Category Archives: MODULE 2

MOD #2 POST #2: Canada Needs Thriving Indigenous Languages

Canada Needs Thriving Indigenous Languages | Khelsilem | TEDxWestVancouverED – YouTube

Khelsilem states that there is an increasing number of Indigenous youths committing themselves to become language learners, as the 2016 census shows that in some communities the number of language speakers is increasing despite the lack of government support and funding. “Canada would be a more interesting place if Indigenous languages are thriving” is a statement from Khelsilem that resonated with me, as languages inform the culture, identity, and the community of the place. Khelsilem also discusses that revitalization efforts led by Indigenous communities could shift towards gifting Indigenous languages to all Canadians. This would support reconciliation and building relationships between Indigenous and non-Indigenous communities.

Module 2 Post 4: Guide to Indigenous Languages in Canada

This “Guide to Indigenous Languages in Canada” was compiled by Owona McIvor (associate professor of Indigenous Education at the University of Victoria). This guide is part of a larger language revitalization project put on by 9 Indigenous-led communities and the University of Victoria. The guide highlights key facts about Indigenous languages in Canada as well as 8 ways anyone can support the efforts to revitalize so many lost and dying Indigenous languages.

Module 2 Post 3: Voices on the Rise (Docuseries)

Voices on the Rise: Indigenous Language Revitalization in Alberta is a 3 part docuseries made in collaboration with Telus and Victoria filmmaker/visual artist Eli Hirtle ((nêhiyaw(Cree)/British/German). The series follows Eli and his journey of self-actualization by visiting his ancestors’ communities and learning more about his language. He focuses on the revitalization of Indigenous language and its intimate connection to culture, family, and life. Much can be learned from Eli’s story for Indigenous and non-Indigenous peoples alike.

Module 2 Post 2: Indigenous Corporate Training Inc.

Indigenous Corporate Training Inc. (ICT) is a B.C. based organization that provides training in the workplace with the goal of creating more informed and safer Indigenous relations between Indigenous and non-Indigenous people alike. I have specifically linked their blog post on guidelines for using Indigenous terminology, a place in which settlers may want to start when decolonizing their vocabulary. Their site contains paid and free resources that support Indigenous awareness and answers to questions many settlers may be too afraid to ask.

 

Module 2 Post 1: First Voices

First Voices is an initiative by the First Peoples’ Cultural Council that provides a library of Indigenous language learning tools and information. The site offers dozens of Indigneous languages to explore. Clicking into each language provides links to see, hear, and practice high frequency vocabulary through audio clips or games. This site will serve useful in the K-12 setting in which educators may discuss the decolonization of language in our school system.

 

Module 2 Post 5

This resource mentions three aspects of Indigenous knowledge systems that should be incorporated into lessons. The three mindsets are being holistic, collaborative, and relational. As is mentioned about holistic mindset, it includes recognizing the learners as a member of their community, a member of the natural world, and a member of the spiritual realm. For collaborative mindset, the value of extended family, the community, and peer interactions are key. The final mindset mentioned is relational, this is finding a way to ensure students relate to what they are learning about. A way to interweave these is something such as place-based learning. Place-based learning would be holistic as members are integrated into the natural world, it is collaborative as peers will interact with each other and work to learn about the local environment, and it is relational because it is the environment the students live in. This is just a few ways that Indigenous knowledge can be used in the classroom.

https://empoweringthespirit.ca/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/Weaving-Ways-Introductory-Document-10-09.pdf

M2P5 – Importance of Culture in Math

M2P5

While this paper is not sharing specific indigenous knowledge in connection with math, it seeks to prove the importance of culture within teaching and learning math. The cultural script for a ‘traditional math lesson’ is specific to each culture. In this way, the mainstream culture determines the teaching and learning of math in classrooms. Reading through this, I had to recognize that I must be following the mainstream culture in teaching math, and that would, and does not work, for all cultures. After reading this, I would be foolish to think that my way would be the right way for all students in my classroom. While this article summed up the research on the different cultural ways of teaching math, I am left to wonder, how do I teach math multi-culturally? Is that even possible? How do I teach ANYTHING multi-culturally?

Andrews, P. (2010). The importance of acknowledging the cultural dimension in mathematics teaching and learning research. Acta Didactica Naposencia, 3(2), 3-16.

Module 2, Post 5 | Salt & Sage Books

In my research to learn about the kinds of resources there are out there for authors and publishers, I came upon this site. This organization specializes in “sensitivity reading” – which is a big talking point at the multi-national higher education publisher (Pearson) that I work for. They offer many different types of services, but I’m most interested in the sensitivity readings, as it is most related to my final project. I discovered that they employ (or rather, hire on a contractual basis) many consultants from super diverse backgrounds – in terms of (dis)abilities, race, heritage, trauma-informed and trained, sexuality, and more.

https://www.saltandsagebooks.com/

Module 2, Post 3 | RavenSpace

The University of British Columbia Press has taken on an enormous and highly engaging initiative in recent years with it’s RavenSpace project. So far, they’ve published one text: As I Remember It: Teachings (Ɂəms tɑɁɑw) from the Life of a Sliammon Elder, which can be experienced here:

http://publications.ravenspacepublishing.org/as-i-remember-it/index

This is multimedia and immersive project intended to capture the dynamic story it tells. From a publishing perspective, it offers a new and exciting path to digital books.

https://www.ubcpress.ca/ravenspace