Cherokee nation (CN) will utilize the living languages grant program funding, if awarded, to implement the cherokee immersion teacher institute (CITI) program which will provide professional…

The Cherokee Nation (CN) was awarded a $300,000 Project Grant under the U.S. Department of the Interior's Indian Economic Development (CFDA 15.032) grant program. The funding will support the Cherokee Immersion Teacher Institute (CITI) program, which provides professional development and extended training for current Cherokee language teachers associated with Cherokee language programs in the 14-county tribal reservation and beyond. The CITI program aims to improve participants' ability to effectively employ culturally-supported language teaching practices, assess student proficiency levels, and understand first and second language acquisition concepts, all while using the Cherokee language. This grant award is part of the Bureau of Indian Affairs' efforts to support language preservation and cultural revitalization initiatives for federally recognized Native American tribes.

Cherokee nation (CN) will utilize the living languages grant program funding, if awarded, to implement the cherokee immersion teacher institute (CITI) program which will provide professional development and extended training for current cherokee language teachers associated with cherokee language programs that are responsible for education while maintaining quality progress in language proficiency, though IT will also meet the needs of cherokee language teachers throughout the 14-county reservation and beyond. The project will serve a broad selection of cherokee immersion teachers as its target audience, but IT will also affect and strengthen all cherokee language revitalization by meeting proposed project objectives: objective 1: (O1): by the end of the cherokee immersion teacher institute (CITI) program (10 29 2026), participants will be able to effectively employ theoretically- and culturally-supported language teaching practices, including differentiating instruction for varying proficiency levels they will be able to discuss these practices in both the cherokee language. Objective 2: (O2): by the end of the CITI program (10 29 2026), participants will exhibit a deep understanding of cherokee language proficiency descriptors and how to assess students proficiency levels through classroom assessments, both formative and summative they will be able to discuss these concepts in the cherokee language. Objective 3: (O3): by the end of the CITI program (10 29 2026), participants will exhibit an understanding of first (L1) and second (L2) language acquisition, how the two are different, and how these differences apply directly to language teaching they will be able to discuss these concepts in the cherokee language. The purpose of the cherokee immersion teacher institute (CITI) will be to provide professional development and extended training for in-service cherokee language teachers in the cherokee immersion schools and language programs. However, the program will also serve teachers in the local public schools that offer cherokee language classes throughout the 14-county reservation. This program is our tribes internal answer to providing professional development for our language teachers that will not only address pedagogical and linguistic concepts but will also be grounded incherokee epistemologies.