The Invisible Culture: Communication in Classroom and Community on the Warm Springs Indian Reservation

by Susan U. Philips

A classic in the fields of educational anthropology and sociolinguistics, this volume offers much to the understanding of the organization of communication in the classroom. With an approach that balances both theory and application, Philips explores the experience of Warm Springs Indian children in an American school. She reveals the ways in which the daily interactions among the teachers and students place the Indian children in a subordinate position not only by virtue of their status as children and students relative to adult teachers, but also as Indians relative to the dominant Euro- American culture. While this book is ostensibly about the experience of the Warm Springs children, it also expresses important insights for anyone who seeks to understand the role of language in culture. Visit waveland.com for a complete list of modern and classic ethnographies on Apache, Comanche, Crow, Navajo, Papago, Pueblo, Shoshone, Sioux, and other American Indian cultures.

Genres: Nonfiction

147 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1983

Reviews

[Marilee C-R · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lots of connections here with my experience teaching in the Navajo Nation.

[Becky · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really fantastic and important research done on the learning and communication styles of Native Americans in Oregon. Very easy to read and well-put-together. The sad part is that this research was published in 1983 and here we are, 34 years later, and these are still current issues in our flawed educational system. One would hope that greater care and attention would have been given to this crucial topic in three and a half decades, but instead the American government continues to demonstrate that they have all manner of priorities over education, and care least of all about the fate of Native children and their education.

[Colleen]

Too dry to use in my intro class...