Indigenous language communities face the unique challenge of revitalizing and/or sustaining their language. Their inherent right to an Indigenous way of life and language must be centered in the community’s efforts to ensure that there are future generations of speakers. This is necessary to mitigate the realities of colonization that have impacted communities in every facet of their existence, including the vitality of their local Indigenous language.

Advocates for an Indigenous-focused lens understand the need to look within each community and leverage local assets and resources, such as elders, community leaders, parents, and speakers of the language to begin defining the local cultural and linguistic expectations for language learning. There may also be a need to seek permission to bring the language into the schools. This community-based narrative for language learning provides a blueprint for local schools for the survival of the community's language. This process underscores community language sovereignty and honors, respects, and validates cultural and social norms.