User talk:JamesBright2

I have chosen the topic ‘Language Policies in Education’ - Indigenous people in the United States. Native American culture is extremely rich and interesting. I am deeply interested with the current affairs between the US Government and the native American people, so this has drawn me to want to educate myself more on the current language police issues.

Topics for discussion:

- The Native American Languages Act (NALA) - Have language internal processes been a key factor in the shift of the native American language? - Why have language policies been the most powerful force in eliminating Indigenous tongues? - How have campaigns to officialise English in the US effected the Indigenous people? - Native voices being silenced

Native American people - Language policies in the United States[edit]

Native American people - Language policies in the United States

The current affairs between the United States (US) Government and the Native American people, creates a continual and increasing concern, which through the legal system, the government is slowly eradicating the indigenous tongue and using education as it way of doing so.

Indigenous people are engaged in the most urgent struggles to protect their linguistic heritage (Zepeda and Hill, 1991). This article will consist of three sections: • History of Native American languages in the United states • Current issues with language policies in the United States • Native voices have been silenced for too long History of Native American languages in the United States

Prior to the colonisation of America, it is estimated that there was over 300 languages spoken in the US (Pariona, 2017) with a decline of 133 going into 2017. Many tongues have been lost due to the western imperialism, whereby the English language was forced upon all, in order to create a more European land.

The hallmarks of colonial experiments in Indian education, were religious indoctrination, cultural intolerance, and the wholesale removal of Native children from their languages (Executive Office of the President 2014).

The government wanted native American children to attend American Indian boarding schools, where speaking their native tongue was absolutely forbidden, with shockingly abusive punishment and humiliation (Zepeda and Hill, 1991) up until the 1970s. This horrific treatment of Indian children, known as policy, created the notion that their languages were irrelevant, and the English language only held value.

Indian children were being forced to change who they were. The boarding schools’ pedagogy was intended to eliminate the traditional culture from Native youth and restructure their minds and lifeways (Executive Office of the President 2014).

After World War 2 the proposal to train young Indians for urban life, where they would be assimilated into mainstream society (Szaz, 1974, p.106) was put forward, but native children were still failing to learn about their culture and in turn their language.

In 1972, the Indian Education Act was passed, and children were allowed to be taught their own tribal languages and were no longer punished for learning or speaking indigenous languages; yet, a cloud of shame still hung over native people regarding their languages.

The Native American Languages Act 1990 (NALA) reinforced this need to change and played a huge role in preserving native languages the past repressive policies intended to eradicate (Warhol, 2011). This bill promotes the rights and freedoms of Native Americans to use, practice, and develop Native American languages (Congress.Gov, 1990) and was a big shift for native people.

Current issues with language policies in the United States

Currently, young native adults have the worst educational outcomes than any other body of people and many barriers in their lives.

Despite, the NALA, there are still pressing issues, as they continue to face neglect and their languages are still in danger. There have been reports and inter-governmental condemnation regarding the management and state of reservation education, but with insufficient action to correct the situation. (The Red Road: The Issue of Native American Education System Failure, 2021).

Due to curriculum, geographical location, funding, lack of sufficient polices and general lack or resources, indigenous children are struggling to fully pass through the education system and the government is still failing them. This is proven in the statistics, where 28% of Americans complete college, only 13% of Natives hold a college degree. (Oliff, 2017) suggesting the right policies are not in place to allow native children to learn sufficiently, whilst maintaining their heritage.

The school is at the heart of where the children learn, yet, many schools have deficient curriculum to properly teach Native language and culture, often related to the fact that the school is run by the federal government, rather than the tribe itself (The Red Road: The Issue of Native American Education System Failure, 2021).

Due to socioeconomic disparities and a lack of appropriate resources impedes native children’s ability to flourish, learn their language and culture within the school environment, creating more issues in their education.

Native children are more likely to be in trouble, get suspended etc due to their fewer educational opportunities available to them. Not only has poverty and poor school environments contributed to this major issue, but the engrained systematic challenges that native people have faced, significantly contributes to educational disfunction. They are still reeling from centuries of policies designed to dismantle tribal governments and identities (Executive office of the predicant 2014).

A lack of learning in a ‘language rich’ environment, will ultimately affect a native child’s use of language and how they see it. Evidence suggests that incorporating Native languages and culture into the academic environment can improve educational engagement and outcomes. Such practices bolster their identity and self-worth of Native youth by respecting the norms and culture of their families and communities (Executive Office of the President 2014).

An article about children from a rural school in the US, refers to first-hand accounts and the belief that the schooling system has failed them. Rather than special educational plans being in place to support the native American student, they were used as a way of disciplining her. “I’m just there,” Ms. Fourstar said. “I feel invisible.” ( Erica L. Green, 2018). Young native adults are at the forefront of the governments neglect to help, support, encourage and ultimately provide for their educational needs.

Languages are rich and offer a deeper insight into one’s culture, as opposed to be just words spoken. Although, native American languages are at the core of where Americans come from, English is now the most spoken language across the US and native tongues are endangered, as well as their youth.

