Tag Archives: Language Immersion

Mod 3:3 Gift of Language and Culture Project

The Gift of Language and Culture Project website was created in collaboration by four Bands in Saskatchewan. In 2005 a language curriculum was created for students from PreK to grade 9. There is a core curriculum and an immersion curriculum as well as resources for teaching First Nations languages.

The curriculum is well laid out and easy to follow. It would be beneficial for any teacher of Cree students however it could also serve as a starting point for teachers whose students speak a different language.

http://www.giftoflanguageandculture.ca/history.html

Module 2: Weblog 4: Ntsayka Ikanum’s Story

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Ntsayka Ikanum is an Indigenous tribe of Grand Ronde, Orgeon. This website is a documentation and archive of their history, tradition and current culture. There are videos of elders speaking in their Indigenous language and telling stories with English subtitles at the bottom. The language is also scripted in writing with the spoken alphabet recorded. Currently, the Ntsayka Ikanum tribe is practicing language revitalization. There are immersion pre-schools and kindergartens for the young children to learn the language fluently.

There is also information about their history, their struggle of relocation, current community events and traditions, and stories of their elders. There are many audio clips within the website to hear the language and listen to the stories or song being told/ chanted.

The title of the home page is Our Story , I feel that this website was created by the tribe members to take control of their history and represent their own tribal identity through their own stories from their perspective for the world to understand.

http://www.grandronde.org/ikanum/index.html

Module 2: Weblog 1: Strategies for Language Revitalization

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The topic of my final assignment is about Indigenous language revitalization using technology. I have not yet narrowed down my topics. Hopefully after researching my five weblogs this week, I will be able to find an interesting aspect to focus on.

My first weblog for module 2 is about language revitalization strategies. I will summarize some of the key points made:

Master/Apprentice programs- one on one learning between an elder and the learner.
Mentorships- intermediate level language learners pair up to practice conversing together.
Immersion- language immersion should start with children when they are best are learning language. Pre-schools and kindergarten with Aboriginal language instruction.
Bringing language back into the home.
Putting language back into everyday situations.
Reviving traditional community practices such as basket weaving so the language can be used in context.
Help develop written language so it can be used as a community resource.
Recording voice and videos of elders speaking Aboriginal language and performing traditional ceremonies.
Creating realistic goals for the community.
Curriculum development to enhance Aboriginal language learning.
Dictionary development.
Using online language tools.

There are many useful strategies for helping to revitalize Aborginal language on this website. There are also links to communities who are already using many of these strategies. I will check out these links to find some specific examples of language revitalization in action.

http://www.fpcc.ca/language/toolkit/Language_Revitalization_Strategies.aspx

Module 1: Post 5: Hawaiian Language Immersion

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I have been gaining interest in language revitalization. One of the most successful places in creating a language revolution is Hawaii.

This website is a news article featuring some of the first graduates from Nawahi, the first Hawaiian Immersion University. It began as a pilot program driven by Hawaiian activists, the entire curriculum was instructed in Hawaiian but there would not be fully qualified professors teaching when the University first started in 2001.

The article focused on a girl named Kuuwehi Hiraishi, who is currently 28. It is difficult enough graduating from an English program to find jobs in your qualified field. However Hirasihi was able to graduate in journalism and found a job as a news reporter with the Hawaii News Now Sunrise newspaper in the Hawaiian language news segment.

In an interview with Hiraishi, she was proud to say she is able to use her language in her career and the skills she learned in University. She was also confident to say that she thinks careers in her language will become more and more available for students as they graduate from Nawahu University.

Hawaii has used technology as a way to help revitalize the Hawaiian language. This example allows hope for other Indigenous cultures to create educational programs in their own language and use technology such as radio broadcasting to keep their languages from disappearing.

http://www.honolulumagazine.com/Honolulu-Magazine/March-2012/Na-Puka-Kula-Hawaiian-Immersion-Graduates/index.php