Seventh International Conference on Immersion and Dual Language Education

Strand II: Advocacy & Policy

Cherokee language

Obstacles to Indigenous language education include teacher certification and assessment.  We present our experiences developing a teacher certification process and language assessments for Cherokee language, a moribund Indigenous language.  We outline our community work to establish certification for K-12 language teachers, legislation that sanctions the process at the state level, and our experiences with stakeholders.  We work with participants to develop and implement legislation for certification.  Certification presupposes an assessment process.  We discuss Indigenous language learning assessment including structural differences with global languages, pedagogical materials, and small population.  We interpret contemporary assessment models with respect to Indigenous languages and we outline our approach to an assessment framework for Cherokee language.  We work with participants to design advocacy and policy strategy based on clear, workable certification and assessment procedures.