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Learning Through Language: Academic Success in an Indigenous Language Immersion Kindergarten

What are the academic results of Anishinaabemowin (Ojibwe language) immersion education at the Mnidoo Mnising Anishinaabek Kinoomaage Gamig (MMAK) early learning kindergarten program? We describe the development of the MMAK within the context of larger language and education policies in the community and Canada. We also examine the academic development of junior and senior kindergarten […]

What are the academic results of Anishinaabemowin (Ojibwe language) immersion education at the Mnidoo Mnising Anishinaabek Kinoomaage Gamig (MMAK) early learning kindergarten program? We describe the development of the MMAK within the context of larger language and education policies in the community and Canada. We also examine the academic development of junior and senior kindergarten students in the program. Using the Early Years Evaluation Teacher Assessment (EYE-TA), we assess participants’ holistic development, including their cognitive development and English language acquisition. Although students show some delay in the first months of immersion education, by the end of the second year the average student shows age-appropriate cognitive and linguistic development. This promising outcome indicates that Indigenous language immersion does not negatively impact educational achievement or mainstream language acquisition; on the contrary, it likely provides benefits to students in these and other areas.