Introduction: North America, Nancy H. Hornberger; Teaching and preserving Yup'ik traditional literacy, Nastasia Wahlberg; Ciulistet and the curriculum of the possible, Jerry Lipka, Esther Ilutsik; Reclaiming Navajo - language renewal in American Indian community school, Galena Sells Dick, Teresa L. McCarty; Literacy for what? Lucille J. Watahomigie, Teresa L. MacCarty; Language revitalization efforts in the Pueblo de Cochiti - becoming 'literate' in an oral society, Rebecca Benjamin et al; MesoAmerica: Language preservation and publishing, H. Russel Bernard; Experiences in the development of a writing system for Nuu Savi, Josefa Leonarda Gonzalez Ventura; Saving and strengthening indigenous Mexican languages - the CELIAC experience, Jesus Salinas Pedraza; Mayan language literacy in Guatemala - a socio-historical overview, Michael Richards; South America: Quechua literacy and empowerment in Peru, Nancy H. Hornberger; Literacy and modernization among the Quechua speaking population of Peru, Juan Carlos Godenzzi; An experience of indigenous literacy in Peru, Andres Chirinos; Indigenous politics and native language literacies - recent shifts in bilingual education policy and practice in Ecuador, Kendall A. King; Attitudes of teachers, children and parents towards bilingual intercultural education, Mercedes Cotacachi; Bringing the language forward - school-based initiatives for Quechua language re-vitalization in Ecuador and Bolivia, Nancy H. Hornberger, Kendall A. King; To Guaranize - a verb actively conjugated by the Bolivian Guaranis, Luis Enrique Lopez. Conclusion: Language planning from the bottom up, Nancy H. Hornberger. Afterword: Local literacies and vernacular literacies - implications for national literacy politics, Brian V. Street.