Open AccessLanguage policy and planning for Latinos in Indiana: A case study
Author(s) -
Colleen E. Chesnut
Publication year - 2013
Publication title -
international journal of literacy, culture, and language education
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
ISSN - 2642-4002
DOI - 10.14434/ijlcle.v2i0.26893
Subject(s) - language planning , salience (neuroscience) , variety (cybernetics) , context (archaeology) , government (linguistics) , political science , public relations , narrative , lingua franca , population , sociology , psychology , geography , pedagogy , linguistics , demography , philosophy , archaeology , artificial intelligence , computer science , cognitive psychology
In Indiana and many other areas of the Midwest, Latino populations have recently experienced quite rapid growth. This study will focus on how Indiana’s state and local institutions, including government agencies, schools, and community organizations have responded to expansion of Latino communities, examining evidence of language policy and planning in these responses. An epistemological framework outlining the parameters of language policy and planning will be provided, as well as a brief historical narrative to set the context for Latinos settling in Indiana. Demographic data and document analysis reveal both the salience of this research for a growing Latino population and the current availability of resources and information aboutpolicy around language planning for this group. Findings illustrate that English remains the primary lingua franca for Indiana, though some evidence indicates scattered efforts to reach out to Latino citizens in Spanish through a variety of means. This research contributes to a growing body of literature on experiences of Latinos in the Midwest and policymakers’ efforts to better serve the needs of these growing communities.