Master-Apprentice Language Learning Program

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The Master-Apprentice Language Learning Program is a strategy used in language revitalization, in which committed language learners (apprentices) work with fluent speakers (mentors) to "create their own oral language-immersive context through daily activities, cultural practices, and community involvement". Originally introduced in the 1992, the method is increasingly popular across North America[1] and around the world.[2]

The program was developed by Leanne Hinton, working with the Native California Network and its subsidiary committee, the Advocates for Indigenous California Language Survival. The program was developed in collaboration with the speakers of six Indigenous California languages: Karuk, Hupa, Yurok, Wintu, Yowlumne, and Mojave.[3] The MALLP ran for the first time in the summer of 1993, and has grown each year since its inception.[3] By 1996, only three years after it began, the program funded 26 teams, covering the original six languages, as well as Patwin, Paiute, and Kiliwa.[3]

Onowa McIvor and Peter Jacobs from the University of Victoria, in particular, conducted a study of Mentor-Apprentice learners in BC and determined that this program is particularly effective for teaching adults.[4][5]

Design[edit]

The program was designed to be easily utilized by groups without extensive linguistic training, allowing communities to use the program on their own. It was also designed to align with the traditional learning style of California indigenous groups, which favours a one-on-one, voluntary learning environment, as opposed to the Western model of education that emphasizes competition among students and negative consequences for poor performance (i.e. poor grades).[3] The need for a program like the MALLP was evident due to the resource- and people-heavy nature of school-based language revitalization programs, like those used among the Māori, Irish, Hawaiians, and Welsh.[3] In addition, most of the parental generation of indigenous California communities no longer spoke their ancestral language, eliminating the possibility of revitalization through use of the language in the home.[3] Because of these issues, the MALLP was developed with the aim of assisting young professionals in these communities, and current and future parents, to become proficient speakers of their language.[3]

The Program[edit]

The main goal of the MALLP is that the apprentice attains proficiency in their language over a few years, through the creation of mini-immersion settings within each team.[3] To create the mini-immersion settings, the teams are encouraged to go about their daily lives as normal, for a minimum number of hours per week, but to always communicate in the language that is being learned.[3] The program incorporates techniques from several language-learning programs, including Total Physical Response.[6][3]

The MALLP is based on ten main points:[7]

  1. Teams should strive to communicate only in their language, and avoid English as much as possible.
  2. Teams should use nonverbal communication to embed the language in actions, gestures, and expressions.
  3. Masters should aim to teach their apprentices through the use of full sentences, and normal conversation.
  4. Teams should strive to have all their real communication occur in their language, not just specific instructional periods.
  5. It is important to recognize that language is part of culture, rather than being a separate entity from it.
  6. Teams should focus on developing the apprentice's ability to speak and listen in their language, and think less about writing and grammatical analysis.
  7. Teams should develop activities to complete together, to allow for more opportunities for diverse language use.
  8. Whenever needed, audio and video recordings are encouraged to aid the apprentice.
  9. The concept of active learning is critical to the apprentice's success.
  10. It is important to be attentive to the needs of both members of the team.

Adoption[edit]

Since its creation, Mentor-Apprentice programs have been adopted by several other Indigenous language groups, including:

References[edit]

  1. ^ McIvor, Onowa; Jacobs, Peter; Jenni, Barbara (2023-12-18), Dagostino, Carmen; Mithun, Marianne; Rice, Kere (eds.), "32 Reviving languages: Outcomes of a Mentor-Apprentice style learning study", The Languages and Linguistics of Indigenous North America, vol. 2, De Gruyter Mouton, pp. 717–740, doi:10.1515/9783110712742-032, ISBN 978-3-11-071274-2, retrieved 2024-03-28
  2. ^ Pine, Aidan; Turin, Mark (29 March 2017). "Language Revitalization". Oxford Research Encyclopedia of Linguistics. doi:10.1093/acrefore/9780199384655.013.8. ISBN 978-0-19-938465-5.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h i j "Survival of Endangered Languages: The California Master-Apprentice Program". International Journal of the Sociology of Language (123). 1997-01-01. doi:10.1515/ijsl.1997.123.177. ISSN 1613-3668.
  4. ^ "MAPs for Indigenous language learning - University of Victoria". UVic.ca. 20 December 2016. Retrieved 2017-12-22.
  5. ^ "Adults shamed for speaking Indigenous languages hold key to revival". CBC News. Retrieved 2017-12-22.
  6. ^ Asher, James J. (1986). Learning another language through actions : the complete teacher's guidebook. Adamski, Carol. (3rd ed.). Los Gatos, Calif.: Sky Oaks Productions. ISBN 0940296500. OCLC 14761708.
  7. ^ Hinton, Leanne (2001-10-08). The Green Book of Language Revitalization in Practice. pp. 1–18. doi:10.1163/9789004261723_002. ISBN 9789004261723.
  8. ^ Knut, Olawsky (2013-04-12). "The Master-Apprentice Language Learning Program Down Under: Experience and Adaptation in an Australian Context". Language Documentation & Conservation. 7. hdl:10125/4569.
  9. ^ "Master-Apprentice training | www.rnld.org". www.rnld.org. Retrieved 2017-12-22.
  10. ^ "First Peoples' Cultural Council | Mentor-Apprentice Program". www.fpcc.ca. Retrieved 2017-12-22.
  11. ^ Master-Apprentice Program pt.1, 2010-08-23, retrieved 2017-12-22
  12. ^ Kemp, Chelsea (15 January 2024). "End of funding for holistic Michif program brings fears endangered Métis language won't survive". CBC News. CBC. Retrieved 6 March 2024.
  13. ^ Martin, Mary Catharine (14 April 2017). "Haa Shuká: Three-year Tlingit, Haida, Tsimshian language apprenticeships begin". Juneau Empire. Retrieved 6 March 2024.
  14. ^ "Mentor-Apprentice Program". Education, Culture, and Employment. Government of Northwest Territories. Retrieved 6 March 2024.
  15. ^ "Government of Canada makes historic contribution to support Indigenous languages in the North". canada.ca. Canadian Heritage. 25 November 2022. Retrieved 6 March 2024.
  16. ^ "Mi'gmaw Language Mentor Apprentice Program". listuguj.ca. Listuguj Mi'gmaw Goverment. December 2021. Retrieved 6 March 2024.
  17. ^ Leung, Genevieve (2 January 2014). "Revitalising indigenous languages: how to recreate a lost generation". Current Issues in Language Planning. 15 (1): 104–106. doi:10.1080/14664208.2014.857519.
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