Frequently Asked Questions
1. WHAT IS THE CORE PURPOSE OF an Indigenous LANGUAGE MEDIUM SCHOOL?
The core purpose of an Indigenous language medium school is to assure the survival of an Indigenous language in the present and into the future as a living language. Within that context they also seek to provide educational opportunity, increase student success, increase student awareness and knowledge of the culture and history, and increase student and community pride.
2. WHAT IS THE UNIQUE POLITICAL STATUS OF an Indigenous LANGUAGE MEDIUM SCHOOL?
Indigenous language medium schools have a unique political status under the Native American Languages Act (NALA) of 1990. Some Indigenous languages are an official language within their state or tribal community. NALA permits and promotes the use of Indigenous languages as the medium of instruction in publicly funded schools. As such Indigenous languages used as the medium of education in an Indigenous language medium school have parallel powers & rights to those of English in English medium schools. This political status is ultimately based in the unique recognition of Native Americans in the United States Constitution.
3. WHAT DO WE MEAN WHEN WE SAY "LANGUAGE MEDIUM SCHOOL"?
The National Coalition is dedicated to advocacy and support of Indigenous language medium schools. This means that we are involved with schools that do not just teach Indigenous languages as a subject, but seek to utilize Indigenous languages as the medium of instruction in all subjects and courses. Some of these schools focus on children who speak an Indigenous language as a first priority (students who already speak the language at home). Other schools teach students who have an ancestral connection to the language and wish to re-aquire it as a step towards re-establishing the language in the home and community. Most include both types of students. What they share is that the survival of the Indigenous language is the priority purpose of the school over all other purposes. Indigenous language schools are often hubs for further revitalization efforts of Indigenous languages in the community and in local media.
4. DO STUDENTS IN Indigenous LANGUAGE MEDIUM SCHOOLS LEARN ENGLISH?
Yes. Students in Indigenous language medium schools study and learn English. Such students all interact with English in the broader world due to the pervasiveness of English and the small size of Indigenous language speaking communities. Indigenous language medium schools follow program models that produce oral and written proficiency in English appropriate for use in pursuing higher education through English. Students from Indigenous language medium schools have outperformed their peers in mainstream English medium schools in English, including in high school graduation and college enrollment rates.
5. WHAT DISTINGUISHES THESE SCHOOLS FROM STANDARD IMMERSION SCHOOLS?
While there are many similarities, an "Indigenous language medium school" is not necessarily an "immersion" school. The term "immersion" is recognized first as a methodology for teaching an additional language as enrichment, that is as a special skill for the individual student. While Native American language medium schools are certainly immersive, they do not only cater to students who did not grow up speaking their Indigenous language. Furthermore they seek to further develop the Indigenous language as a full language, rather than as a personal skill for an individual student.
6. WHAT DISTINGUISHES THESE SCHOOLS FROM STANDARD DUAL LANGUAGE SCHOOLS?
While Indigenous language medium schools teach English, they do not fit the standard model of a "dual language school", where students are taught through English as well as a non-English language with English the priority language. While Indigenous language schools are producing high proficiency and literacy in English, their priority language is an Indigenous language with English the enrichment skill. Some Indigenous language medium schools share with standard dual language schools use of English to teach certain subjects - often due to a critical shortage of teachers proficient in both the Indigenous language and the content area. Others have reached the goal of full use of the Indigenous language as the medium of education in all courses including courses in English literature. In over three decades of experience, Indigenous language medium schools have been established as a unique pathway that prioritizes Indigenous language survival while producing positive academic and social outcomes on par with, and often superior to, mainstream education for Indigenous children and youth in their communities.
7. HOW ARE Indigenous LANGUAGE Medium SCHOOLS DEALING WITH THE ENDANGERED STATUS OF Indigenous LANGUAGES?
The greatest challenge for all Indigenous language medium schools is overcoming the historical effects of suppression of Indigenous languages in their homelands. Many Indigenous languages in the U.S. are currently endangered with extinction. Some communities have already lost their last first language speakers. In order to assure survival of Indigenous languages, Indigenous medium language school programs include components of research into the language, creation of contemporary vocabulary, the development of curriculum, teaching and reference materials and teaching adults the language to create new teachers, curriculum developers and parent speakers to move the language forward. Unlike standard dual language programs in foreign and heritage languages, Indigenous language medium programs cannot depend on countries outside the United States for key teachers and other resources. In spite of the challenge of teaching through endangered languages, Indigenous language medium schools are making progress in strengthening and revitalizing Indigenous languages.
8. WHAT ARE SOME OF THE OTHER DISTINCTIVE CHALLENGES OF Indigenous LANGUAGE MEDIUM SCHOOLS?
Even beyond the endangered status of Indigenous languages, Indigenous language medium schools often face barriers that other educational institutions do not face. The USDE and individual state and local school governing entities often lack a familiarity with the provisions of NALA, resulting in poor and uneven implementation of NALA policies. There is also often a general lack of knowledge of the use of any non-English language in education, much less the use of an Indigenous language in its own homeland area. There are also economic challenges. Indigenous language medium schools are typically located in economically challenged communities and face difficulty in obtaining resources needed to assure classrooms and sufficient staffing for their programs. In circumstances of economic difficulties, establishing and regularly funding a distinctive Indigenous language medium school can be a low priority relative to other pressing communities needs. However, once local governing bodies realize that Indigenous language medium schools are a pathway to addressing many concerns of Indigenous communities while also assuring survival of the Indigenous language, support for them grows.