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Sámi language teachers’ professional identities explained through narratives about language acquisition

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  04 February 2019

Madoka Hammine ,
Pigga Keskitalo  and
Erika Katjaana Sarivaara
Madoka Hammine*
Affiliation:
Faculty of Education, University of Lapland, Lapin Yliopisto, PL 122, 96101 Rovaniemi96101, Finland
Pigga Keskitalo
Affiliation:
Faculty of Education, Sámi University of Applied Sciences, Kautokeino, Norway
Erika Katjaana Sarivaara
Affiliation:
Faculty of Education, University of Lapland, Lapin Yliopisto, PL 122, 96101 Rovaniemi96101, Finland
*
Author for correspondence: Madoka Hammine, E-mail: mhammine@ulapland.fi
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Abstract

Conducted in northern Finland, this study examines Sámi language teachers’ professional identities through their narratives of language acquisition. We focus on how teachers’ professional identities are shaped by their language acquisition process. The results are based on the narratives of nine North, Inari and Skolt Sámi language teachers. Two aspects of teachers’ narratives were significantly linked to their identities as Sámi language teachers: (1) their backgrounds (indigenous/non-indigenous) and (2) their language acquisition experiences (acquired Sámi language in childhood/adulthood). Indigenous teachers appeared to express their professional identities strongly despite their challenging acquisition experiences and were inclined to work towards the future of Sámi languages. In addition, non-indigenous teachers were willing to further the development of Sámi languages although they are not indigenous, which perhaps contributes towards the future of Sámi languages. Teachers narrated complex thoughts about language acquisition and their professional identity and helped develop indigenous language education in their respective indigenous communities. We recommend that teachers’ in pre-service and service education should prepare and support indigenous language teachers by sharing knowledge about multilingual education practices and coping skills, particularly to help the latter manage varied tasks and heterogeneous contexts. Thus, this research study shows that both teachers’ language acquisition experiences and their current work situations shape their professional identity.

Keywords

Indigenous language teacherslanguage acquisitionnarrativesprofessional identitySámi language
Type
Research Article
Information
The Australian Journal of Indigenous Education , Volume 49 , Issue 1 , August 2020 , pp. 89 - 97
Copyright
Copyright © The Author(s) 2019

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