Navajo Nation elementary school teaches Navajo language

February 01, 2011

A new program at a Navajo Nation elementary school recently started to teach kids about their culture. It's the first program of its kind in the Central Consolidated School district. Kindergarteners at Eva B. Stokely Elementary in Shiprock spend every day speaking, reading and writing in Navajo. Marlena Shepard teaches the immersion class and said it's a way to help young kids learn their native tongue. "We have noticed that the language has been diminishing as each generation goes by and now there's a lot of kids in the classroom…even in my room that don't speak Navajo at all," she said. Officials at the school said they will continue the immersion program through first grade beginning in the fall. Two more school's in the district will start similar programs later this year.