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Leslie Harper, Gaazagaskwaajimekaag. Gidinwewininaan. Awenen ge-ojibwemowaad ge-bi-ayaamagak?. Grandma and her younger siblings until 1940. Grandma until 1946. Mom until 1950. Dad until 1948.
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Leslie Harper, Gaazagaskwaajimekaag Gidinwewininaan
Grandma and her younger siblings until 1940. Grandma until 1946. Mom until 1950. Dad until 1948. Grandma, Grandpa and their siblings and friends until late 1980s. Long break until Grandpa began to speak again w/one child in the family around 2003 and continues today. Dad and his siblings currently speak Ojibwe. My siblings and I don’t, but my children speak Ojibwe. Ojibwemowin last spoken in my family… • Acknowledging historical disruptions to our language transmission, this is where we are today, and from where we must move forward: • Geography: the family moved and lived away from the language. • Dad in the 1920s to 1930s. • Grandma and her sisters in the 1940s and 1950s. • Mother until 1948. • Uncle until 1950. • Father-in-law speaks Ojibwe currently, with friends.
Apiitendaagwad ji-ni-Ojibwemoyang • How many speakers do we have, how old are they? • How did these people come to speak Ojibwe? • Are we passing Ojibwemowin on to our upcoming generations – do we have children who speak Ojibwe as a first language, or as well as First Speakers of our language? How best do we continue this?
Aaniin gekendamang? • Our grandmas and grampas wishes, dreams, thoughts, humor all come out best in their first language: Ojibwemowin. Can you imagine not being able to communicate your dreams, values, knowledge, to your family? • Ojibwemowin onoondawaanaan iniw manidoon • “Our Boy doesn't sing anymore.” - Mezinaanakwad, 2002 • “Language is the ultimate consensual institution.” - J. Crawford, 1995 SILS.
Niigaane • Gaa'izhi-miinigoowiziyang gii'kikinoo'amawangwaa ginijaanisinaanig ji-maajiishkaamagak ezhi-gikinoo'amawangwaa ji-ni-bimiwidoowaad eni-bimaadiziwaad.
Niinawind • Gekinwaa’amaagoziwaad: • K-6, multi-age classes • All social and academic content areas are taught in Ojibwemowin target language • 32 students • Enter at K, expand a grade per year • Alternative choice track within existing tribal BIE K-12 Bugonaygeshig School
Mii ezhichigeyang • 3 Elder First Speakers of Ojibwe • 3 Teaching Teams of Elder First Speaker and second language learner • Teaching licenses at Niigaane: 6 K-12 Ojibwe Language and Culture 3 Elementary Ed 1 K-8 Ojibwe Language License
4 Advanced 2 Intermediate High 1 Intermediate Mid 2 Novice High “After seven years of Ojibwemowin immersion at our site, students will demonstrate an Intermediate High level of Ojibwemowin Oral proficiency. Written??? Oral Proficiencies
Enigok anokiig! • In most cases, it has been decades since Ojibwemowin was a routine activity of our immediate lives. • Zhawenidig • Wiidokoodaadig • Be patient and supportive • Work hard before it is gone and we are reclaiming it from archived sources.
Aaniin enendamang? • Ojibwemowin in the P-functions strengthens our identity. • Achievement in another language is less likely to be seen as a threat to our Ojibwe identity.
Social benefits of multilingualism: Increased sensitivity to others Increased receptivity Increased appreciation of language Better able to understand the needs of others and respond appropriately. Better able to communicate with a wide variety of people. Aaniish gekendamang? • Cognitive benefits of multilingualism: • Bilingualism gives us more choices: there are at least two ways to say things • Able to focus more on meaning and take into account only relevant features when there is distractive information • Demonstrate more mental flexibility and perform better on tasks requiring mental manipulation • Multilinguals are original in verbal expression, demonstrate a high level of non-verbal intelligence --www.carla.umn.edu
Awegonen gekendamaang? • Title III NCLB: • Section 3125, Rules of Construction: • “Nothing in this Part (Part A, Title III) shall be construed – (3) to limit the preservation or use of Native American Languages.”
