Navajo Area Research Articles

ESL Testing on the Navajo Reservation

Since about 1964, the Navajo Area Agency of the Bureau of Indian Affairs has been using the Fries/Rojas American English Series (New York: D. C. Heath, 1952-57) for all of the elementary schools throughout the Navajo reservation. Unfortunately, many of the excellent classroom teachers in the Navajo Agency schools are untrained in ESL methodology. Many of the teachers throughout the five sub-agencies of the Navajo area expressed a strong desire for a series of testing instruments, specifically designed for the Fries/Rojas materials, to evaluate the children's progress as they proceed through the materials. In June, 1967, the Navajo Area Agency2 contracted with us to develop a series of achievement tests3 specifically designed to evaluate the Navajo children's progress in the Fries/Rojas materials. This paper is a final report of the activities which occurred throughout the year 1967-68.

Bilingual Education for Navajo Students

Last year, on recommendation of an English as a Second Language Committee and endorsement of Dr. William J. Benham, Navajo Area Office of Bureau of Indian Affairs contracted with me to develop and produce instructional materials for entire curriculum of beginner level. These materials are being developed in context of projected changes in curriculum of first four or five grade levels. The expected result is to raise the academic achievement of Navajo students to that of national norms by fourth or fifth grades. The curriculum is spiral in nature, by which I mean adding relations to systems of knowledge by repeatedly going back to basic concepts of systems. And curriculum is heuristic in that emphasis is placed on learning how to learn. Specifically, emphasis is placed on tools for learning: for example, senses-the auditory, visual, and tactile in particular-the relevant languages, and mathematics. Emphasis is also placed on strategies for learning: for example, observing through senses in five different ways, asking questions, and using empirical method.

MEDICAL CARE OF THE INDIANS

To the Editor:— In two recent issues ofThe Journalhave appeared special articles on the care of Indians in the Upper Midwest area and in the Navajo area. As I am at the present time a doctor in the Indian Service, I read these articles with considerable interest, and as I have worked for the Indian Service in Idaho and consequently know something of conditions in the Upper Midwest area, I am pleased to observe that the group who made that survey did an exceptionally fine piece of work. Both their findings and recommendations show considerable discernment and acumen. I am not familiar with the Navajo area and consequently am in no position to form an opinion of that report. I would be much interested, however, in a report on the area of Washington, Oregon and California, as I do know something of Indian conditions in these states and