Beyond Multilingual Education: The Cree of Waskaganish

Abstract

This article is a first attempt to report on the course of action taken by the Cree community of Waskaganish, Quebec to promote multilingual education in a Cree way in its local system. In 1973 the innovative experimental Cree Way project was launched: the study of Cree language and culture at the elementary level (where the dominant language of instruction was English until 1988). In 1978 this project became an integrated part of the Cree School Board's curriculum. Ten years later another transformation took place; a native immersion program at the preschool level was inaugurated, to be extended gradually up to grade 4. The results of the project (the Cree Way approach) thus far seem to support the follow­ ing hypothesis: Education in the Native language and culture will facilitate the process of second language acquisition on the one hand and assure maintenance of the Native language on the other hand.