Policy Issues In Assessing Indigenous Languages: A Navajo Case  

Oleh:

McGroarty, Mary ; Beck, Ann ; Butler, Frances A.

Jenis: Article from Journal - ilmiah internasional
Dalam koleksi: Applied Linguistics (Full Text) vol. 16 no. 3 (Sep. 1995), page 323-343.
Fulltext: Vol 16, 3, p 323-343.pdf (954.52KB)

Ketersediaan

Perpustakaan PKBB Nomor Panggil: 405/APL/16 Non-tandon: tidak ada Tandon: 1

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Isi artikel

Language policy and assessment have rarely intersected, despite the potential value of accurate assessment in guiding programmatic decisions. This lack of a close relation is particularly notable in decentralized educational systems like that of the US. In making crucial decisions, local educational agencies generally rely on standardized instruments available almost exclusively in the dominant language-English. Yet growing concerns related to cultural and linguistic pluralism as well as educational equity demand that skills in other native languages be recognized within the educational system. This article describes some of the policy questions arising in the course of efforts to develop a test of Navajo comprehension for young children. Using Cooper's (1989) framework for language planning as innovation and Ruiz 's (1993) distinction between endoglossic and exoglossic language policies, we explain how the test development process has been similar to and different from the typical model of top-down test development by outside experts. While the content of the test reflects the specific historical experience and current educational situation of the Navajo Nation, the procedures for test development as well as general issues related to using the test results may well be applicable to other indigenous language communities.

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