Title III NCLB • Section 3127, Civil Rights, Title III: • “Nothing in this Part (Part A, Title III) shall be construed in a manner inconsistent with any Federal law guaranteeing a Civil Right (as identified in the Native American Languages Act of 1990). • Section 104 of that Act states that "It is the policy of the United States to - • (1) preserve, protect, and promote the rights and freedom of Native Americans to use, practice, and develop Native American languages;
Ezhi-inaakonigeyang • (2) allow exceptions to teacher certification requirements for Federal programs and programs funded in whole or in part by the Federal Government, for instruction in Native American languages when such teacher certification requirements hinder the employment of qualified teachers who teach in Native American languages, and to encourage State and territorial governments to make similar exceptions;
Ezhi-inaakonigeyang • (3) encourage and support the use of Native American languages as a medium of instruction in order to encourage and support—(a) Native American language survival, (b) equal educational opportunity, (c) increased student success and performance, (d) increased student awareness and knowledge of their culture and history, and (e) increased student and community pride...."
Awegonen gekendamang? • It is our right and our responsibility to speak Ojibwemowin!
Aaniish ezhi-ojibwemotaadiyaang?What will it take to bring Ojibwemowin into these settings? • Community responses: • More speakers of Ojibwemowin • More opportunities for people to learn Ojibwemowin on a highly functioning level • Intergenerational learning: First Speakers model the language for the learners • Sense of importance: families share in the effort, community feels it is relevant.
ondamitaawag “It was like our kids were on the outside looking in at ourselves, at our language and culture; now they are fully a part of it.”
Apiitendaagwad ji-nitaa-anishinaabemoyang • Intermediate-Low is considered the level at which learners can create with language. • Requires three, generally four years of continuing language study, as a FL class. • What does it look like in a Native American Language Immersion culture and language revitalization setting?
“How we live as Ojibwe People in the world today”: Articulation of teaching methods at Niigaane • Articulation has been challenging: Ojibwean models of interaction and understanding are the ideal, though elicitation of these ideals is problematic due to rapid cultural shift and aging First Speakers • Social and academic content are equally considered • It’s experiential, it’s observational
Mii o’o gikinoo’amawangwaa • Social objectives of the Ojibwe community must be considered before content can be created; therefore mere translation of existing academic curricula from other languages is not an option in our community. However, can be used as comparisons or models.
Mii ezhichigeyang • CGI Math • Responsive Classroom • Classifications inherent in the specificity of Ojibwe language • Literacy scope and sequence tied to language proficiency levels of students who enter immersion site at age 5 or 6 from English-speaking homes
Mii ezhi-gikinwaa’mawangwaa • Models of differing forms of interpersonal discourse are rare. • A root word can be built upon and built upon with any number of word parts, so that eventually we wind up with words that are a mile long! Reading instruction in this language must tend to persistence, fluency, and accuracy with greater focus than monolingual peers’ English language.
Aaniin ezhi-ayaayang? • Social expectations of students: High levels of self-regulation moderation independence love of learning • It’s fun, there’s a lot of laughter!
Challenges Teacher training: HQ designation Funding Parent support Lack of materials Definition of Ojibwe language literacy continuum Aaniish ezhi-doodamaang? • Successes • Student retention • Increase in Ojibwemowin proficiency of LL children • First Speaker engagement • Development projects awarded funding • Another point of entry has been created. • Students achieving at and above the levels of english monolingual peers.
Aaniish enendamang? • Culture as the core of our education: • Context: structuring the school and classroom in Ojibwe culturally-appropriate ways • Content: Learning is meaningful and relevant through Ojibwe language-medium content and assessment. • Assessment of learning is meaningful and relevant: assessment in the Language Of Instruction. • Learning supports and enrichment are meaningful and relevant: provided in the Language Of Instruction – LNLP definition needed in policy structure.
Aaniish enendamang? • Data and accountability: gathering and maintaining data using various methods to ensure student progress in Ojibwe culturally-appropriate ways. • Reflection of practice, continued professional development opportunities. Ensure a high level of proficiency and performance.
Aaniish waa-izhichigeyangiban? • 3-year project funded by ANA to articulate academic benchmarks at our site in correlation with student Ojibwe language proficiency • OPIs: SOPA to be developed and administered • TA provided by MP/2LTI in SOPA creation
Mii netang… • Administering and rating the SOPA • Articulate AYP indicators of Ojibwemowin Oral proficiency for students at our Ojibwe Culture-Based Education site
Maamawi go niinawind indani-bimiwidoomin akina go gegoo epiitenimowaad Anishinaabeg.
leharper@bugschool.k12.mn.us Eni-bimiwidooyang
