Language nest
Language nests, an immersion-based approach to language revitalization, originated in New Zealand in 1982 as a part of the Māori language revival.[1] The term "language nest" is a translation of the Māori phrase kōhanga reo.
In a language nest, older speakers of the language take part in early-childhood education with a view to improving intergenerational language transference.
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In New Zealand
The first kōhanga reo was founded in Wainuiomata in 1982, and was followed by the establishment of primary schools and secondary schools (Kura Kaupapa Māori) where Māori is the primary language of instruction.
According to Al Jazeera, the percentage of Maori people speaking the language has increased by a few percentage points from the early 1980s to 2014.[2] Linguist Christopher Moseley says that this statistic is "quite encouraging" because "compared to how quickly a language can disappear, in just one generation in extreme cases, the figures are good."[3]
In the United States
In Hawaii, the Hawaiian-language equivalent, the Pūnana Leo, has been running for 24 years[4] and has also been successful in producing first-language speakers of Hawaiian.[5]
In Australia
In August 2009, the Australian government pledged to pilot language nests as part of its National Indigenous Languages Policy.[6] The first of five Aboriginal language and culture nests in New South Wales launched in 2013, although these are government service delivery centres and not immersion pre-schools.[7][8] The Miriwoong Language Nest has been running in Kununurra since early 2014[9] with over 200 children attending per week.[10]
In Canada
A study in 2004 reported on two language nests in British Columbia: a Cseyseten ("language nest") at Adam’s Lake in the Secwepemc language, and a Clao7alcw ("Raven’s nest") at Lil’wat Nation in the Lil’wat language.[11]
The First Peoples' Cultural Council in Canada provides grants to First Nations communities in British Columbia as part of the Pre-School Language Nest Program.[12]
In the Northwest Territories, there are language nests for each of the official Aboriginal languages, with more than 20 language nests in total.[13]
See also
References
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