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Language Planning Challenges and Prospects in Native American Communities and Schools

Source:
Education Policy Research Unit and Language Policy Research Unit
 
The heritage language revitalization programs of the four Indigenous groups researched for this study show how Native children can acquire their heritage language without sacrificing their efforts to learn English. These programs are being tested by the federal No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 and state policies that encourage the abandonment of heritage language programs in the name of raising test scores. The research shows that children who acquire proficiency in their heritage language generally outperform their peers on standardized tests.