Indigenous language revitalization through Observing and Pitching In to family and community endeavours: a rationale and description (Revitalización de la lengua indígena por medio de Observar y Acomedirse en las actividades de la familia y la comunidad: fundamentos y descripción)

Abstract

ABSTRACT This article promotes a grounded approach to Indigenous language revitalization that honours Indigenous peoples’ desire to restore Indigenous language use in their daily lives. The approach offers a way of revitalizing Indigenous languages by reintegrating them into Indigenous social life and an Indigenous way of learning, thus also sustaining and revitalizing Indigenous cultures. Drawing upon studies of informal learning in Indigenous-heritage communities in the Americas, as well as studies of family and community language revitalization programmes, the approach promotes Indigenous language communicative competence through participation in everyday-life activities. It capitalizes on the prevalent practice in Indigenous communities of Learning by Observing and Pitching In to family and community endeavours (LOPI), which serves as social and cultural scaffolding onto which communication in Indigenous languages can be intentionally reattached. In this way, the family- and community-centred approach that is promoted complements daycare- and school-based Indigenous language revitalization initiatives.