Language Maintenance

Joshua Fishman uses the term 'language shift' to describe what happens when two languages come in contact. Will the languages co-exist, will one replace another, will a mixed language emerge, etc.? The health and survival of Aboriginal languages is a global concern, for language is central to culture and world-view.

In Canada, it is estimated that only three Aboriginal languages (Cree, Ojibwe and Inuktitut) have a sufficient number of speakers to survive. Aboriginal language maintenance programs in elementary schools have been described in the literature. A common complaint among First Nations educators, however, is that prescriptive provincial curricula (and federal government policy that First Nation schools must follow provincial curriculum) impose restrictions.

This study will describe efforts to  introduce Aboriginal language maintenance in a Cree secondary school on western James Bay in north-eastern Ontario.

2000-2001: a paper on "Maintaining language through culture: plans for intra-cultural education in a Cree secondary school" was presented in October 2000 at the 32nd Algonquian Conference in Montréal.

2002-2003: a workshop was co-presented with Jim Hollander on "Giving credit to traditional technology in a First Nation's secondary school" at Nipissing University's Checkmark 2002 conference.

2003-2004: manuscripts are being prepared for publication [not done]

2004-2005: still trying to find time for this . . .