Detailed Sample Task: Stage I

CLB 3 - Reading
Getting Things Done

Indigenization

Real-World Task

Read a simple notice about National Indigenous Peoples Day events in the workplace and decide which ones you can attend.

Planning Context

Helpful Knowledge:

Basic vocabulary related to Indigenous Peoples in Canada.
Vocabulary related to National Indigenous Peoples Day events and why they might be held in the workplace.
Knowledge of how to express preferences, possibilities and plans appropriately.
Knowledge of dates and time

Context:

In Canada, National Indigenous Peoples Day events may be held in the community and in the workplace to mark this day, June 21st each year. This day honors Indigenous (First Nations, Métis, and Inuit) Peoples with events that can include music, food, art, and cultural sharing.
Workplaces, and communities, often host events like this to show respect and learn about Indigenous cultures, to build inclusion and celebrate diversity. Events are usually optional, short, and casual such as those held during a lunch break.
This task reflects the intention to include all people in Canada in the themes. The language skills in this task could be applied to other contexts.

Vocabulary and Grammar

Sample Vocabulary:

Sample Grammar:

Modal verbs to express possibility

Knowledge and Strategies

Textual and Functional Knowledge:

Recognition of main ideas and text types.

Sociolinguistic Knowledge:

Recognition of textual clues to interpret the purposes of a text.
Recognition of typical formats for event notices.

Activities and Tasks

Sample Skill-Building Activities:

Discuss as a class: What cultural celebrations or community events have you attended recently? What did you do there? Have you, or any friends / family attended any Indigenous events in Canada? Have you heard of National Indigenous Peoples Day? Why do we celebrate specific events?
Match the vocabulary words to images on flash cards. Then match the image and word to a third set of cards with a simple definition of the word. Add these new words to a vocabulary journal in a notebook or a digital document.
Discuss the significance of National Indigenous Peoples Day and what kinds of events take place on this day, such as traditional music and dance performances, art and craft displays, sharing of story and cultural teachings, community feasts and powwows. Look at pictures of different Indigenous events and match them to the National Indigenous Peoples Day activities.
Listen to a conversation, instructor -made if necessary, between two friends discussing an event for National Indigenous Peoples Day. Answer a short set of true / false questions about the listening.
As a class, look at a webpage describing events for National Indigenous Peoples Day. Identify the day, date, time and location for each event. Discuss some helpful reading strategies when reviewing a webpage. Focus first on pre-reading strategies such as looking at the title, images, and sub-headings to predict the focus of the text. Next, skim the text to get the gist of the overall profile, such as what the event is and when it takes place. Then, scan the text to find key details without having to read / understand every word of the webpage, such as the Day in general terms. In pairs, review a webpage and scan the text for one piece of information such as location / date.
Review the grammar rules for modals to express possibility, such as can / cannot, may, might. Complete a simple handout or digital document about upcoming events in the community by filling in the missing modal verb forms to complete the sentences.
Complete activities to review reading and writing dates and time. Review months of the year and days of the week.
Read several posters about upcoming community events and choose one that you would like to attend. Are you able to attend each event? Why did you choose the event you did? Share with a classmate using can and cannot to explain your reasons such as “I can go on Saturday because I am not working.” or “I cannot go on Tuesday evening because my children go to bed early.”
Role play with a partner, a conversation to plan to attend a local festival, using can / cannot and giving reasons why.

Sample Skill-Using Tasks:

Read a simple event poster and locate two key pieces of information. Underline the date and circle the location of the event.
Read a simple event poster that is incomplete and list two key details that you would need to know if you plan to attend this event.
Visit a local library or community centre and look for the posters that advertise upcoming community events. Choose one to report on and share the information with the class including what the event is, the date, time and location.

Sample Assessment Tasks:

Read a simple notice about National Indigenous Peoples Day events in the workplace and decide which ones you can attend. Demonstrate understanding by completing simple sentences next to each event such as “I can attend this event.” or “I cannot attend this event.” Circle reasons for attending or not attending from a list provided.

Teaching Considerations

Cultural Considerations:

Recognize and teach learners that Canada is a diverse place and has people from many different cultures. Canadian culture includes the cultures of all people in Canada, including Indigenous Peoples.
Events like smudging ceremonies, drumming, or storytelling may be unfamiliar or seem religious / spiritual. Learners from certain or strict religious backgrounds may feel unsure if it is appropriate for them to attend or participate. National Indigenous Peoples Day events are educational and cultural.