Native voices have been silenced for too long

Not only have language polices been an extreme and powerful method of driving eradicateion of indigenous tongues, but centuries of neglect, abuse and even campaigns to officialise English to be the spoken language for the US, has had a majorly detrimental effect on today’s native people.

Elders in tribes have grown up with such hatred toward their own languages, arising from governmental policies, that teaching tribal youth is unheard of for some indigenous people.

“The idea that by learning my language I am the soul of my tribe” (Muqsahkwat Corn. Jr, 2019). In this Ted Talk video, Muqsahkwat addresses current issues, and why native American languages need to be revitaliszed as language is the key to everything (Muqsahkwat Corn. Jr, 2019).

References:

1. (Zepeda and Hill, 1991) Zepeda, O. and Hill, J., 1991. The Condition of Native American Languages in the United States. Diogenes, 39(153), pp.45-65.

2. (Pariona, 2017) Pariona, A., 2017. Endangered Indigenous Languages of The United States. [Blog] WorldAtlas,.

3. (Executive Office of the President 2014) Obamawhitehouse.archives.gov. 2014. [online] Available at: <https://obamawhitehouse.archives.gov/sites/default/files/docs/20141129nativeyouthreport_final.pdf> [Accessed 14 November 2021].

4. (Szaz, M. 1974) Education and the American Indian: The Road to Self-Determination, 1928-1973. Albequerque, New Mexico: University of New Mexico Press.

5. (Warhol, 2011) Warhol, L., 2011. Native American language education as policy-in-practice: an interpretative policy analysis of the Native American Languages Act of 1990/1992. International Journal of Bilingual Education and Bilingualism, 14(3), pp.279-299.

6. (Congress.Gov, 1990) Congress.Gov, 1990. S.2167 - Native American Languages Act.

7. (The Red Road: The Issue of Native American Education System Failure, 2021) The Red Road. 2021. The Red Road: The Issue of Native American Education System Failure. [online] Available at: <https://theredroad.org/issues/native-american-education/> [Accessed 14 November 2021]. 8. (Oliff, 2017) Oliff, H., 2017. [online] Available at: <http://blog.nativepartnership.org/graduation-rates-american-indian-education/> [Accessed 14 November 2021].

9. (Ericca.L Green 2018) Erica. L Green Nytimes.com. 2018. ‘I Feel Invisible’: Native Students Languish in Public Schools (Published 2018). [online] Available at: <https://www.nytimes.com/2018/12/28/us/native-american-education.html> [Accessed 14 November 2021].

10. (Muqsahkwat Corn. Jr, 2019). Youtube.com. 2019. Native American Culture - Language: the Key to Everything | Ron (Muqsahkwat) Corn, Jr. | TEDxOshkosh. [online] Available at: <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KSYRajT3a0E&t=454s> [Accessed 14 November 2021].

Feedback[edit]

I like the 3 subtopics and the facts to support them. They’re detailed and provide great information for the audience.
Try not to use persuasive language but rather neutral. For example, “most urgent struggles”.
The third point for the topic History of Native American languages in the United States begins with a very lengthy sentence. Try to condense it or separate the sentence.
Overall, watch for lengthy sentences.
Provide statistics when saying that young native adults have the worst educational outcome.
“The school is at the heart of where children learn” is opinionated.
When making comparisons or saying a statistic will increase or decrease, try to include numerical data (It’s not mandatory but would strengthen the article.)
Try not to have a quote as the entire sentence. Incorporate it into your own sentence.

GHS1226 (talk) 22:32, 27 November 2021 (UTC)[reply]

Feedback 2[edit]

positives:

Clear language nice level of detail
nice introduction summarizing the topic.
Good amount of references throughout.
Statistics well used - good evidence behind facts
Clearly well researched and have good knowledge of the topic.

Negatives

Your first title isn't separated making the sections/subtitles look slightly confusing.
a few grammatical errors throughout- mainly the use of commas.
the 'native voices' section is a lot shorter - almost like a conclusion would be.

Wikibright14 (talk) 19:16, 30 November 2021 (UTC)[reply]

Response to peer feedback[edit]

After reading my peer feedback there are serval changes, I will be making and why:

1. I need to separate my sections to make them clearer to the reader, as it will help them to understand more. 2. I will go over my sentences and try to be less opinionated and keep to facts more as this is the task in hand. 3. I will be adding to my last section, so it doesn’t seem as conclusion like.

I will not be changing my topics as I think they fit in well.

Native American people - Language policies in the United States[edit]

Native American people - Language policies in the United States

The current affairs between the United States (US) Government and the Native American people, creates a continual and increasing concern, which through the legal system, the government is slowly eradicating the indigenous tongue and using education as it way of doing so. Indigenous people are engaged in struggles to protect their linguistic heritage (Zepeda and Hill, 1991).

This article will consist of three sections:

• History of Native American languages in the United states

• Current issues with language policies in the United States

• Native voices have been silenced for too long

History of Native American languages in the United States