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<h1 class="">Learning indigenous language is vital for Native students</h1>
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By <a href="http://www.abqjournal.com/author/abqnews" rel="author">La June Montgomery Tabron / President And CEO, W.K. Kellogg Foundation </a><br>
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PUBLISHED: Sunday, March 29, 2015 at 12:02 am </span>
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<p class="">This month our nation took one
more crucial step in promoting early childhood education by helping
millions of American Indian and Alaska Native children sustain their
Native languages and heritage as an essential component of their
academic success.</p>
<p class="">We commend the federal Office of Head Start for reaffirming
its commitment to the integration of American Indian/Alaska Native
tribal languages and culture in Head Start and Early Head Start Programs
across the country. This action will help the 45,175 American
Indian/Alaska Native children currently served by Head Start to thrive
both academically and culturally.</p>
<p class="">Research studies conducted by Neblett and Umaña-Taylor;
Phinney; and the Office of Head Start have shown that culture-based
education increases Native students’ socio-emotional development and
improves educational outcomes.</p>
<p class="">It can be seen firsthand with the ‘Aha Punana Leo Native
Hawaiian immersion schools, where students have achieved significantly
higher graduation and college attendance rates than their counterparts
in other schools. Learning their Native language can give children a
sense of security and pride in their cultural identity, which in turn is
associated with greater self-esteem, more positive peer and family
relationships and stronger ties to the community.</p>
<p class="">Immersion and dual-language teaching approaches are
essential to reverse the tragic and rapid loss of indigenous languages.
At one time, there were more than 300 indigenous languages spoken in
North America. By 1998, this number was reduced to 175, and unless
urgent action is taken scarcely 20 of these languages are expected to be
spoken in 2050.</p>
<p class="">The Office of Head Start’s recent action acknowledges the
important federal role in revitalizing Native languages, since the
Native American Languages Act of 1990 found that the “lack of clear,
comprehensive, and consistent Federal policy … has often resulted in
acts of suppression and extermination of Native American languages and
cultures.”</p>
<p class="">This is why the tremendous language revitalization, racial
healing and early childhood education work taking place in Native
communities in New Mexico and other parts of the country is so important
— and supported by the Kellogg Foundation.</p>
<p class="">The Pueblo of Jemez has developed a clear vision for
culturally based early childhood development and is now implementing a
Towa language immersion approach in their Head Start programs.</p>
<p class="">Additionally, the University of New Mexico’s American Indian
Language Policy Research and Teacher Training Center is increasing the
overall quality of Pueblo Indian tribes’ early learning programming by
providing Native language curriculum design, development and
implementation support.</p>
<p class="">The federal guidance to support language immersion and dual
language models in Head Start should be applauded as a key step in
revitalizing our nation’s indigenous languages. This action taken by the
Office of Head Start can contribute to improved outcomes for children
and families if accompanied by funding that supports strong tribal
governance and partnerships; improved teacher training and support;
robust parent engagement and leadership; and the creation of tailored
curriculum, materials and assessment tools.</p>
<p class="">While the federal government has a primary role in
implementation, state and tribal governments and the private,
philanthropic and nonprofit sectors each have an important part to play.</p>
<p class="">At the Kellogg Foundation, we believe every child,
regardless of race or income, deserves an equal opportunity to succeed
in school and life.</p>
<p class="">The early childhood years are the most critical in
establishing our children’s trajectories for success. The need for
educational systems serving Native students to embrace indigenous
languages and cultures builds on a racial justice framework that is
focused on ensuring that all Native children thrive.</p><p class=""><a href="http://www.abqjournal.com/561599/opinion/learning-indigenous-language-vital-for-native-students.html">http://www.abqjournal.com/561599/opinion/learning-indigenous-language-vital-for-native-students.html</a><br></p><br clear="all"><br>-- <br><div class="gmail_signature">**************************************<br>N.b.: Listing on the lgpolicy-list is merely intended as a service to its members<br>and implies neither approval, confirmation nor agreement by the owner or sponsor of the list as to the veracity of a message's contents. Members who disagree with a message are encouraged to post a rebuttal, and to write directly to the original sender of any offensive message. A copy of this may be forwarded to this list as well. (H. Schiffman, Moderator)<br><br>For more information about the lgpolicy-list, go to <a href="https://groups.sas.upenn.edu/mailman/">https://groups.sas.upenn.edu/mailman/</a><br>listinfo/lgpolicy-list<br>*******************************************</div>
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