SD92 Nisga'a Language & Culture Presentation to the Nisga'a Nation Special Assembly

1. School District 92 Nisga’a Language & Culture Nisga’a Nation Special Assembly September 15th, 2010 Laxgalts’ap

2. Acknowledgements Those that were before us Fluent Speakers: Council on Curriculum NESS Elder in Residence Board of Education Superintendant & Principals NLC Staff Language Teachers Kim Hansen’s Students Past Reviews A.A. McKay

3. Overview Background: Where are we coming from? Esther Situation: Where are we at now? Esther & Tina Draft Plans: Where do we hope to go? Tina Successes Tina Challenges Esther Clarification: Are we on the right trail? Feedback Cecil Award

4. Where are we coming from? Vibrant & Strong Culture, Language Bi-Cultural Program Immersion Project in all 4 Schools Bert & Lucy

5. Where are we at now? Nisga’a language on severely endangered language list with 435 fluent speakers (p. 23 FPHLCC: Report on the Status of BC FN Languages, 2010) SPEAKERS Rarely used as mother tongue by children Spoken as mother tongue by grandparent generation and up Not normally spoken by adults and children except for some who are learning USAGE Only sometimes used between elderly speakers Rarely/never used for natural daily communication Some adults and children are learning, but not fluent Limited language learning programs LANGUAGE RESOURCES Limited documentation - Some languages have extensive documentation, but few to no speakers (p. 13 FPHLCC: Report on the Status of BC FN Languages, 2010) SOME OTHER INDICATORS Children coming to school no longer fluent in the language Main language of use in the home, school, community , service provider institutions and government is English Women of child bearing age no longer fluent Language teachers no longer have the fluency level at the “Elder level” Language has become very symbolic, used mostly in ceremonies School instruction largely in English language and through Western Culture DISRUPTION inCycle of Learning (Intergenerational Transmission ) of Culture & Language

6. Where are we at now? Hopes & Expectations for Students to become fluent speakers NOW AAMES ½ Day K Immersion 2nd language program that supports and enhances Nisga’a culture and language A program that produces good readers & writers, but not fluent speakers Teachers that want to become fully fluent NEED Need fluent speaker support for teachers Need a curriculum designed to produce fluent speakers Need of resources for language teachers Need of financial resources for staff, fluent speakers, curriculum & kit development, materials production, recording, operating costs, …

8. ensure accuracy and authenticity from Fluent Speakers: Council on Curriculum

9. plan strategically & long term

10. success based approach

11. focus on developing fluent speaking teachers

12. focus on early years & younger children

13. preserve through cycle of reformat/digitize/organize/access for authentic speech

14. utilize preservation for learning materials

15. establish resource center to for all to receive access

16. Legislation, policies & guidelines to support

17. promotion in schools and throughout districtUnite & Plan Create Speakers Preserve Protect Promote Ignace, Burnaby, Blair, Fishman, Wurm FPHLCC AFN YFN Maori Hawaiian Posovac & Carey, Michael Fullan, …

18. Draft Work Plan Multi-Year (5 -10 yr.) Renewal /Review Process Annually Dependent on Funding Needs more feedback and clarification from partners Some actions are underway Collective thinking is needed

19. Guiding Principles To the best of our ability… we will include and involve fluent speakers to guide the work in Nisga’a culture and language; we will work to increase capacity of Nisga’a citizens; we will involve our partners, Nisga’a citizens and School District staff in our work in a respectful and meaningful way; we will recruit fluent speakers in language and culture teaching and non-teaching positions; we will promote the learning of Nisga’a language and culture with children, youth and families; we will demonstrate respect in the work that we do; and we will acknowledge and honor the hard work of our predecessors.

