Reclaiming Our Languages

South America

Reclaiming our languages Annotated BibliographyDownload

“teepaalilaani” © Hannah Buchanan 2025

  • Supporting rich and meaningful interaction in language teaching for revitalization: Lessons from Macuiltianguis Zapotec

    Riestenberg explores how Indigenous language teachers can facilitate rich and meaningful interactions in their teaching, while maximizing on limited time, resources, and access to proficient speakers. She models the successful incorporation of Communicative language teaching (CLT) in a Macuiltianguis Zapotec revitalization classroom and discusses how CLT can be uniquely suitable for Indigenous language reclamation. She also offers strategies that teachers can use in small, informal language revitalization programs to increase oral proficiency and speaking capacity.

    Riestenberg, K. J. (2020). Supporting rich and meaningful interaction in language teaching for revitalization: Lessons from Macuiltianguis Zapotec. Language Documentation and Conservation, 20SI.

  • Creating Books for Use in Language Revitalization Classrooms: Considerations and Outcomes

    Nee considers the development, implementation, and consequences of using three different types of storybooks in a Teotitlan del Valle Zapotec language camp for 5-12 year-olds. She demonstrates how the collaborative creation of a storybook by students creates a culturally relevant teaching aid and inspires students to engage with the language on their own. She also models how to pair classroom instruction and supported interactions with community members in public spaces.

    Nee, J. (2020). Creating books for use in language revitalization classrooms: Considerations and outcomes. L2 Journal, 12(1), 39–52. https://doi.org/10.5070/L20042838