to the Kwakiutlian group of the Wakashan language family. Following a description of Kwak'wala's historic decline and current status (mostly elderly speakers comprising…

Describes establishment of language renewal program, Te Kohanga Reo, for Maori preschool children. The plan reinforces a sense of community through local collaboration and promotion of Maori cultural values. Examines the influence of Maori social and cultural values in the program's organization, content, and style. Contains 36 references.…

Describes an oral Slavey language program that drew on knowledge of the Elders, a traditional source of knowledge and wisdom for language instruction. Describes community action for course and materials development and effective use of political support to develop and establish this community based language renewal program. Contains 21 references.…

Preparing Refugees for Elementary Programs (PREP) is a federal program to prepare young refugee children for further learning in the United States. Findings from current research on how children learn to speak, read, and write were used to design the curriculum. All children receive 18 weeks of full-time instruction, during which their parents…

The report summarizes the proceedings of a conference on less commonly taught languages (LCTLs). An introductory chapter describes the origins and organization of the conference, and notes the sponsoring organizations, languages represented by participants, institutions represented, and professional associations to which participants belonged.…

The report of the Stanford Working Group on Federal Education Programs for Limited-English-Proficient (LEP) Students focuses primarily on federal legislation such as the Elementary and secondary Education Act, and secondarily on broader reform legislation concerning this population. It gives an overview of current legislation and reform ideas, and…

A method for evaluating and improving the secondary school environment for limited-English-proficient students is presented. The first section outlines research findings about elements in the school context, curriculum, and staffing found effective in serving LEP students. Desirable factors in the school context include: valuing of students'…

The report describes a federally funded project for the development of an innovative approach to bilingual curriculum and instruction and inservice teacher training. A needs assessment and research process resulted in development and field testing of a set of bilingual Spanish-English instructional materials for limited-English-speaking urban…