Students’ Language Attitudes in an Indigenous Sami School

This chapter discusses youth attitudes to the Sami language, and their experiences of language choice at school. The research material includes 18 survey questionnaires for the students, and 6 interviews and researcher’s classroom observations in a secondary school from 2009 to 2013. The research was conducted in a Sami core area in Norway in a secondary education school. Through questionnaires and student interviews, this chapter aims to give voice to youth in Sami region. Giving voice to the students and children and marginalised groups is seen as one of the tasks of educational research, and in developing equality in education. Through observations the researcher reveals everyday practices in the school. The survey and interviews show that most students felt confident in using Sami and Norwegian, as well as functioning in a bilingual community. Although the Sami language was seen as a key tool for integration into the local community, students were concerned about the future of the Sami language. They also felt responsible for passing the language on to future generations. The Sami language was considered to have a value of its own, and the students were motivated in learning and preserving the Sami language. The students showed language awareness and interest in the position of the Sami language. This chapter provides information about students’ attitudes to Indigenous Sami language and motivation for language learning, as well as about their experience with Sami language in the school environment. This information is relevant to developing Indigenous and minority education or bilingual educational institutions.