Voicing Marginalized Languages? Critical Analysis of Taiwanese Indigenous Pacific Islander Language Education Policies and Textbooks

• In Event: Marriott Roundtable Session 25
  In Roundtable Session: The Dreams, Possibilities, and Necessity of Indigenous Education: Research and Praxis 2

Abstract

Indigenous languages have been historically oppressed in Taiwan’s public schooling system. In the 1990s, the education reform started including indigenous Pacific Islander languages in the curriculum. This paper targets the indigenous language education in Taiwan to examine whether the policy and textbooks portray indigenous voices. I examine the content of the official policy curriculum guideline document and indigenous language textbooks using critical textual analysis. The analysis framework utilized Freire’s (1970) critical theory, which advocates language education for empowering oppressed voices. Data sources include official curriculum guideline documents and textbooks. Analysis points include examining indigenous voices, values, and experiences in the data. Results showed that while the indigenous education policy initiatives recognize indigenous language sovereignty, textbook contents still incorporate mainstream stereotypes.

Author

• Yann-Ru Ho, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University