By Kahea Faria
The growth of the Hawaiian Language Immersion Program from its inception to now is a sign that more of our people in Hawaii are turning to the language, culture, and history of our land and the education that is meant to embody it and facilitate the transmission of this knowledge to our children. For most families, this is the primary means of accessing this knowledge, and as such, it represents a public necessity, not a discretionary option.
While this growth has been encouraging, it has also revealed gaps in the structural foundation of the program. Most Hawaiian language immersion programs remain housed within predominantly English-medium schools, with a few stand-alone K–12 programs statewide and even fewer P–12 programs.
These environments are essential, as they create at least one sustained domain in which Hawaiian can function as the sole language of instruction. This model is not intended to produce monolingual speakers, but rather to strengthen pathways toward genuine bilingualism. Consequently, parents within Hawaiian Language Immersion Programs are increasingly advocating for the establishment of P–12 programs in each school district.
Another area of pressing concern is the availability of qualified teachers. For many prospective educators, this pathway involves additional barriers not typically encountered in English medium education – most notably the need to attain a high level of proficiency in Hawaiian.
Recent efforts to expand access to advanced Hawaiian language instruction – such as online coursework offered through UHMC – along with financial support for teacher candidates from sources such as Kamehameha Schools’ Hookawowo Scholarship, the Hawaii Community Foundation, and the State of Hawaii’s Grow Our Own (GOO) Teachers, have helped to address these challenges.
Despite these efforts, the sustained growth of the program depends on continued investment in teacher preparation. For those who are interested, as well as those who are seeking a meaningful way to support our community through Hawaiian language, history, and culture, please contact either of the Hawaiian Language Immersion teacher preparation programs at the University of Hawaii – Hilo or at the University of Hawaii – Manoa.
Finally, the rapid growth of the Hawaiian language immersion program should be addressed in the same manner as those of any thriving public school setting – by being adequately resourced and supported in its expansion, rather than constrained by regulatory frameworks that inhibit development.
The state should take a proactive role in planning for a future that includes P-12 Hawaiian Language Immersion Program schools in every district statewide. Anything less constitutes a disservice to the community and stands in opposition to the program’s purpose and intent to revitalize Hawaiian language, culture and history in Hawaii.
Ke ao ia nei ka naauao, auhea mai nei la hoi ke kahua o ka pono?
Kahea Faria is an assistant specialist in the College of Education, University of Hawaii at Manoa whose research focuses on the utilization of historical Hawaiian language literature to develop language proficiency, design curriculum, and inform teacher practice.
