Goal #1:
The UW should offer a local Indigenous language with consistent, reliable funding.
We are glad to report that (as of Winter Quarter 2020) the UW has offered Lushootseed for credit for a few years. We hope that the support for the language continues to allow the course series to grow and flourish.Because the UW recently opened wǝɫǝbʔaltxʷ, the Intellectual House, a building dedicated to furthering Indigenous education.
Because recent state legislation has promoted indigenous language and culture (2003: WAC 181-78A-700 Created an Indigenous language teacher certification program; 2005: HB 1495 - 2005-2006 mandates the teaching of indigenous (tribal) history in public schools; 2007: Senate Bill 5269 loosened the restrictions on teacher certification and granted indigenous languages equal credit value for college entrance;) and
Because the State of Washington lacks Indigenous language programs at the university level preventing students from continue their study beyond K-12 at an in-state school, and fluency is negatively affected, and the likelihood of language programs being offered at the K-12 level is negatively affected as well (Hugo 2010).
Because remaining North American Indigenous languages are highly endangered or moribund (Lee & McLaughlin, 2001; Tongues, 2007)
Goal #2:
The UW should also provide formal support for Indigenous language education with respect to teacher training and material development. These efforts should be guided by community visioning for revitalization efforts.
Because there is a significant lack of trained teachers for Indigenous languages in Washington State (Hugo 2010).Because the UW currently offers an interdepartmental language teaching certificate program (SFLT) for graduate students that could be modified to include indigenous languages and a curriculum that best supports the issues facing educators. This program could increase the training of existing teachers and create new teachers and this certificate program could produce new materials and content for the UW language program as well as outside learning communities.
Because the UW currently has many faculty members with an expertise in the area of Indigenous education and policy.
Because a member of the UW department linguistic faculty has the interest and expertise to develop a course on linguistics for Indigenous languages that would support learners, teachers and certificate program students. Also, there are other Indigenous scholars on campus who could contribute to such a program.