Native Language Teacher Education program students Kristina Mays, Malia Vanderburg, and Steve Arca participate in one of many Salish language activities.

Several years ago, critical conversations about the desperate nature of our cultures and languages began between a number of key professionals associated with language and culture education and revitalization efforts throughout the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes’ reservation. Among those involved were Atwen Incashola, the late director of the Séliš-Ql̓ispé Culture Committee; President Sandra Boham of Salish Kootenai College (SKC); staff and leaders of Nk̓ ʷusm Salish Language School; faculty associated with SKC’s Division of Education; and other language and culture professionals who were brought together as part of the Salish-Pend d’Oreille Culture Committee’s Séliš / Ql̓ispé language strategic plan.

Through those conversations, it became clear that Salish-Kootenai cultural knowledge was in a critical state. At that time, knowledge keepers were aging quickly, and the tribe was at risk of losing them and the knowledge they held. To compound this, at least 40 highly qualified Salish language educators were needed within the next 20 years. More specifically, the tribe was in need of educators with the skills to adequately support Nk̓ ʷusm, local education agencies, existing tribal education agencies, and proposed community-based schools that meet education demands from birth through adulthood.

These conversations led SKC to leverage multiple financial resources to develop and implement the Native Language Teacher Education (NLTE) program with a Salish language educator development emphasis. This program aims to quickly and adequately prepare individuals as both proficient Salish language speakers and skilled educators who can serve language education from birth through adulthood throughout the reservation. Similarly, the Culture and Language Studies (CALS) program aims to grow the number of highly skilled Séliš and Ql̓ispé language speakers, cultural artists, and knowledge keepers who perpetuate the languages and cultures using traditional Sqelixʷ educational practices.

In the spring of 2023, SKC graduated its second cohort of Bachelor of Science in Native language teacher education students, with six students obtaining their BS NLTE since the program’s inception. The program is intensive and requires students to take Salish language classes as well as evening general education and language educator classes. These graduates are paving the way for future generations of Salish language speakers and teachers.