Initial Exploration of a Construct Representing Native Language and Culture (NLC) in Elementary and Middle School Instruction.
Students from American Indian/Alaska Native (AI/AN) backgrounds have typically experienced poor academic and behavioral outcomes. In response, the educational community has recommended that teachers integrate Native Language and Culture (NLC) into instruction to create a welcoming and culturally relevant classroom environment. However, translating this recommendation into practice has been challenging. In this study, we take the first steps toward a formal exploration of the effects of NLC on AI/AN performance by attempting to define a scientifically defensible set of variables that can measure the degree to which teachers and schools make use of NLC in instruction. We used data collected by the National Indian Education Study (NIES) in 2009 and 2011, and conducted exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses with the Student, Teacher, and School (Administrator) Surveys. Contrary to expectations, we found that use of NLC in the classroom was a multidimensional construct: student perceptions differentiated between media based and live contact; teacher perceptions included both preparation and teaching activities; and, administrator reports included both instructional practices and access to local resources. Implications for further research are discussed.