Communities of Practice: An Alaskan Native Model for Language Teaching and Learning

Epilogue

157 Epilogue Although this volume focuses exclusively on the Second Language Acquisition Teacher Education (SLATE) project, this program is neither the beginning nor the end of our story. Partnerships like those that were at the heart of the effort described in this book do not happen overnight; they take years to develop. In fact, many of the relationships and mechanisms supporting our collaboration were first established in 2002 with the Yup’ik Language Institute, the first in a series of efforts funded by the US Department of Education (see Table E.1). As discussed in Marlow and Siekmann (forthcoming), these earlier efforts were the prequel to the SLATE story. For now, however, we focus on the sequel. As discussed in Chapter 7, although program completion was a concrete and measurable outcome of the SLATE grant, we see this measure of success as only a step toward the ultimate goals of capacity building and fostering local control in language programming. As Siekmann told us in Chapter 7, “The goal that really matters . . . is building capacity for local leadership—handing over the baton to the PhD students and the teachers.” At the university level, handing over that baton can most easily be established by Indigenous faculty members moving into senior positions. In terms of this goal, the SLATE doctoral graduates have been extraordinarily successful. Dr. Theresa Arevgaq John was tenured and promoted to associate professor of Alaska Native Studies at University of Alaska Fairbanks (UAF) in 2010; Dr. Walkie Charles was hired into a tenure-track position within the Alaska Native Language program in 2011 and is currently chairing a committee of Yup’ik faculty (including Dr. John) reviewing and Table E.1. Related Projects Title Yup’ik Language Institute (YLI) Yupiit Nakmiin Qaneryaraat (YNQ) Preparing Teachers of Yup’ik Language & Culture (PTYLC) Second Language Acquisition & Teacher Education (SLATE) Piciryaramta Elicungcallra (PE) Duration 2002–2006 2005–2009 2008–2012 2006–2010 2009–2012 Grant identification US Department of Education, Alaska Native Education, #S356A020049; #S356A050047; #S356A080043; #S356A060055; #S356A090066 Partnered organizations * University of Alaska Fairbanks: Alaska Native Language Center, School of Education, Linguistics Program, Kuskokwim Campus, and Bristol Bay Campus School Districts: Lower Kuskokwim, Lower Yukon, Kuspuk, and Southwest Regional Alaska Native Organizations: Association of Village Council Presidents Project Goals Establish relevant prebaccalaureate and postcertification programs at UAF Establish baccalaureate (BA) program in Yup’ik Deliver Yup’ik BA and establish bridge from BA to teacher certification Establish SLATE graduate emphasis in existing MA in applied linguistics program Develop technologyinfused materials for Yup’ik-medium schools Graduate students from relevant programs Continue support for students in relevant programs Recruit 9 part-time/distance and 6 full-time students to work on AAS and BA degrees Graduate up to 20 MA/ MEd focusing on Yup’ik and/or English language education Establish career ladders in partner districts Graduate 4 Alaska Native PhD students *Not all partnered organizations participated in all projects. For more detail see Marlow & Siekmann, forthcoming. Epilogue • 159 revising existing UAF programs. Likewise, Dr. April Counceller was hired into a term assistant professor position at Kodiak College, a branch campus of the University of Alaska Anchorage, in 2011 and has been charged with coordinating the new Alutiiq Studies program there. As in any graduate program, the teachers and the PhD students contributed to the academic conversation through their theses. Unlike most such programs, however, we find evidence that SLATE theses are also contributing to the local conversation. As Marlow and Siekmann (forthcoming ) explain, the superintendent of at least one partnered school district has taken it upon himself to read each thesis. Privately, this same person said that these teachers were likely to transform local school practice in ways that none of us could yet predict. Given the reception the teachers’ theses have received, it is perhaps not surprising that at least some of the SLATE graduates are looking for ways to move into positions of authority and continue engaging in meaningful local projects. Patrick Marlow and April Counceller (Chapter 6) reported that two SLATE graduates “now work in the Curriculum and Instruction department, where they are responsible for leading the implementation of a new K–6 Yugtun-English dual language program intended to replace the early transition K–3 Yugtun programs in place in the region since the early 1970s.” These same graduates are also working with Marlow and other collaborators investigating the effect of high-stakes testing on Yugtun medium...