20. GOALS: OBJECTIVES: To contribute to increasing the number of fluent speakers. To record, digitize and provide access to living and non-living Nisga’a language and culture resources. To work towards increasing the status of the Nisga’a language. To develop a promotion and “motivation” strategy to encourage children, youth and parents to learn and speak their language and culture. To provide an education program for Nisga’a language and culture that leads to competency in culture and fluency in language. To work towards inclusion of Nisga’a language and culture throughout the entire system: curriculum, methods of teaching, student assessment, policies, programs, daily operations, etc. To honor our ancestors and our people by working towards the revitalization, perpetuation and preservation of Nisga'a language and culture. To help bring language back into the home, community and service provider organizations, as the main language of use and the mother tongue of our future generations.

21. 1. Create Fluent Speakers ACTION Language in the Home Language Nest Master Apprentice Bi-lingual Team Teaching Immersion Retreats Immersion K-3 Immersion 4 to 7? STRATEGIES Focus Early Years Focus Receptive Bilinguals Create fluent teachers Develop Curriculum & Resource Kits Balance “Western with Authentic-Natural” Set up to Succeed

22. 2. Record, Digitize & Access ACTION Fluent Speakers Council on Curriculum Resource Center Planning Digitize Old Recording Studio Organize Provide access Market STRATEGIES Partner with 4 Governments Speakers from 4 communities – 4 tribes Gender Balance Utilize Community Connections sharing concept & project funding Strengthen Fluent Speakers: Council on Curriculum

23. 3. Increase Status & Protect ACTION Review, revise and develop legislation Review, revise and develop policy Develop guidelines STRATEGIES Work alongside partners Vision, goals, expectations,…will help guide reviews

24. 4. Promote & Motivate ACTION Create Diglossia Credentials Incentives Pro-D, Speakers, Conferences Information Sessions – Communication - Meetings Capacity Building Role Modeling STRATEGIES Awareness Understanding Commitment On-Going Motivation Intergenerational Seeds

25. 5. School Culture & Language Program ACTION Curriculum: Non-Speaker to Fluency Nisga’a Education Resource Kits for every Grade level Piloting –Review Cycle Training for Teachers STRATEGIES Fluent Speakers Council on Curriculum Culture & Language Communication & Collaboration Success Approach

26. 6. Inclusion into Western System ACTION Prioritize Ceremony Welcome Back Speaker Staff Discipline Restorative Action Curriculum/Resources/Methods Feast Book Land Claims Self-Government Ayuuk PE 10 Woodworking 10 First Peoples 10, 11, 12 FN Studies 11 (12) STRATEGIES Best of Both Worlds Prerequisite: Curriculum Framework & Philosophical Foundation Inclusion is inter-disciplinary & across the spectrum: curriculum, resources, methods, discipline, spec. ed. assessment, legislation, policies, atmosphere, conduct, ceremonies, etc.

27. Successes Fluent Speakers Council on Curriculum SD Seal of Approval Lord’s Prayer Language Analysis, DVDs, Draft Kit, Posters, Placemats, Audio Additional Ts’ak Videos Supportive Board of Education & School District Staff Community Connections – A Beginning to a Resource Center Draft Plan to begin with Curriculum Working Group Review of Curriculum Models Curriculum Plan Framework Skeleton Draft materials for Goals Good Relationships with Teachers Establishing a presence of the NLC Center

28. Challenges – FUNDING, Speakers, Human Resources, Capacity, Time Human Resources Adm. Asst/Librarian Support Director – Manager (overall) Program Implementer – Coordinator (in school/class support for teachers) Pre-school Language Nest Staff Language in the Home Staff Bilingual Team Teaching – Elder in Residence Staff Master-Apprentice Language Proficiency./Immersion Coord Language & Culture Tech Coord Language & Culture Audio and Visual Production Funding Fluent Speakers: Council on Curriculum Honoraria Costs Master Speakers (honoraria) Professional Growth, Development, In-servicing, Training Contract Writers Curriculum Education Resource Kits Content - Background Operating Costs Resource Center Language Nests Immersion Programs Immersion Retreat *** “Cadillac Version” estimate based on plan developed

29. Working in Unity Central Team/CoordinatorsCohesive PlansConcerted Efforts Sharing Resources Sharing ExpertiseContinuous Renewal

30. Are we on the right trail? Clarification Feedback Communication Collaboration