Reclaiming Our Languages

Adults

Reclaiming our languages Annotated BibliographyDownload

“teepaalilaani” © Hannah Buchanan 2025

  • The Role of Adult Immersion in Kanien’kéha Revitalization

    DeCaire highlights and contributes to the growing literature on adult Indigenous language immersion, demonstrating its ongoing and critical importance. He discusses Kanien’keha revitalization and how community resources can be best used for developing and improving adult immersion programs. He considers the successes, challenges, and lessons learned from various Kanien’keha adult immersion programs. He also offers a comprehensive second-year Kanien’keha adult immersion curriculum complete with units and lesson plans.

    DeCaire, O. R. (2023). The role of adult immersion in Kanien’kéha revitalization (Doctoral dissertation, University of Hawai’i at Hilo).

  • Indigenous Universities and Language Reclamation: Lessons in Balancing Linguistics, L2 Teaching, and Language Frameworks from Blue Quills University

    Holden provides a history of Blue Quills University, the only fully independent First Nations univeristy in Canada, and explores L2 methods and learner motivations in the Cree and Dene language programs. He discusses the implementation of lands-based education and the indigenization of linguistics at Blue Quills. He offers insight into how schools can meet learner motivations, challenges faced by Blue Quills, translation structures, and future directions.

    Holden, J. (2020). Indigenous universities and language reclamation: Lessons in balancing linguistics, L2 teaching, and language frameworks from Blue Quills University. Language Documentation and Conservation, 20SI, 20-37.

  • Strengthening the Literacy of an Indigenous Language Community: Methodological Implications of the Project Čyeti čälled anaraškielân, ‘One Hundred writers for Aanaar Saami’

    Othuis et al. present an approach to furthering Aanaar Saami langauge revitalization through literacy skill development. They discuss writing literacy as it pertains to reclamation contexts and explore how Saami people already write in their language, digitally and on-paper. They consider community magazines, scientific writing, and writing and labour. They note that language revitalization projects should ideally build off of existing community structures, especially those which engage most/all community members.

    Olthuis, M.-L., Trosterud, T., Sarivaara, E. K., Morottaja, P., & Niskanen, E. (2021). Strengthening the literacy of an Indigenous language community: Methodological implications of the project Čyeti čälled anarâškielân, ‘One Hundred Writers for Aanaar Saami.’ In P. K. Virtanen, P. Keskitalo, & T. Olsen (Eds.), Indigenous Research Methodologies in Sámi and Global Contexts (pp. 175–200). Brill. http://www.jstor.org/stable/10.1163/j.ctv1v7zbk4.12

  • Language revitalization on the web: Technologies and ideologies among the Northern Arapaho

    Vagner explores the effects of language ideologies on language revitalization, especially the revision of language ideologies and the development of web resources. She considers Arapaho instruction and how the improvement of Arapaho website materials may produce new language ideologies. She notes that language ideologies, including that learning words in isolation is sufficient, act as an obstacle to Arapaho language revitalization. She presents digital materials as a way to circumvent this obstacle, but indicates that teachers are more likely to use language websites, while learners are more likely to use social media. She advocates for the use of computer-assisted learning as a supplement to in-person education focused on high quality immersion.

    Vagner, I. A. (2014). Language revitalization on the web: Technologies and ideologies among the Northern Arapaho. (Publication No. 1558776) [Master’s Thesis, University of Colorado, Boulder]. ProQuest Dissertations & Theses Global. https://www.proquest.com/dissertations-theses/language-revitalization-on-web-technologies/docview/1554339764/se-2?accountid=14789

  • Lakȟótiyapi kiŋ uŋglúkinipi (We Revitalize Our Lakota Language): Native Language Revitalization at Standing Rock

    Hauff examines efforts to revitalize Lakota on the Standing Rock Indian Reservation. She explores grassroots, community language revitalization processes and hopes to contribute to the work of those engaging directly with Indigenous languages. She investigates both school-centric programs for children, immersion programs, and adult-focused instruction. She considers the differences between performing language and speaking language, and notes that a lack of quality assessment is an issue of lack of resources. She advocates for increased funding to support immersion teachers and to appropriately compensate Elders in classrooms.

