(1996). What Do You Lose When You Lose Your Language?. This paper addresses the impact of language loss on culture and the need for developing effective strategies for language restoration. Culture is expressed through language; when language is lost, those things that represent a way of life, a way of valuing, and human reality are also lost. However, if you talk to members of a particular culture about language loss, they do not address the symbolism of the language but rather talk about the sacredness of language, the sense of kinship associated with language, and their moral commitment to language. Millions of people worldwide are making an effort to restore or maintain their native language. However, there are many more failures than successes in stabilizing weak languages. One reason is that whenever a weak culture is in competition with a strong culture, it is an unfair match. There is also a kind of resistance among cultural groups to the idea that something is happening to their language. Older people may be talking the… [PDF]
(1981). The Northwest Territories. Reference Series No. 35. This booklet, one of a series featuring the Canadian provinces, presents a brief overview of Northwest Territories and is suitable for teacher reference or student reading. Separate sections discuss geography, history and people, land claims, the economy, the government, and recreation and the arts. Specific topics include the expansive size and extreme climate of the Northwest Territories, the early settlement of native peoples and European explorers, and the unique history of law enforcement in the region. Reference is made to the controversial Mackenzie Valley Pipeline Inquiry, which in recent years has raised a variety of issues concerning the rights of the native people in the Northwest Territories. The small scale economy is described as heavily reliant on mineral exploration and a growing communications industry. Industrial development is seen as threatening to the native economy and way of life, which leads to a discussion of the role of the territorial government and its…
(1967). AIDES FOR ADULT EDUCATION, A TRAINING PROGRAM FUNDED BY THE OHIO BOARD OF REGENTS UNDER TITLE 1 OF THE HIGHER EDUCATION ACT. FINAL REPORT. THE AIDES FOR ADULT EDUCATION WORKSHOP (FEBRUARY 10-MAY 20, 1967) WAS HELD IN CLEVELAND, OHIO BY CLEVELAND COLLEGE AND THE PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM TO DEVELOP BETTER CLASSROOM COMMUNICATION AND A MORE INTENSIVE LEARNING SITUATION FOR DISADVANTAGED ADULT STUDENTS. TWENTY WELFARE RECIPIENTS, ALMOST ALL NEGRO WOMEN, WERE SELECTED FOR AIDE TRAINING ON THE BASIS OF VERBAL ABILITY, READING COMPREHENSION, INTERPERSONAL ATTITUDES, AND ATTITUDES TOWARD EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS AND COMMUNITY ORGANIZATION. EXPERIENCED TEACHERS IN PUBLIC SCHOOL ADULT EDUCATION WERE CHOSEN FOR THE PROJECT ACCORDING TO SUCCESSFUL CLASSROOM PERFORMANCE, INTEREST IN A TRAINING PROJECT, AND A FELT NEED FOR THE HELP OF AN AIDE. WORKSHOP ACTIVITIES WERE DESIGNED TO GIVE BOTH AIDES AND TEACHERS AN OVERVIEW OF ADULT BASIC EDUCATION, CURRICULUM MATERIALS, CLASSROOM ORGANIZATION, AND PROCEDURE. AN EVALUATION OF CLASSES WITH AND WITHOUT AIDES SHOWED THAT WITH AIDES, MORE INDIVIDUAL HELP IS GIVEN, AND TEACHERS LECTURE MORE AND… [PDF]
(2002). Building Bridges: Literacy Development in Young Indigenous Children. Noting the need to support Western teachers in Australia in their quest to work with indigenous children in more culturally appropriate ways to close the literacy gap between indigenous and non-indigenous children, the Building Bridges project aimed to identify and record the key features of growing up as an indigenous child in Australia today. Participating in the project were six extended families and their associated community link people. The preschool-aged child in each family was filmed by their family over the course of 1 week, at home, in the community, and in preschool. The 6 edited tapes were then shared at a 1-week workshop during which time families discussed the videotapes with indigenous and non-indigenous early childhood experts. This book includes the narratives recorded on the videotapes, includes families explanations for their video selection, and illustrates an authentic and culturally sensitive approach in cross-cultural research. Following two introductory…
(1997). Nyangumarta: Alive and Adapting. Australian Review of Applied Linguistics, v20 n1 p43-56. Portrays the effects of demographic, social, and cultural dislocation experienced by members of the Australian Strelley Aboriginal community on observed shift in languages, such as Nyangumarta and other Western Desert languages. Examines changes in code mixing and the need for English as the language of formal education. (23 references) (Author/OK)…
