Reclaiming Our Languages

Families

Reclaiming our languages Annotated BibliographyDownload

“teepaalilaani” © Hannah Buchanan 2025

  • K’Aaw Natash Wa CHƗ́Myanashma SHAPÁTTAWAX̱Sha Ku SÁPsikw’Asha MYÁNashma ’We Are the Parents Raising and Teaching Children’: Raising Yakama Babies and Language Together

    Anderson investigates the choices, hopes, dreams, struggles, challenges, plans, and teaching strategies of Yakama parents in their goal of rebuilding a generation of first language Ichishkiin speakers with their babies and toddlers. She explores both practical supports which parents would find helpful to support daily language use, and existing community supports which nurture family capacity for language learning. She finds that parents and caregivers do not currently have the capacity to create immersion spaces in their homes, but that they deeply wish for increased language programming and learning in their childrens’ schooling. She notes that parents mobilize their relationships with speakers to increase their children’s access to language, and that most have a variety of learning materials in their home. Parents identify written supports and songs/videos as most desired.

    Anderson, R. (2022). K’aaw Natash Wa Chɨ́myanashma Shapáttawax̱sha Ku Sápsikw’asha Myánashma’We Are the Parents Raising and Teaching Children’: Raising Yakama Babies and Language Together (Doctoral dissertation, University of Oregon).

  • Nahkawewin Revitalization: A Mini Language Nest Created with Hope and Determination

    Kennedy shares the successes, challenges, and impacts of creating a mini Nahkawewin language nest in her home with her children. She explores how families can restart intergenerational teaching and learning through intentional practices and creative teaching strategies. She reckons with the challenge of creating an immersion space in an English-majority society, and considers the emotional responsibilities associated with Indigenous language revitalization. She also details how games, labels, repetition, and even pets can become active aspects of a reclamation strategy.

    Kennedy, D. A. D. (2022). Nahkawewin revitalization: A mini language nest created with hope and determination. In Education, 27(2), 3–18. https://doi.org/10.37119/ojs2022.v27i2b.619

  • 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

  • “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

  • The Enweyang Program: Indigenous Language Nest as Lab School

    McInnes describes the successes, challenges, and best practices gleaned from the development and operation of the Enweyang Language Nest, an Ojibwemowin immersion preschool at the University of Minnesota Duluth. He offers itemized best practices for the creation of a language nest, including discussion of how a university-community partnership can foster rich connections between Indigenous families, Indigenous children, and undergraduate students. He also explores the interconnected nature of language revitalization and cultural knowlege and ways of being.

    McInnes, B. (2017). The Enweyang Program: Indigenous language nest as lab school. Journal of American Indian Education, 56(1), 105–120. https://doi.org/10.5749/jamerindieduc.56.1.0105

  • Haa Dachxánx’i Sáani Kagéiyi Yís: Haa Yoo X’atángi Kei Naltseen. For Our Little Grandchildren: Language Revitalization among the Tlingit

    Twitchell explores Tlingit language loss and revitalization, culminating in a presentation of a 30-year plan for Tlingit reclamation. He advocates for increased attention towards adult immersion learners, the creation of safe acquisition environments, community and personal healing, and action planning. He considers the interrelated nature of goal-setting, assessment, and celebration, and notes that all three are critical to a strong immersion program. He calls for love and care in all language revitalization work.

    Twitchell, X. L. (2018). Haa Dachxánx’i Sáani Kagéiyi Yís: Haa Yoo X’atángi Kei Naltseen. For our little grandchildren: Language revitalization among the Tlingit. (Publication No. 13419663) [Doctoral Dissertation, University of Hawai’i]. ProQuest Dissertations & Theses Global. https://www.proquest.com/dissertations-theses/haa-dachxánxi-sáani-kagéiyi-yís-yoo-xatángi-kei/docview/2210922203/se-2?accountid=14789

  • From preschool to home: Processes of generalisation in language acquisition from an indigenous language recovery programme

    Tangaere and McNaughton study how children bring Maori home from the Te Kohanga Reo language nest, and what factors at home facilitate the transfer of knowledge. They also investigate how generalization happens between a language nest and the home environment. They learn that Waiata (socialization songs), which are learned at school through routines of demonstration and imitation embedded in group performances, are a major way that knowledge transfer may happen between school and home. They also recognize that language transfer can be supported by already existing activity structures at homes that match school structures. For example if singing is valued at home, then the language skills learned through song at school can be easily transferred to the home environment.

    Tangaere, A. R., & McNaughton, S. (2003). From preschool to home: Processes of generalisation in language acquisition from an Indigenous language recovery programme. International Journal of Early Years Education, 2(1), 23–40. https://doi.org/10.1080/09669760.2003.10807104

  • Ojibwe language revitalization, multimedia technology, and family language learning

    Hermes and King investigate how technology may be useful to Indigenous language learning among children and families in informal settings. They study patterns of Ojibwemodaa, a language learning software, and language use. They find that Ojibwemodaa could be fit into established routines and dynamics in the home, but that it did not impact language use patterns in the children involved. They also find that engagement increases when activities can be framed as a game or competition, especially among family members.

    Hermes, M., & King, K. A. (2013). Ojibwe language revitalization, multimedia technology, and family language learning. Language Learning & Technology, 17(1), 125-144. http://hdl.handle.net/10125/24513

  • Language and literacy development in a Canadian native community: Halq’eméylem revitalization in a Stó: lō head start program in British Columbia

    Moore and MacDonald invite readers to explore how sociopolitical climates of professionalism, family relations, and government regulation of childcare centres affect language revitalization as a whole, and in consideration of Halq’eme ́ylem Revitalization in a Sto ́:lo ̄ Head Start Program in British Columbia. They study how language revitalization happens in a program where Indigenous teachers of the language are not fluent themselves. They describe how to develop the language skills of parents in a program for parents and their children, in order to build parental capacity to share the language at home. They also describe how embedding culturally relevant tools, such as a seasonal activity chart, can ground language activities year-round.

    Moore, D., & Macdonald, M. (2013). Language and literacy development in a Canadian native community: Halq’eméylem revitalization in a Stó:lō head start program in British Columbia. The Modern Language Journal, 97(3), 702–719. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1540-4781.2013.12028.x