Language Nests
Brief History
The first Language Nests (Kōhanga reo) began in Aotearoa (New Zealand) in 1982. Broadly, they are spaces where fluent speakers immerse young learners in their language.
Programs in Alaska
Language nests have popped up in...
Unglu means "nest" in Yup'ik and is part of the larger endeavor Wangkuta Qanriarait Nanvarparmiut Yugestun, which means "We all speak Lake Iliamna Yup'ik.
X̱ántsii Náay Haida Immersion Preschool
Xantsii Naay opened in 2018 in Hydaburg, teaching little ones Xaad Kil (Haid).
Alutiit'stun Niuwawik
The Sun’aq Tribe’s Alutiiq Language Nest is a place where young children experience Alutiiq as a living language. The goal of the nest is not to teach the language, but to create an environment where young children acquire Alutiiq naturally. In the nest, teachers and volunteers only speak Alutiiq.
Tanan Chat'oh - Gwich'in Language Nest
Tanan Ch’at’oh was a Gwich’in language nest located in Fairbanks, Alaska. It was home to a community based effort to revitalize the Gwich’in language, which is an endangered Arctic Indigenous language spoken by less than 800 people around the world. The inaugural cohort of 2yr olds started on March 15, 2021. It ceased operation in 2022.
Uqautchim Uglua
Iḷisaġvik College's Uqautchim Uglua (Language Nest) program is no longer in operation, but was a strong, vibrant force in efforts to indigenize education on the North Slope.