An assessment of the needs of the Hawaiian language teachers of the public secondary schools of Hawai'i.

Abstract

This research was conceived as a descriptive exploratory study designed to develop insights into the problems of Hawaiian language teachers in creating a viable program. The basic assumption of this study was that the quality of the Hawaiian language and culture education program was dependent upon the teachers' feelings of their adequacy and perception of resources provided for an effective program. Through a survey research procedure three basic research questions were raised with all the Hawaiian language teachers in the state. They were (1) what were their perceptions of the difficulties and barriers to teaching the language effectively? (2) what was their confidence in their adequacy to teach the language? and (3) what were their perceptions of the Program Guide's value in selecting the best teaching methods. They were also asked for their suggestions for solutions to these problems. The survey instrument was sent to the language teachers twice over a three-year period. A script designed for a follow-up telephone interview became a source of secondary data. Findings revealed that age, ethnicity, major fields of study, and residency often determined the respondents' perceptions, personal confidence, commitment and teaching styles in Hawaiian language instruction. The role of language as a means of cultural communication and identification was seen as very important. The Hawaiian Language Program Guide was reportedly used as a major resource. The teachers' paramount problem was a lack of material resources--i.e., textbooks, classroom materials, adequate facilities, equipment, and community resource personnel. Past reliance on administrator-initiated teaching programs and training workshops had failed to resolve many teacher concerns. Review of literature and the results of this study reveal the perception that teachers, rather than administrators, are better at identifying and implementing solutions to problems confronting Hawaiian language and culture education.