(1990). Telling Our Stories Our Way: A Guide to Good Canadian Materials for Women Learning To Read. This guide contains reviews of 49 selected books and pamphlets of special interest to women that were identified as good Canadian materials for women learning to read by a working group of the Canadian Congress for Learning Opportunities for Women. Among the types of materials reviewed are the following: books about contraception and reproductive health; photostories about immigrant women who work in a garment factory; collection of dub poetry describing the experience of immigrant women in Canada; Black woman's reminiscences about her grandmother's life in Nova Scotia; collection of stories from the Coast Salish Native community in British Columbia; workbook detailing a model of community curriculum development; handbook for women in abusive relationships; workbook explaining Canada's human rights laws; and book of stories about women in nontraditional jobs. The reviews were written by groups of students, literacy workers, or literacy workers and students together. Each review…
(1995). Pathways from Poverty. Western Wire, Fall. Articles in this theme issue are based on presentations at the Pathways from Poverty Workshop held in Albuquerque, New Mexico, on May 18-25, 1995. The event aimed to foster development of a network to address rural poverty issues in the Western Rural Development Center (WRDC) region. Articles report on outcomes from the Pathways from Poverty workshop including team plans for addressing poverty in their area; the importance of social capital in building community; Native American economic development efforts that incorporate sustainability and cultural relevance; the effect of capitalism on the Palau islands; how sharing resources has enabled low-income families in American Samoa to maintain economic stability; demographic, economic, and educational factors that affect the status of Latinos in the United States, with implications for the American economy; a study of single-parent families and welfare reform; rural minorities and the relationship between employment and poverty; and… [PDF]
(2001). Inside Out! A Workbook for the CGEA. This resource book features texts and activities for students in Australian correctional environments to develop skills necessary to complete the Certificates of General Education for Adults (CGEA). Resources and activities are geared for students at level 3 of the CGEA in reading and writing. A table provides examples of how texts and activities support CGEA delivery. "Being Australian" encourages students to look at different cultures, introduces the debate on the stolen generation through letters to the editor, and looks at experiences of two migrants. A recipe from Vietnam provides a model and integrated numeracy practice. Students write about themselves in an extended piece. "Are You Mad?" uses a quiz to introduce ways to deal with conflict; encourages students to look at the way they interact with people around them; provides information on passive, aggressive, and assertive behavior styles; and offers students the opportunity to examine their own reactions… [PDF]
(1984). Further Applications of Linguistics to Australian Aboriginal Contexts. Occasional Papers Number 8. These papers represent applications of linguistics in Australian Aboriginal contexts, not only from a language viewpoint, but encompassing the interactions of language, society, politics, and culture. They include: "Loanwords: Ours or Theirs?" (Velma J. Leeding); "We Spell It 'Gooniyandi'" (David Street and Topsy Chestnut); "An Orthography Chosen By Those Who Speak Gooniyandi" (Joyce Hudson); "Misunderstanding Aboriginal English: The Role of Socio-Cultural Context" (Diana Eades); "Linguistics and the Land Rights in the Northern Territory" (David Nash); "Linguistic Considerations of Land Tenure in Western Arnhem Land" (Sue Kesteven); "Teaching Creative Writing to Aboriginal Children in Urban Primary Schools" (Brian Gray); "Rationale for the LIRP2 Method of Teaching English as a Second Language" (Joan Kale); "What is the Minimum Language Proficiency Necessary for English-Medium Training?" (David…
(1967). EVALUATION OF FAMILY SERVICE PROGRAM. HOME ECONOMICS DIVISION OF COOPERATIVE EXTENSION, CLINTON COUNTY, NEW YORK. EXTENSION STUDY, 15. A STUDY OF THE FAMILY SERVICE PROGRAM OF THE CLINTON COUNTY, NEW YORK, DIVISION OF HOME ECONOMICS WAS MADE IN 1966 TO DETERMINE THE SOCIOECONOMIC CHARACTERISTICS OF STUDY GROUP PARTICIPANTS AND OF FAMILY SERVICE AIDES SERVING AS THEIR TEACHERS, AND TO EVALUATE THE EFFECTS OF INSTRUCTION ON THE PARTICIPANTS. DATA WERE OBTAINED LARGELY FROM INTERVIEWS WITH AIDES AND PARTICIPANTS AND FROM PRETESTING AND POSTTESTING OF KNOWLEDGE, REPORTS BY AIDS, AND THE FILES OF THE HOME ECONOMICS DIVISION AND THE COMMUNITY ACTION AGENCY. THE AIDES AS A GROUP RANKED ABOVE THE PARTICIPANTS IN TERMS OF FORMAL EDUCATION, HUSBAND'S OCCUPATION, NET FAMILY INCOME, AND ORGANIZATIONAL PARTICIPATION, BUT BELOW THE COUNTY AVERAGE IN TERMS OF INCOME. COMPARED TO THE OVERALL COUNTY POPULATION, THE STUDY GROUP PARTICIPANTS RANKED LOWER ON EDUCATION, HUSBAND'S OCCUPATION, AND NET FAMILY INCOME. AMONG THE MAJOR IMPLICATIONS OF THE FINDINGS ON THE PROGRAM ARE THAT LOCAL WOMEN CAN BE RECRUITED AND EFFECTIVELY TRAINED… [PDF]
