We heartily endorse immersion- the speaking of ONLY the Cherokee language in the home, in the community and in the homeland.
Kids who want to learn English will have ample opportunity to pick that language up since its way easier to speak than Cherokee is.
Cherokee should be the only language that is spoken by every Constitutional Cherokee Member.
However, we are realistic.
Not everyone speaks.
But every word that you use in Cherokee keeps that word alive.
Did you know that there have been documented examples of a language dying out- no fluent speakers left at all- and then it was Brought back from the dead?
We are blessed- ours is not totally dead yet. We have an advantage- so if those dead languages could be brought back, then surely our living- though on life support- language could be restored!
SO--
EVERY community group - should AT the very LEAST begin a Language class as an after school program.
Once a child reaches 4 years of age, they should attend this language class.
No, they wont be sitting at desks too often. Writing wont begin till they are about 10.
But they will be saying words, playing language games; Counting and singing songs; listening to recordings and learning how to say or sing what is on the recording.
Web chatting with fluent speakers is also encouraged at these sessions. Guest speakers who are fluent are to be procured whenever possible- and reimbursed for their time and travel.
Class should be 2 hours every day Monday through Saturday at the same time daily. Class will not be in session when the public schools are closed for whatever reason.
Parents are encouraged to attend the sessions with their children.
Parents should also learn from the resource "Cherokee Parenting Phrases" By Josh Webster, Giduwa Cherokee. This is available through VIP - Various Indian Peoples -Publishing.
All adults assisting or teaching anyone under the age of 21 years old will need to comply with a federal background test for working with children.
This is just to keep everyone safe.
Parents will pay their instructor [at least a weekly fee] due the first day of each month.
This fee will be in addition to supplies the students need to purchase to have their own resources to listen to and use at home.
We recommend the community pay to have the instructors attend the Cherokee Museum Language course in the summer at Cherokee NC taught by James BO Taylor and that they also pay for them to attend the Educational course there too taught by Barbara Duncan so they can also incorporate historical information into their lessons.
We also recommend that every instructor and assistant take the online course at WCU and that their community pay for this course.
Children attend the after school language sessions until they reach their 14th birthday.
After that, the Community should find a way to provide additional instruction for those who request it.
We recommend your family begin these after school sessions immediately. REMEMBER- language is more important than sports or any other after school activity your kid could be interested in.
But in communities where that becomes an issue, a BEFORE school session could be held- 2 1/2 hours before the child is to be at their school- but we have found children learn better AFTER school than getting up that early.
IF YOU ABSOLUTELY CANNOT support a weekly Language after school class- then hold instead a "sunday school" meeting from 10:00 a.m. till noon- Parents and Children attending together- Open and close with a prayer entirely in Cherokee language.
sing Cherokee songs, listen to recordings of Cherokee readings and stories or watch cherokee language videos- play cherokee games but make it an ENTIRELY "English Free" zone- if you cant say it in cherokee- dont say it - time.
