A brief overview of the status of language use in Native American communities reveals that while approximately 206 different languages and language dialects persist today, an estimated 49 languages have fewer than 10 speakers aged 50 or over, while 6 of these languages have more than 10,000 speakers of all generations. That these languages persist…

One in a series introducing students to Southeast Alaska Native languages, this booklet presents simple dialogues in Haida with English translations following. The eight dialogues, consisting of three or four questions with replies, provide practice with a variety of basic sentence patterns. Dialogues include social greetings and questions about…

One in a series introducing students to Southeast Alaska Native languages, this booklet presents simple dialogues in Tsimshian with English translations following. The eight dialogues, consisting of three or four questions with replies, provide practice with a variety of basic sentence patterns. Dialogues include social greetings and questions…

One in a series introducing students to Southeast Alaska Native languages, this booklet presents simple dialogues in Tlingit with English translations following. The 14 dialogues, consisting of 4 responses each, provide practice with a variety of basic sentence patterns. Dialogues include social greetings and questions about name, age, and tribal…

A study of Spanish-speaking children in the first and third grade showed that English proficiency was least fostered by reading instruction in Spanish only, followed by bilingual instruction, with those students receiving instruction in English only becoming most proficient but still far less so than their English-speaking peers. Besides…

Representative of the 30 units comprising first grade Yup'ik lessons, units on clothing, animal families, dog teams, and potlatch (generally a celebration for the dead) are detailed in these lesson plans. Each of the four units is prefaced by a statement of concept/recall objectives, Ak'A Piyarat concept objectives (cultural aspects), and skills…

Describes Project LOWELL, a K-8 bilingual education program developed by Lowell (MA) Public Schools to cope with the dramatic influx of Southeast Asian pupils since 1979. Discusses five project areas: instruction, curriculum development and coordination, staff development and training, parent and community involvement, and dissemination. Issues of…

Provides transcript of roundtable discussion about two-way bilingual programs. Discusses the following: (1) reasons for success of programs; (2) spin-off advantages for pupils, schools, and community; and (3) obstacles bilingual education encounter. (PS)

Implementing two-way bilingual programs requires the following: (1) planning; (2) clear goals; (3) teamwork between teachers, administrators, and parents; (4) specialized training for teachers; and (5) assessment of students' initial skills. (PS)

A study of the attitudes and assimilation orientation of primary school teachers in New South Wales prior to publication of new state multicultural education policy addressed attitudes about maintaining ethnic identity and language, school involvement in teaching ethnic languages and multicultural curricula, and teacher characteristics of…

Discusses the limitations of immersion programs for minority-language children and examines submersion, transitional bilingual education, and reverse immersion approaches according to three criteria: theoretical consistency, fairness to children, and empirical support. Reverse immersion in which children acquire literacy skills in their native…

Compares bilingual education programs in the United States and West Germany, emphasizing instructional models and political and social influences. Summarizes current debate about the role of the home language in the education of minority-language children and points out general problems with home language instruction in the West German context.…

The Naskapi language is unique in northern Quebec because of the Naskapi people's late contact with Europeans, their geographic isolation, and the high proportion of Naskapi speakers in their territory. For the last two decades, a language development strategy has been emerging in the community as outside language specialists have been invited to…

A Senate committee hearing received testimony on the educational needs of Native Hawaiian families and young children and on existing programs that serve them. Oral and written statements were presented by Senators, parents, teachers, school and program administrators, and organizations concerned with Native education and culture. These statements…

Since the late 1970s, the New Zealand government has instituted educational reforms to increase Maori participation and success in education. These reforms required Treaty of Waitangi principles to be incorporated into school policies, devolved responsibility to local boards of trustees with community representation, required Maori culture to be…