    Hauff, T. R. (2019). Lakȟótiyapi kiŋ uŋglúkinipi (We revitalize our Lakota Language): Native language revitalization at Standing Rock. (Publication No. 13899626) [Doctoral Dissertation, University of California, Berkeley]. ProQuest Dissertations & Theses Global. https://www.proquest.com/dissertations-theses/lakȟótiyapi-kiŋ-uŋglúkinipi-we-revitalize-our/docview/2595145926/se-2?accountid=14789

  • Hey, there’s wi-fi at this camp!”: Remediating materiality, language learning, and digital identity within the Apsaalooke language app

    Molinari explores how the Apsaalooke Language App, from conception and beyond release, engages with language revitalization, community expressions of educational sovereignty, material culture digital returns, and shared memories. She reaffirms that Indigenous language revitalization is deeply interconnected with the transmission of cultural knowledges, and that interactive features and pleasing colour choices are important to promote community engagement. She describes how the Crow tribe is using the language app to connect young people, the most frequent users of new technology, and Elders who share their knowledge and voices in app development. She shares that community members are most excited about pronunciation exercises as they feature audio from community members they know, and increase confidence around speaking.

    Molinari, K. E. (2018). “Hey, there’s wi-fi at this camp!”: Remediating materiality, language learning, and digital identity within the Apsaalooke language app. [Doctoral Dissertation, University of Oklahoma]. https://shareok.org/items/0679156a-a41a-4aa6-95f9-35d86385297a

  • Entangled Resurgence: Investigating ‘Reconciliation’ and the Politics of Language Revitalization in the Oneida Nation of the Thames

    McGregor examines the tensions that exist between Oneida language revitalization and broader Canadian reconciliation efforts and demonstrates how resurgence can be effective framework for renegotiating Indigenous-settler colonial relationships in language work. Through discussion of a university-community partnership and a community-based revitalization program at the Oneida Nation of the Thames, she details how language revitalization efforts can build critical connections and community. She describes the sustained commitment of Oneida language learners and how community efforts support learning through repetition. She calls on settlers to engage in resurgence politics and follow the lead of Indigenous communities.

    McGregor, H. E. (2017). Entangled resurgence: Investigating “Reconciliation” and the politics of language revitalization in the Oneida Nation of the Thames. (Publication No. 29245097) [Master’s Thesis, The University of Western Ontario]. ProQuest Dissertations & Theses Global. https://www.proquest.com/dissertations-theses/entangled-resurgence-investigating-reconciliation/docview/2717674988/se-2?accountid=14789

  • “Wiinge chi-baapinizi geniin ode: It really makes my heart laugh”: Language, culture, identity, and urban language revitalization

    Morcom examines grassroots urban Indigenous language revitalization in Canada. She explores the language needs of urban Indigenous people at the Kingston Indigenous Language Nest (KILN). She describes the importance of centering teaching approaches to be non-threatening and multi-generational, and that learners at KILN consider language and culture to be inextricably related. She also discusses the creation of new domains of language use, community, and identity.

    Morcom, L. A. (2021). “Wiinge chi-baapinizi geniin ode: It really makes my heart laugh”: Language, culture, identity, and urban language revitalization. WINHEC: International Journal of Indigenous Education Scholarship, 1, 180-209. https://doi.org/10.18357/wj1202120286

  • Indigenous Language Revitalization: Connecting Distant Cree Language Learners with Cree Language Speakers Using Video Chat Technology

    Cook explores the use of video-chat to create a master-apprentice style immersion experience for Cree language learners and Cree language speakers. He aims to build connections across geographies between Cree people and to contribute in a great way to the creation of opportunities for Cree usage to grow. He champions the master-apprentice model as an opportunity for relationship development, identity-building, and robust language use. He offers recommendations for synchronous video-chat Indigenous language speaking practices and notes that the program created rich opportunities for spontaneous cultural knowledge transmission.

    Cook, W. R. (2021). Indigenous language revitalization: Connecting distant Cree language learners with Cree language speakers using video chat technology. (Publication No. 29951641) [Masters Thesis, University of Regina]. ProQuest Dissertations & Theses Global. https://www.proquest.com/docview/2734697980/abstract/3B08A24B932644F0PQ/1

  • Exploring goals and motivations of Māori heritage language learners

    Te Huia investigates the goals and motivations of Maori language learners in post-secondary education in New Zealand. She indicates that Maori learners are concerned with learning Maori to gain greater access to cultural belonging and understanding, to fulfill their parental and/or leadership responsibilities as Maori people, and to master fluency. She explores language-specific motivation and relational motivation for advanced speakers. She advocates for Indigenous people to learn their heritage languages to increase their own connections to their community and identity.

    Te Huia, A. (2015). Exploring goals and motivations of Māori heritage language learners. Studies in Second Language Learning and Teaching, 5(4), 609–635. https://doi.org/10.14746/ssllt.22015.5.4.5