Diving Into the Language Work: Preparing Teachers for the Diné-Language Classroom

• In Event: 66.058 - Roundtable Session 28
  In Roundtable Session: 66.058-6 - Language Learning in Peer, Community, and Cultural Networks

Abstract

In response to the call to put knowledge into action to achieve the promise of equal educational opportunity we asked teachers, “What have you learned which will support student success in the Diné language and culture in the future?” This knowledge is based on a sense of place and on an oral tradition which values the master-apprentice model of teaching in authentic settings. We interviewed project participants and graduates. We asked participants to plan, teach and evaluate a lesson which demonstrated their skills in preparing students for future success in their communities. An understanding of these beliefs about how indigenous language will continue in future generations supports the autonomy of teachers and community members to reverse language shift.

Authors

• Louise Lockard, Northern Arizona University

• Velma M. Hale, Northern Arizona University, Dine' College