Beginning in August-September 2007, LLC in cooperation with its 35 partner schools throughout North and South Dakota will begin a unique, standardized, multi-media computer-based pretest for all the students taking Lakota in public and tribal schools. The pre-test will serve as a benchmark that will allow teachers, administrators and parents to gage the success of these language programs, and to help identify challenges and areas of improvement. This will be followed by an end year post-test that will also record how well students improved in various participating classes and schools. This assessment procedure is a critical step in bringing accountability to the teaching of Lakota and will help bring the teaching of the language greater transparency, and in the long run, more credibility. This kind of testing positions the language to be on par in terms of importance with that of other subject areas, hopefully encouraging administrators, parents and state educational officials to understand language teaching deficiencies and successes.
This year’s test, limited to Level 1, will be used for approximately 10,000 children, limited Next year we will implement Level II tests in the schools, with participation dependent on levels of advancement. This pilot assessment program will provide stability to teaching and learning techniques, and will allow LLC and related programs to move forward. Teaching of the language needs to be supported in the best possible way, and proven ways of enhancing teacher and student performance are needed.
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