Reclaiming Our Languages

Definitely endangered

Reclaiming our languages Annotated BibliographyDownload

“teepaalilaani” © Hannah Buchanan 2025

  • 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

  • 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

  • Using a Stimulus Equivalence Paradigm to Teach Numerals, English Words, and Native American Words to Preschool-Age Children

    Haegele et al. study whether teaching conditional discriminations to a group of pre-Kindergarden students in public school can result in stimulus equivalence among numbers, corresponding English words, and corresponding Ojibwe or Dakota words. They learn that match-to-sample training on a computer is quite effective at promoting language acquisition and prompting students to build connections between visual input, English words, and Ojibwe or Dakota words. They find that using match-to-sample training led to students massively outperfroming their peers, who did not recieve the training.

    Haegele, K. M., McComas, J. J., Dixon, M., & Burns, M. K. (2011). Using a stimulus equivalence paradigm to teach numerals, English words, and Native American words to preschool-age children. Journal of Behavioral Education, 20(4), 283–296. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10864-011-9134-9

  • 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

  • Case study: An evaluation of information and communication technology use in upriver halq’eméylem language programs

    Bourget explores how and if information and communications technology (ICT) can be effective as a part of language revitalization strategy by evaluating the use of ICT in the Upriver Halq’emeylem language community. She finds that to be effective, ICT needs to be intentionally integrated into language building activities in a way which aligns with specific learning targets. She notes that the process of creating materials can be a great way to learn, and that ICT is rarely used outside of immediate learning environments, such as in a specific classroom activity or when completing homework.

    Bourget, N. (2016). Case study: An evaluation of information and communication technology use in Upriver Halq’eméylem language programs. Language Documentation & Conservation, 10, 165-187. http://hdl.handle.net/10125/24691

  • Revitalization of an indigenous language: Which is better the teacher or the app?

    Ramirez et al. investigate whether or not digital technology can be effective in teaching Indigenous languages. They evaluate students in a Secwepemctsin classroom and students taught using two digital games created for the study. They find that teacher-taught students learn more and continue to grow their vocabulary between sessions, while the digital-based students stagnate, suggesting that digital technology can supplement teacher-taught classes, but should not replace them.

    Ramírez, G., ElMiligi, H., Walton, P., & Billy, C. (2018). Revitalization of an Indigenous language: Which is better the teacher or the app? International Conference on E-Learning, 344-350, XVII. https://www.proquest.com/docview/2081757033/abstract/B53EAC4CCDAE4F67PQ/1

  • Is early immersion effective for Aboriginal language acquisition? A case study from an Anishinaabemowin kindergarten

    Morcom and Roy explore Indigenous language immersion in Canada and evaluate fluency, academic development, and pride in kindergardners at Mnidoo Mnising Anishinabek Kinoomaage Gaming (MMAK) Anishinaabemowin immersion school. They provide an overview of the enrichment immersion method, as well as the MMAK school development. They argue for continued funding for immersion programing, especially in consideration of its evidenced effectiveness.

    Morcom, L. A., & Roy, S. (2019). Is early immersion effective for Aboriginal language acquisition? A case study from an Anishinaabemowin kindergarten. International Journal of Bilingual Education and Bilingualism, 22(5), 551–563. https://doi.org/10.1080/13670050.2017.1281217

  • Revitalising language through music: a case study of music and culturally grounded pedagogy in two Kanien’ke:ha (Mohawk) language immersion programmes

    Vallejo aims to generate discussion on how music can be incorporated into every subject in an Indigenous language immersion classroom, and to show that music and language should be equally considered as revitalization priorities. She details how Kanien’ke:ha communities are already incorporating music into immersion spaces, and how the use of music enhances language learning by offering synergistic effects on language and cultural reclamation. She argues for increased use of music in language revitalization projects, especially immersion classrooms.

    Vallejo, J. M. (2019). Revitalising language through music: A case study of music and culturally grounded pedagogy in two Kanien’ke:ha (Mohawk) language immersion programmes. Ethnomusicology Forum, 28(1), 89–117. https://doi.org/10.1080/17411912.2019.1641124

  • Narrative Inquiry as Praxis: Examining Formative Assessment Practices in a Nature-Based Indigenous Language Classroom

    Baker (the researcher) and Germain (the Mi’gmaq immersion teacher) collaborate to investigate assessment in an Indigenous language immersion nature-based classroom and then consider how their findings relate to theory-practice connections. They offer specific and comprehensive examples of learning and assessment. In addition to modelling a nuanced researcher-teacher relationship, they also strongly support immersion, place-based programming, and culturally-relevant assessment as integral to language revitalization projects.

    Baker, B., & Germain, J. (2020). Narrative inquiry as praxis: Examining formative assessment practices in a nature-based Indigenous language classroom. In M. E. Poehner & O. Inbar-Lourie (Eds.), Toward a reconceptualization of second language classroom assessment: Praxis and researcher-teacher partnership (pp. 107–127). Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-35081-9_6