New Mexico first state to adopt Navajo textbook

[Harold Schiffman]

Forwarded From: edling at lists.sis.utsa.edu


Associated Press



New Mexico first state to adopt Navajo textbook



State officials formally adopted Yazzie's book, "Dine Bizaad
Binahoo'ahh," or "Rediscovering the Navajo Language," this week in
Santa Fe. While other books on Navajo language exist, state officials
say New Mexico is the first to adopt a Navajo textbook for use in the
public education system. "Overall, we believe it will help improve
academic achievement," said state Education Secretary Veronica Garcia.



Garcia said research has shown that students who master their native
language often have an easier time understanding more abstract
concepts in the English language.

About 10 school districts in New Mexico provide Navajo language
instruction. During the 2006-07 school year, 5,024 students were
learning Navajo, one of seven American Indian languages taught in the
public school system.



Full story:

http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5ghiKFmJ2IAt5Cs2sV-LnFivyo_VQD928NGTO0







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 Harold F. Schiffman

Professor Emeritus of
 Dravidian Linguistics and Culture
Dept. of South Asia Studies
University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA 19104-6305

Phone: (215) 898-7475
Fax: (215) 573-2138

Email: haroldfs at gmail.com
http://ccat.sas.upenn.edu/~haroldfs/

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