You Just Need to Shower Them in the Sami Language : Practices Teachers Use to Revitalise Children’s South Sami Language

• Main Authors: Harju-Luukkainen, Heidi, Berg, Karianne, Kolberg, Asbjørn
• Other Authors: Keskitalo, Pigga, Olsen, Torjer Andreas, Drugge, Anna-Lill, Rahko-Ravantti, Rauna
• Format: Book Part
• Language: English
• Published: Brill 2025
• Subjects: opetusmenetelmät; kielikylpy; saamelaiskielet; kielen elvytys; alkuperäiskielet; opettajat; kieltenopetus; uhanalaiset kielet; eteläsaame; varhaiskasvatus; alakoulu; Norway; saami; sami
• Online Access: http://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:jyu-202502262261

Linguistic and culturally safe learning spaces are important from both language and culture revitalisation perspectives. This study has been conducted in a South Sami preschool and primary school in Norway. The South Sami (South Saami) is the southernmost Sami population, frequently described as a minority within the minority. The estimation for South Sami speakers in Norway is around 300, making the language severely endangered. This paper takes a closer look at how preschool and primary school teachers describe the South Sami language learning space from an instructional practice perspective. For this study, in total, three preschool teachers and three teachers from primary school were interviewed. This textual data was analysed with content analysis. According to the results, teachers approached South Sami language instructional practices from four main categories. According to the results, the entire South Sami educational context was seen as an important inclusive language and culture revitalising space. peerReviewed