Discusses the results of a study designed to investigate the effects of five different program models on both acquisition and maintenance of Spanish by native Spanish-speaking kindergarten children. (Author/CFM)

Discusses language data from the Australian 1991 Census that indicates the vast resources available in languages other than English. Notes that two of the tenets of Australia's various language policies are language maintenance and the development of Aboriginal and community languages as well as the provision of opportunities for learning…

Examines the modes of accommodation to America of working- and middle-class mothers of Cuban heritage living in Miami, Florida, in terms of language proficiencies. Findings indicate that working-class mothers encourage their children to learn English in order to succeed, a subtractive form of bilingualism, whereas middle-class mothers encourage…

Examines the phenomenon of language obsolescence by focusing on Breton- and non-Breton-speakers in France. Investigates linguistic preference, intergenerational transmission and attitudes towards language planning in an attempt to determine the extent to which the speakers themselves are catalysts in the process of language death. (27 references)…

The Navajo Nation wants a 2-year Navajo language requirement for regional colleges. At the same time, literacy in academic English is required for Navajo students wishing to enter the sciences, medicine, and law. The difficulties students face as they make the transition from English to Navajo and from Navajo to English are described. Four…

Fundamental issues in language policy and planning are discussed: language death, language survival, language change, language revival, language shift and expansion, language contact and pidginization or creolization, and literacy development. (Contains 21 references.) (LB)

Examines the recent evolution of three indigenous languages in Eastern Canada (Ojibway, Mohawk, and Inuktitut), focusing on efforts to revive and maintain indigenous languages. Discusses linguistic and cultural identity, ownership, and change in indigenous communities. (39 references) (MDM)

Using comparative data from two Navajo community-school contexts, this article details the conditions within these and similar contexts that enable schools to authentically use and validate the local language. Six social engineering strategies are presented as a means to build dual-language programs. (seven references) (MDM)

Discusses the ways in which various American Indian community schools and programs have addressed the concept of language and cultural maintenance and renewal, focusing on the role of bilingual programs, classroom interactions, community involvement, and indigenous teachers. The perspectives of the Yupik Indians on indigenous education are…

"Transitions: Destruction of a Mother Tongue" is a documentary film by Blackfeet filmmakers Darrell R. Kipp and Joe Fisher. The film recounts the history of the destructive forces affecting Blackfeet culture and language. Kipp and others created the Piegan Institute, a nonprofit organization that researches, promotes, and preserves…

Reports on a 3-year study of approximately 100 students through grades 4, 5, and 6 on the impact of a variety of second-language learning options among English-speaking children in francophone Canada. Finds that those options that use early, French-only environments were most effective. (CFR)

A veteran American Indian educator describes his experiences as a student, teacher, and administrator in Indian schools; the formation of the National Indian Education Association; and the events that influenced his views about the progress of "Indian education." He foresees positive changes in American Indian education and teacher…

When Botswana gained independence from the British in 1966, a political decision was taken to designate English as an official language and Setswana, one of the indigenous languages, as a national language. This move disregarded the multilingual nature of Botswana society. Furthermore, although not explicitly stated, the use of other languages…

This qualitative study aims to explore the loss and maintenance of Spanish in Latin American children in Vancouver from the perspective of parents. It focuses on the experiences of children either developing bilingually (Spanish-English) or monolingually (English). The participating families were from Colombia, Guatemala, and El Salvador, and had…

This study examines growth rates in vocabulary over an academic year for 150 Latino English language learners. In October, February, and June of kindergarten, participants completed standardized measures of receptive and expressive vocabulary. Before the second and third assessments, a third of the children watched Arthur three times a week during…