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Press Release
Oct. 1, 2003 (Radio Actuality 1; Radio Actuality 2)
SHI AWARDED $1.4 MILLION GRANT FOR HAIDA LANGUAGE IMMERSION
Sealaska Heritage Institute has received a $1.4 million federal grant to improve academic achievement of children through Haida language immersion.
The three-year grant from the U.S. Department of Education, Alaska Native Education Program, is to fund development of Haida immersion curriculum for grades K-2 and to teach instructors to use the new materials.
Language immersion is the most effective technique for teaching Native languages to children, said SHI President Dr. Rosita Worl, who emphasized that studies show language immersion also improves student performance in other academic areas.
“What we have found from our other language programs and from other language programs around the world is when children get to study their own language they do better academically in school,” Worl said.
The grant also will help perpetuate Haida, a critically endangered language.
“We only have about 10 Haida speakers left,” Worl said. “This grant will allow us to employ every fluent Haida speaker in Alaska to work on curriculum development so we can get this language into the schools,” said Worl, adding SHI’s long-term goal is to sponsor Tlingit, Haida and Tsimshian language immersion programs in communities across Southeast Alaska.
Native language revitalization is a priority of SHI, a nonprofit founded by Sealaska Corp. to perpetuate and enhance Tlingit, Haida and Tsimshian cultures.
CONTACT: SHI President Dr. Rosita Worl, 463-4844