Importance of Native language. So why is it important? It is a source of identity ("after all you are what you speak."), and it gives you important cultural ways of thinking and looking at the world and your place in it (especially ceremonially). There is also a lot of research that points to language learning, benefitting other academic areas like reading and writing, math and science, as well as cognitive thinking skills. Check out more on this subject at ACTFL.
Another good sight to check out is Teaching Indigenous Languages, which is administered by Jon Reyner at the University of Northern Arizona.
ReplyDeleteAlot of research of what works.