Handbook for Recording Aboriginal Languages Volume 1 is a fascinating resource that looks at largely the technical side of recording Indigenous languages. I was struck by one of the quotes on the first page that talks about how young people love technology and by recording Indigenous speakers, the resulting audio can be used to create many multimedia presentations for learning.
There is also a workbook that goes along with the handbook called The Aboriginal Language Program Planning Workbook. It’s a better read and focuses on how First Nations communities can go about engaging its members in participating in a language program. There’s even a section that discusses why Aboriginal languages are worth saving. It’s a fascinating read and even looks into the stages of revitalizing a nearly lost language. I was glad to see that it even talks about intergenerational transmission of language. The Handbook had me thinking that the focus was only on using technology to save Indigenous languages, but the Workbook shows that technology is only a tool in a much broader strategy.
The latter resource offers some excellent insight into Indigenous education, and since language and ways of knowing are bound together, it can possibly tie into my research on epistemology.
~Dan