Metaphor and Metonymy in English Language Program Curriculum Discourse in Hawai'i: Towards an Ecological Approach (original) (raw)

Language policy in the Kingdom of Hawaiʻi: A worldly English approach

Second Language Studies 28(2), 2010

This study attempts to develop Linguistic Imperialism theory (Phillipson, 1992)⁠ and overcome the limitations of its historical framework through the concept of ‘worldliness of English’ (Pennycook, 1994)⁠ and by testing it against a unique historical case. From 1840 to 1887, the Hawaiian Islands enjoyed a constitutional monarchy with a liberal franchise controlled by a Native majority. This analysis of the unfolding of language policies, practices and beliefs under the Kingdom of Hawai‘i, more specifically in judiciary and legislative institutions, endeavors to understand the discursive and sociopolitical process that led to the gradual subordination of the Hawaiian language to English before the loss of political sovereignty and American annexation. Special attention is given to guiding hypotheses like cultural hegemony and linguicism, and in order to ascertain their validity in this context, connections are drawn with the historical and current spread of English in post-colonial and non-colonial countries alike. The textual analysis of some key judicial decisions of the period illustrates why LI’s positivistic assumptions on the primacy of economic factors and its definition of cultural hegemony don’t stand to analysis in this case, while suggesting the preliminary alternative of professional imperialism.

Language policies in the Kingdom of Hawaiʻi: Reassessing linguicism

2014

This paper develops Tove Skutnabb-Kangas’ concept of linguicism by distinguishing an effectuative stage and a reproductive stage of linguistic inequality. The effectuative stage is described by inference and compared with Robert Phillipson’s theory of linguistic imperialism, and it is suggested that both frameworks are still missing empirical validation for the claim that language inequality may create other forms of inequality, and that such validation should come from historical data. To demonstrate this, language policies in the Kingdom of Hawaiʻi during the 19th century are examined, with emphasis on the interpretation of bilingual statutory law, along with a number of judicial rulings. These are then related to changes in the economic sphere and the interaction is demonstrated in the curtailing of customary land use rights. The new concept of non-discriminatory linguicism is introduced to describe the presence of linguicist ideologies without concomitant discriminatory practices as a key feature of the effectuative stage of linguicism, and a new definition of linguicism is proposed.

The Teaching and Learning of Hawaiian in Mainstream Educational Contexts: Time for Change?

A thesis submitted in fulfilment of the requirements for the Degree of PhD at the University of Waikato, 2012

There are estimated to be fewer than 1,000 native speakers of Hawaiian language (ka ‘ōlelo Hawai‘i) in Hawai‘i. The majority of those who now learn Hawaiian do so in mainstream educational contexts and the majority of teachers of Hawaiian have learned the language as a second language in mainstream educational contexts. It is therefore important to determine what is being taught in these contexts and how it is being taught. At the core of this research project is an exploration of the attitudes and practices of a sample of teachers of Hawaiian in mainstream educational contexts. Following an introduction to the research (Chapter 1) and to the historical background against which the teaching and learning of Hawaiian takes place (Chapter 2), selected literature on language teacher cognition is critically reviewed (Chapter 3). This is followed by a report on a survey of the backgrounds, attitudes and practices of a sample of teachers of Hawaiian (Chapter 4) and a sample of students of Hawaiian (Chapter 5). Also included are analyses of a sample of widely used textbooks (Chapter 6) and a sample of Hawaiian language lessons (Chapter 7). Overall, the research suggests that major changes and developments that have taken place in the teaching and learning of additional languages since the beginning of the 20th century have had little impact on the teaching and learning of Hawaiian in mainstream educational contexts in Hawai‘i. The vast majority of the teachers surveyed had little or no training in language teaching, appeared to have little awareness of literature on language teaching and learning, and had little contact with native speakers. The textbooks analyzed, which were generally unaccompanied by teacher guides or supplementary resources, were found to be largely behaviorist in orientation, their design and methodology reflecting a curious mixture of aspects of both grammar translation and audiolingual approaches. Although most of the teachers surveyed appeared to be committed to including Hawaiian culture in their teaching, the textbooks examined were found to have very little cultural content. The lessons observed, which mainly adhered closely to the content of textbooks, relied heavily on translation and were generally absent of any clearly detectable lesson staging or any effective concept introduction or concept checking strategies. Activities were largely grammatically-focused, repetitive and non-communicative and the students were frequently observed to be confused and/ or off-task. It is concluded that the teaching and learning of Hawaiian in mainstream educational institutions in Hawai‘i is fraught with problems, problems that are evident at every stage in the process, from the lack of effective teacher education, through materials design and development to lesson planning and delivery. It would appear to be time for change. However, the survival of the Hawaiian language is by no means assured and there may be little time left in which to bring about change. For this reason, the thesis ends not only with recommendations for addressing the problems identified in the long-term and medium-term, but also with recommendations for change that could be effected the short-term (Chapter 8).

