The Niichii Project: Revitalizing Indigenous Language in Northern Canada

Autor/inn/en	Peterson, Shelley Stagg; Manitowabi, Yvette; Manitowabi, Jacinta
Titel	The Niichii Project: Revitalizing Indigenous Language in Northern Canada
Quelle	In: TESOL in Context, 30 (2021) 1, S.85-104 (20 Seiten) PDF als Volltext (1); PDF als Volltext kostenfreie Datei (2) Verfügbarkeit
Zusatzinformation	ORCID (Peterson, Shelley Stagg)
Sprache	englisch
Dokumenttyp	gedruckt; online; Zeitschriftenaufsatz
ISSN	1030-8385
Schlagwörter	Foreign Countries; Native Language; Indigenous Populations; Native Language Instruction; Cultural Maintenance; Language Maintenance; Puppetry; Experiential Learning; Spiritual Development; Indigenous Knowledge; Interpersonal Relationship; Bilingualism; Kindergarten; Student Role; Identification (Psychology); Oral Tradition; Preschool Teachers; Language Usage; Canada + Suchen Sie Ihr Suchwort? Ausland; Sinti und Roma; Native language education; Muttersprachlicher Unterricht; Sprachpflege; Puppenspiel; Experiental learning; Erfahrungsorientiertes Lernen; Interpersonal relation; Interpersonal relations; Interpersonelle Beziehung; Zwischenmenschliche Beziehung; Bilingualismus; Oral history; Mündliche Überlieferung; Pre-school education; Preschool education; Erzieher; Erzieherin; Kindergärtnerin; Vorschulerziehung; Vorschule; Sprachgebrauch; Kanada
Abstract	Two Anishnabek kindergarten teachers discuss four principles of Indigenous pedagogies in a project with a university researcher that created a context for children to engage in activities to learn their Anishnabek language and culture, and create positive identities. The university researcher sent a rabbit puppet named Niichii (Friend), who was assigned the role of an Anishnaabek child whose family was from their Indigenous community but had moved away. Taking the role of Niichii's Kokum (Grandmother), the university researcher asked the child to teach Niichii the community's language and traditional ways. The teachers describe and interpret the learning activities of the Niichii project in terms of four elements of Indigenous pedagogies: intergenerational learning; experiential learning; spiritual learning involving interconnections with the land; and learning about relationality. Implications for other bilingual and multilingual contexts include creating role play contexts where children are positioned as teachers and helpers to support an imaginary character's language and cultural learning, building on children's funds of knowledge and highlighting cultural connections to the local community. (As Provided).
Anmerkungen	Australian Council of TESOL Associations. P.O. Box 2019, Smithfield, New South Wales 2164, Australia. e-mail: actaexec@yahoo.com.au; Web site: http://www.tesol.org.au/Publications/TESOL-in-Context
Erfasst von	ERIC (Education Resources Information Center), Washington, DC
Update	2024/1/01