(1995). The Relevance and Application of Goal Theory to Interpreting Indigenous Minority Group Motivation and Achievement in School Settings. The goal theory of achievement argues that the goals stressed by schools have dramatic consequences for whether children develop a sense of self-efficacy, or whether they avoid challenging tasks, giving up when faced with failure. It is commonly believed that the goals stressed by Western-oriented schools are inappropriate to indigenous minority group students and predisposes them to school failure. This paper reports on a continuing study with a range of cultural groups in which the aim is to demonstrate the cultural relevance and applicability of goal theory to explaining and interpreting motivation in school settings. In particular, the paper describes the use of the LISREL computer program to develop motivational scales representing achievement goals that have validity and reliability in cross-cultural settings and the use of these scales for describing and explaining academic attitudes and performance across five cultural groups of secondary school students. Subjects in two… [PDF]
(1996). Aboriginal Student Enclaves as Discourse Communities. A study investigated the role of the Aboriginal Student Enclave, one of five campuses of Edith Cowan University (Australia) as a discourse community. The relatively small but cohesive university subcommunity is designed to provide additional support for Aboriginal students enrolled in standard programs and an environment in which the students are not a racial minority. Data were drawn from observation of 10 full-time students in an orientation course. Three groups were identified, based on communicative behaviors and dependence on the larger group. One group formed the enclave's core, who needed the group most. Their message forms were phatic exchanges, joking, and teasing, and they read aloud to each other as they read individually. Communication was face-to-face, supported by extensive non-verbal communication, including laughter and physical contact. They used a standard English code with a casual style. Topics of conversation centered on personal behavior and attributes, social…
(1997). Stolen from Our Embrace: The Abduction of First Nations Children and the Restoration of Aboriginal Communities. A deliberate policy to separate and forcibly assimilate Aboriginal First Nations children into the mainstream has pervaded every era of Aboriginal history in Canada. Each era saw a new reason to take Aboriginal children away from their homes, placing them in residential schools, foster care, or non-Aboriginal adoptive families. In the words of individuals telling about their childhood, each chapter of this book focuses on a particular aspect of the history of Aboriginal children from the time of first European contact to the present. Chapter 1 relates the experiences of four generations of one author's Sto:lo family, describing the pre-European life of the tribe and removal of children by priests, social workers, and police. Daily life in residential schools and foster homes is described, along with children's attempts to preserve their language and culture amid universally abusive conditions. Chapter 2 deals with four centuries of Church-run residential schools, including: the…
(1988). Literature Review: Research Findings on Students' Use of Hawaii Creole (Pidgin) English and Relationships with Standard English and School Achievement in Hawaii. Revised. A review of literature relating to the use of Hawaiian pidgin and standard English and their relationship to school achievement was undertaken in response to concerns regarding state educational policy for language use and proficiency. The research reviewed includes pidgin and creole studies, second language acquisition research, and studies of prior language intervention programs in Hawaii. Relevant Hawaii-specific research focuses primarily on elementary school children's reading and oral language development. The findings in school language learning include research on reading achievement and related measures, oral story comprehension, and standard English and Hawaiian creole relationships. Materials on classroom instruction are also reviewed. A two-page reference list is provided, and appended materials include a statement of the board of education's policy on standard English and oral communication, and acknowledgements. (MSE)… [PDF]
(1972). Lapp Schools, Teacher Education and Trans-Cultural Studies. Lapp schools in Sweden and some of their current problems are described. In discussing teacher training and related educational situations, a brief history of Lapp education is given, beginning with the establishment of the Skytteanian School in 1632. From the second half of the 1700's, there existed both permanent and ambulatory schools in the home villages, a point of controversy until the 1930's. The permanent form was more effective but did not reach as many children; in the ambulatory form, students who completed the 2 year course were expected to spread their knowledge of Christianity and reading to their home villages. Also, defenders of the ambulatory system felt that the permanent schools drew the Lappish youth away from their nomadic life, losing their traditional way of life. It was this ideology which formed the basis for the 1913 nomad school reform. The instruction in these schools was adapted to the Lapp culture, including such things as nomad studies and vocational…