Political and Cultural Determinants of Educational Policymaking: The Case of Native Hawaiians

1993

A political-cultural model explores the educational process and its impact on Native Hawaiians over a 140-year period. The theoretical model suggests that core political values are transmitted to educational policy and school-related activities, and thereby impact the social, economic, and academic status of Native Hawaiians. Three historical case atudies indicate similaritiea and provide descriptions that illuminate the process of educational policymaking during each politically turbulent period in Hawaii: (1) the American missionaries arrival and impact, 1820-1839; ,(2) Hawaii, no longer for the Native Hawaiian, 1887-1900; and (3) new political ideas in postwar Hawaii, 1940-1960. The case studies develop six themes: (1) politicization and quiescence as a political process; (2) status of the power players; (3) limited participation in politics and policymaking; (4) dominating values of efficiency and caality; (5) neglected values of equality and choice; and (6) beneficiaries and losers. As Hawaii moves closer to political revolution in educational governance, the results suggest that fundamental values of the political culture must appreciate the existing cultural diversity in Hawaii. Two tables provide further information on the disteibution of school laws and policies from 1842 through 1969 and a matrixtof the six emergent themes and three case histories. Two figures diagram the educational policy process model and a tracking of Hawaii's political institution. Contains 51 references. (CK)

Talking the Language to Death: Observing Hawaiian Language Classes

International Journal of Critical Indigenous Studies, 2017

In the late 19th century, when the United States began its illegal occupation of the Hawaiian Kingdom, the teaching of languages was dominated by an approach—grammar translation—that has been associated with élitism and cultural dominance. Since then, there have been major developments in language teaching. Among these has been the development of “communicative language teaching” (CLT), an approach intended to encourage learners to use the target language for genuine communication in culturally appropriate contexts. However, analysis of a sample of Hawaiian language lessons taught in the second decade of the 20th century revealed little evidence of any of these. Instead, an approach reminiscent of aspects of grammar translation was very much in evidence, with teacher talk, often in English, occupying over half of the lesson in each case, and with considerable evidence of confusion, frustration and minimal participation on the part of many of the students. What this suggests is the need for a comprehensive review of all those factors that have an impact on the teaching and learning of Hawaiian, including, in particular, curriculum design and teacher training. It is no longer possible to accept that while language teachers talk, often in the language/s of colonisers, language death continues to stalk those indigenous languages that have so far failed to succumb.

The Language Question in Pacific Education: The Case of the Republic of the Marshall Islands. Research Brief

Pacific Resources For Education and Learning, 2005

This paper uses a sociohistorical lens to examine complex issues surrounding language-in-education policy in Micronesia. It is motivated by the realization that language policy and practice in this region, like many other parts of the world significantly impacted by outside contact, rarely align. This is especially evident in contexts where demands for English have already established themselves and an increasingly global agenda of schools as a primary support to the process of modernization and marketing of the nation-state is firmly in place. Drawing on an example of language policy review from the Republic of the Marshall Islands (RMI), we consider community expectations through various perspectives of local stakeholders as shared in public discussion of language issues in Pacific education. The review raises difficult questions brought into play when persuasive globalizing forces that stress the need to learn English come in contact with a more context-oriented language agenda at home. All social policies, including those related to language and education, operate in a dynamic social environment where other currents of social, political, economic, and psychological changes carry their own momentum and interact with official decisions and the day-today activities of schools and classrooms.

Pūpūkahi i Holomua: A Story of Hawaiian Education and a Theory of Change

Encounters in Theory and History of Education, 2020

The Hawaiian kingdom, prior to the illegal overthrow of its monarchy (1893) and the subsequent English-only Law (1896), had boasted a 91-95% literacy rate. Within that learning environment learners had a clear sense of purpose because Hawaiians had a firm grasp of who they were, where they were, and what they had to contribute. Since the English-only Law and US annexation of Hawai‘i (1898), however, the settler colonialschool system has maintained levels of cultural dissonance that have manifested as inequitable student outcomes for Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders (NHPI) across multiple academic and disciplinary student indicators (i.e., proficiency, suspension rates, etc). While western law and US compulsory education severed traditional sources of knowledge production that had provided a sustainable model of a‘o (teaching and learning), the ancestors of the Native Hawaiian community were diligent about preserving the keys to their genealogical legacies within more than 120,...

Voice"less" Hawaiian: An Analysis of Educational Policymaking, 1820-1960

1998

ACROSS THE UNITED STATES TODAY, a growing number of nondominant ethnic students are entering the public schools, renewing policy debates surrounding educational excellence versus equity for marginalized people. A historical examination of educational politics reveals that when competing social and political forces argue over the pursuit of educational goals, issues eventually become politicized with the potential reward being access to and participation in the governance system. Recently, an increasingly diverse and vocal populace has focused new attention on the policymaking process and its relationship to the educational experience and subsequent life choices of Native Americans. The study of how educational policy has affected Native Hawaiians has been given little attention. Perhaps, not coincidentally, it has failed to receive attention because it has been somewhat lost in the history of the United States, which has focused on the politics of cultural domination through assimil...