Native language teachers will gather in August

NEWS RELEASE

ALGOMA UNIVERSITY

*************************
The Anishinaabekwe of the North Shore, Local of the Ontario Native Women's Association, the Anishinaabe Initiatives Division (AID) of Algoma University, and the University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee, will co-host a Native Language Teachers' Gathering, "N'Bagidawaamin ji-Nita-kinomaageyaang: Maamawizidaa ooshame ji nitaa Kinoomaage ying maanda Anishinaabemowin - Creating Anishinaabe Networks for Teaching: Let's get together/gather so we can better teach the Anishinaabe language", on August 7 and 8, 2014 at Algoma University.

This two-day event is organized to bring together Native Language Teachers who are currently teaching the Ojibwe language in elementary, secondary, post-secondary and community-based language programs. 

Many of the Native Language Teachers, whose first language is a native language, are former residential school Survivors and are now Elders who are near retirement age. 

This gathering allows people to learn from the Elders before they pass to the spirit world.  

The gathering is open to future Native Language Teachers replacing these Elders, who are second language speakers, and who will benefit from learning from current Native Language Teachers.

This gathering will bring together these two groups of teachers with the intent of sharing ideas, resource materials, teaching techniques, and student assessment models for use in the regular school classrooms or immersion language programs.

Elders are an important link to the past as keepers of the language and to the future in maintaining and sustaining the current language teachers.  

Elders provide guidance, support, and encouragement and offer teachers an opportunity for learning and sharing with one another in using and teaching in the language.

Registration is $100.00 for the two-day gathering and those interested can register by clicking here.

For more information, please contact Judy Syrette the Director of Anishinaabe Student Success at Algoma U at 705-949-2301, Ext. 4335 or email [email protected], or Margaret Hele, Anishinaabekwe of the North Shore, ONWA at 705-946-7781 or email [email protected].

This initiative was supported by the following community partners - the Anishinaabemowin Language program Algoma University, Shingwauk Kinoomaage Gamig, the Algoma District School Board, the Huron-Superior Catholic District School Board, Adults in Motion Private High School in Garden River First Nation, Children of Shingwauk Alumni Association, the Indian Friendship Centre, and St. John's Anglican Church of Garden River.

The gathering was made possible by funding from the Anglican Healing and Reconciliation Fund.

*************************