Article Link: http://exchangepress.com/article/the-critical-role-of-early-educators-in-sustaining-endangered-languages-and-cultures/5023043/
Imagine entering an early childhood preschool classroom. The children are actively conversing in their Indigenous language. Some are dancing to a tribal drumbeat while others are examining native plants, used for centuries by their Elders. In the infant room, babies are rocked to sleep with traditional lullabies or hymns. Children are learning skills through the incorporation of Indigenous ways of knowing.
Revitalization of Indigenous language and culture is an ongoing effort in many native early childhood programs. The diversity of our world’s languages and cultures has been rapidly diminishing due to colonial efforts to discourage or even outlaw Indigenous languages and practices, followed by modern media and commerce, instant communications, and the educational and economic need for fluency in dominant languages such as English. Many Indigenous languages are just one or two generations from extinction. Early care and education programs play a vital role in strengthening their communities’ language and traditional practices. A foundation of this preservation effort is teacher training and education. Our contributors share their experiences, successes, and challenges, each at a different stage in program development and using unique approaches to fit their own communities.
Lhotokuchu, Bhutan: Early Childhood Programs as Partners in Sustaining Language and Culture
by Karma ...