Can communicative language teaching (CLT) help save indigenous languages? This project is a review of literature on CLT and its relevance to indigenous language revitalisation. It forms part of a broader research project to examine the teaching and learning of Māori, Tahitian and Hawai’ian within universities. Recent research has clearly identified CLT as a potential success factor for indigenous language revitalisation. This study aims to extend on those findings and compare the three case languages through classroom observations, interviews with teachers and students and by analysis of learning materials, thus beginning to address the conspicuous knowledge gap in adult indigenous language learning. The internship is based on the production of a literature review which will be jointly published in the name of the student and the supervisor and the work will be carried out on the Otago University Dunedin Campus.