“I understand it fluently.”The program, run through the N.W.T.’s education, culture and employment department, pairs fluent speakers of an Indigenous language with adult learners. Together, they’d spend 10 hours a week — often with another pair in the program — working on the language, said Peffer. Angela James, the director of Indigenous language revitalization for the education, culture and employment department, said the program has been personally rewarding. A partnership with Indigenous governmentsThe program is offered in Inuvialuktun, Gwich’in, Dene Kede (North Slavey), Dene Zhatié (South Slavey), Tłı̨chǫ or Dëne Sųłıné (Chipewyan). The education, culture and employment department worked with Leanne Hinton, a University of California Berkeley professor whose research focuses on Indigenous language revitalization.

Source: CBC News November 23, 2021 09:15 UTC