DESCRIPTORS

This paper shows how a traditional story can be used to teach an indigenous language, and how the inclusion of writing can help students learn the language effectively. Hupa people have told Coyote stories for thousands of years. Such Hupa stories are incorporated in Hupa language instruction using the Language Proficiency Method, which involves a sequence whereby students progress from easier to more difficult materials. Language Proficiency units begin with lessons built around questions and answers and expand to conversations, games, storytelling, and dramatic performances. The learning sequence has six levels: setting the scene, comprehensible input, guided practice, independent practice, challenge (performing), and expansion to other areas of instruction. How writing is defined affects some issues related to written language instruction. These issues include the idea of writing as a learning tool, differences in learning to speak versus learning to write, transference of thought processes and response patterns to the second language, and the relationship between learning styles and learnin