Key Concepts

 

    • Parental Involvement– The result of various studies have shown increased involvement of parents in schools to positively affect the cognitive and social functioning of children.This can be modeled by involving parents in home reading programs, inviting them into classrooms, having an open door policy, and collaborating with community events. There’s so much more but I shared a few. 
    • First Nations languages– Aboriginal students need instruction and literacy development in their own traditional languages, just as much as English. Understanding that this may be tough because language immersion programs are more successful with learning the language and the curriculum compared to learning two languages, and the curriculum. 
    • Oral Storytelling- Students should be encouraged to both listen and tell stories to express themselves. “Historically and today. First Nations people share important knowledge, culture and traditional lessons through the telling of stories. It is through the telling of stories and legends that First Nations people preserve what is most important to them— language, traditions, culture, and identity. Stories are used to provide a sociocultural and historical account of the community knowledge from elders to youth, ensuring its survival with new generations. Thus, stories play a critical role for Aboriginal students in learning to read and write and traditional oral forms of knowledge transmission can and should be used to support literacy development”. (Mckeough, 2008). 
    • Connecting with Elders– Having an Elder come in during lessons will benefit students when developing traditional literacies. Long ago before contact, the teachings from the Elders was how young children learned the ways of our people. First Nations children still have this teaching embedded in their memory so bringing Elders, and knowledge keepers will be beneficial. This also helps educators when they are wanting to incorporate these teachings into their lessons. Elders love teaching, they love children so they would be more than happy to come in to teach what they know. 
    • Culturally appropriate programs–  The focus is on oral storytelling because it supports early learning development. Some programs that I have found that were made to improve Aboriginal literacy levels are: Literacy for Life Foundation, Show Me the Way, Accelerated Literacy Program, Indigenous Literacy Foundation, and I have also heard great things about the program Read well.

 

  • Early Learning Programs- It is proven that children who were enrolled in these programs were ready to read by grade 1.  I highly believe in Early Learning Programs because my background is in Early Childhood Education, and I have witnessed the benefits with my own children because of the opportunities they have experienced. 

 

 

Teaching Implications 

 

  • Acknowledgement of territory- Acknowledging the territory is a way of honouring and showing respect for a group of people who have been living and working on this land from time immemorial.
  • Build relationships with students, and their families. 
  • Create an accepting and supporting learning environment that is relaxed and comfortable while maintaining a focus on educational goals.
  • Willingness to use appropriate assessment tools to monitor student learning and program effectiveness. 
  • An understanding of and respect for local culture, and incorporating it into the curriculum.
  • Frequent and effective communication with parents is very important.

 

Assessment

 

 “Learning and assessment is a personal experience; the essence of learning and self-assessment must begin with a focus on the heart and soul of the student and extend to envelop relationships with family, community, and Nations”. (Claypool & Preston, 2011).

 

  • Encouragement of metacognition by developing student’s understanding and ownership of their own progress.
  • Self-assessments 
  • One on one discussions for students who don’t often share. 
  • Using the Circle of Courage assessment tool for assessment.. 
  • Informal assessments- this involves observing students as they learn.

 

Please Note: Before quality assessment can occur Aboriginal students need to feel a “sense of belonging”.

 

Work Cited

 

BC Curriculum

https://curriculum.gov.bc.ca/sites/curriculum.gov.bc.ca/files/curriculum/indigenous-knowledge-and-perspectives/ela-K-12-indigenous-knowledge-and-perspectives.pdf. 

 

Circle of Courage Assessment Tool

http://www.behavioradvisor.com/CircleOfCourage.html. 

 

Claypool, T. R., & Preston, J. P. (2011). Redefining Learning and Assessment Practices Impacting Aboriginal Students: Considering Aboriginal Priorities via Aboriginal and Western Worldviews (3rd ed., Vol. 17). Saskatoon, SK: University of Saskatchewan.

 

Driessen, G., Smit, F., & Sleegers, P. (2005). Parental Involvement and Educational Achievement (4th ed., Vol. 31). British Educational Research Association. doi: 10.1080/01411920500148713.

 

First Peoples Principles of Learning. http://www.fnesc.ca/wp/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/PUB-LFP-POSTER-Principles-of-Learning-First-Peoples-poster-11×17.pdf. 

 

Korff,J. (2019). Aboriginal Literacy Rates. https://www.creativespirits.info/aboriginalculture/education/aboriginal-literacy-rates>. 

 

McKeough, A; Bird, S; Tourigny, E; Romaine, A; Graham, S; Ottmann, J. & Jeary, J. (2008). Storytelling As A Foundation To Literacy Development For Aboriginal Children: Culturally And Developmentally Appropriate Practices. Canadian Psychology/Psychologie canadienne, 49(2): 148-154. http://psych.ucalgary.ca/lcdlab/publications/mckeoughetal.pdf

 

Video: The Oral Tradition of Storytelling

https://youtu.be/BNY7L_RdObA.