In Canada, “Indigenous” means the first Peoples who lived here before settlers came. However, Indigenous does not mean one identical group. There are many different Indigenous Peoples in Canada. Each one has its own language, culture, traditions, and teachings. Indigenous Peoples in the forest, mountains, prairies, or North have different foods, homes, stories and ceremonies. So we say there are many Indigenous Nations, not just one way of being Indigenous.

Digital Literacy Strategies:

Successful completion of some tasks may require some baseline knowledge and digital skills.

Learners may need to:

Have keyboarding and typing skills.
Locate, navigate and use websites.
Use familiar apps, social media platforms and web pages.
Type information to appear on screen
Navigate and use online learning management systems (LMS) such as Avenue.
Use a search engine to find information

Instructors can:

Dedicate time to improve digital literacy for learners.
Make and/ or adapt digital materials.
Introduce websites that are relevant to the task(s).
Support learners in finding, navigating and using websites.
Use digital tools such as translation or pronunciation tools to support language learning and foster autonomous learning.
Share knowledge and strategies to ensure online safety.
Refer learners to programs to improve their digital skills

Equity, Diversity, Inclusion and Indigenization Strategies:

Ensure that the images and cultural representations of Indigenous Peoples are free from stereotypes and biases.
Raise learner awareness of the need for using appropriate language when discussing and addressing Indigenous Peoples.
Acknowledge that you are learning too, and avoid speaking for Indigenous Peoples.
Use resources and voices from Indigenous communities when possible (e.g., guest speakers, videos, or approved materials).
Use Indigenous sources for researching information related to Indigenous Peoples and traditional ways of being.

Trauma-informed Strategies:

Possible Trauma Triggers:

When teaching about Canada, you may teach about things that are triggering to learners who have experienced trauma. We can’t know what the triggers might be and what seems commonplace to us may have a triggering component for learners. Be aware of this and be prepared to support learners as needed.
Newcomers who come from Indigenous groups in their home countries may be triggered by considerations of the experiences of Indigenous Peoples in Canada.
Teaching an Indigenization theme may result in some difficult conversations and may revisit past trauma, oppression and discrimination your learners have experienced.

Strategies:

Give learners advance warning of this topic and be aware that there may be learners who require support.
Learners who have experienced trauma often benefit from having routine. Create a safe and supportive classroom environment by establishing familiar routines, repeated activities, and model friendly and non-evaluative interactions.
Learners will benefit from positive relationships established in the classroom with the instructor and peers.
Learners who have experienced trauma benefit from having choices.
- Allow learners choice:
  - the choice to work on a different topic
  - the choice to share or not share their own experiences
  - the choice to work alone or to work with others
  - the choice to take care of themselves
  - the choice to step out of the learning environment
When learners have shared personal distressing or traumatic experiences, make space for learners to feel safe and recover from the experience of sharing their experiences. Follow the activities which may make learners feel vulnerable with routine, predictable and comforting activities.
Giving learners the knowledge, skills and language to access resources can be empowering. When teaching about Canada, you may teach about things that are triggering to learners who have experienced trauma, such as the treatment of Indigenous people in residential schools. Be aware of this and be prepared to support learners as needed. However, it is important for all learners, including learners who have experienced trauma, to learn as complete a story of Canada as possible, and it may be helpful to learners to know that the Canadian government has issued an official apology and made a commitment to work towards reconciliation. Knowing that a government can recognize when it has been wrong and can work towards reconciliation can help learners who have experienced trauma to begin to regain a sense of trust.

Resources

Outings, Guest Speaker Suggestions, Extension Activities:

Take a field trip to visit a public National Indigenous Peoples Day event, include a “what to look for” activity for learners.
Visit a local Indigenous cultural centre or museum to observe aspects of Indigenous culture.
Invite a guest speaker from the local library to present simple information about cultural heritage events.

Realia:

Authentic posters for National Indigenous Peoples Day events and other community/ community heritage events
Images of Indigenous artists, dancers, or speakers
Instructor-created and adapted workplace event notices with 2–3 sample events. Include bullet points, bold headings, simple times and locations.

Units and Modules:

TIES: Indigenous voices in the classroom: CLB 4. (Not correct level but can be adapted.)
Live & Learn: Facts about Indigenous culture and history you should know.

Lessons and Activities:

The Literacy Centre of Expertise at TIES: Canadian Indigenous Content
Tutela.ca Indigenous Peoples: Vocabulary and Maps Stage 1
A search of NLCG (nlcg.achev.ca) may provide additional tasks that can be adapted.

Multimedia: