"Talking Leaves Are Striped": American Indian Cultural and Religious Challenges with Literacy and Why Process Drama Can Bridge the Gap

Discusses studies that indicate that most American Indians have a historical and contemporary aversion to writing and reading. Suggests that the use of process drama in American Indian classrooms can bridge the gap between Western philosophies and education and American Indian religious attitudes and oral traditions. Concludes if educators understand the varieties of strategies used by communities in the struggle for survival, they will understand students better. (PM)