Yup'ik Language Education Pioneer and Indigenous Studies Scholar
Associated with :
University of Alaska FairbanksDr. Sally Samson (Angass'aq) serves as an Assistant Professor of Yup'ik Language and Culture at the University of Alaska Fairbanks' Kuskokwim Campus, bringing extensive experience in Yup'ik language immersion education. Her journey began with an 18-year tenure at Ayaprun Elitnaurvik Immersion Charter School from 1999 to 2017, where she developed expertise in Yugtun immersion teaching and second language instruction. After earning her master's degree in Linguistics from UAF in 2010, she continued her academic pursuit while transitioning to UAF's Kuskokwim Campus in 2017. Her doctoral research focused on participatory teacher action research to enhance language and literacy instruction in Yup'ik immersion schools, culminating in her dissertation "Elitnaurilleq Piciryaramtenek Qanemcitgun." Her work has significantly contributed to the field of indigenous language education, particularly through her involvement in lesson study with first and second-grade Yugtun reading instruction. As a member of the College of Indigenous Studies, she continues to advance Yup'ik language teaching methodologies and cultural preservation through her research and teaching.