Australia (Commonwealth Union) – Across the world many indigenous languages are facing extinction due to a variety of reasons such as less people available to make use of the language. A new Australian study may have a solution to resolving the issue of disappearing languages.
Young children in the secluded north-east Arnhem Land are making use of a new Indigenous language app to develop early literacy skills in their 1st language, with the app recently presented to the Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies in Canberra. The Yäku ga Rirrakay app was integrated to the daily lessons for children at the Yirrkala School in the small town on the east coast of Arnhem Land’s Gove Peninsula located in the Northern Territory of Australia., introducing phonics skills in their 1st language of Dhuwaya, a Yolŋu Matha language.
The app was produced and tested over 7 years by an interdisciplinary group led by the University of Melbourne linguist Professor Jill Wigglesworth, the Dhuwaya language iPad app stands out by teaching children how to identify, break down and blend together sounds to develop words completely in their local language, which is a significant and transferable skill for learning to read Dhuwaya and English.
Professor Wigglesworth, who has an established link with Yirrkala School, had close coordination with the Dhuwaya speakers, and Elder Yalmay Yunupiŋu, Yirrkala educators Robyn Beecham and Jake Stockley, Northern Territory Government Department of Education linguist Melanie Wilkinson, together with software engineer, Fardin Elias, to produce the app that delivers phonological awareness. “We chose to develop an iPad app, rather than use a more traditional approach, because the children at Yirrkala – like children everywhere – are very familiar with modern technology and engage better when using it,” Professor Wigglesworth said.
Many different Indigenous language groups have stated their desire to implement the app for their own 1st languages. A successful outcome is likely to see indigenous communities across the world consider its implementation.
