The Alaska State Board of Education and Early Development unanimously approved a new master’s in teaching program for Indigenous languages at the University of Alaska Southeast Thursday. This is the final approval the program needs to begin accepting students.
Angela Lunda is the campus’ interim Dean of Education. She said this program would strengthen the teacher workforce for Indigenous languages, which are also official languages of Alaska.
“It really does contribute to the long-term viability of Indigenous languages across the state, which, according to my research that I have done, is really closely tied with cultural identity development, and that is tied to well-being,” she said.
Lunda said the program is years in the making and is designed for fluent speakers of Alaska’s Indigenous languages. It would also create a pathway for people who currently teach an Indigenous language at schools to become fully certified. She said the state currently has 124 language teachers who have a limited teaching license. Those only allow teachers to work in one school district and Lunda said some receive different pay and benefits because of it.
UAS Chancellor Aparna Palmer was the sole testifier during the meeting and spoke in support of the program.
“It serves the needs of Alaska in helping preserve its Indigenous languages and grow their speakers,” she said. “Languages have the power to communicate, but also hold the traditions and cultures of the native peoples of the great state of Alaska.”
Board member Pamela Dupras supported the program and said it would strengthen the state’s ability to provide culturally responsive education. She says she has a vested interest because she is Unangax̂.
“I really want to see that other languages are being successful, and at the same time I’m hoping that people from my community will take advantage and promote our language as well,” she said.
Sal Hertz, a communications specialist for the campus, said in an email the program will begin this fall. She said UAS predicts the first cohort will have six students, but the campus still needs to begin accepting applications.
