Language Documentation, Revitalization, and Reclamation: Supporting Young Learners and Their Communities

Research shows that 46 percent of the world’s 7,000 languages are in danger of losing their last speakers by the end of the century, and communities are responding by working to reclaim, revitalize, and relearn their languages. Based on an EDC-led workshop funded by the National Science Foundation, this white paper explores the impact of language documentation on language revitalization, shares the benefits of language documentation and revitalization for young children, and presents recommendations and implications for future research.