Preschool Immersion Education for Indigenous Languages: A Survey of Resources

Abstract

This article gathers and summarizes available information about preschool immersion education for Indigenous languages, including information about existing programs and other relevant resources. After briefly mentioning the Dakota language preschool program at Pezihutazizi in Minnesota, the impetus for the article, we survey avail­ able information about other programs. We first examine the two oldest and best-known programs of the last 20 years: Kohanga Reo in Aotearoa/New Zealand and Punana Leo in Hawaii. Next, we look at existing programs in the mainland United States, focusing in particular on the Arapaho preschools in Wyoming. Then we men­tion other relevant early childhood programs in North America, including a number in Alaska and Canada. To conclude we outline some of the major issues involved in setting up a preschool immersion program in an Indigenous community.