Detailed Sample Task: Stage II
CLB 7 - Reading, Writing Comprehending Information, Reproducing Information
Indigenization
Real-World Task
Compare Indigenous ways of knowing and learning to other ways of teaching, learning and treating older people, and summarize the differences.
Planning Context
Helpful Knowledge:
- Awareness of the concept of Indigenous peoples and some knowledge of Indigenous peoples of Canada.
- Some knowledge of the histories of Indigenous Peoples in Canada before and after contact.
- Proper names for Indigenous peoples and communities (Mohawk, Mi’kmaq, Haida, Waswanipi and so on).
Context:
- Indigenous ways of knowing and learning stress interconnectedness, oral traditions, land-based learning, community, spirituality and a commitment to future generations. These approaches can differ from the ways some learners have experienced sharing and learning in their own communities, school systems and in Canada, and can contrast with conventional education, which tends to be more structured, text-based and individualistic.
- Recognizing the strengths of indigenous ways of knowing and learning enriches our understanding of diverse ways of learning and teaching.
Vocabulary and Grammar
Sample Vocabulary:
- ways of knowing / learning / being
- linear/ nonlinear
- decolonize
- biases/ assumptions
- indigenous/ Indigenous
- people/ Peoples
- cultures/ histories
- storytelling
- oral tradition
- experiential
- holistic
- land-based
- ancestors
- elders
- time immemorial
- knowledge keeper
Sample Grammar:
- Variations on pluralization and capitalization of words to demonstrate respect such as Indigenous Peoples.
- Varied tenses to indicate time and order in a nonlinear text or recording.
- Signposts or transitional phrases between ideas and/ or topics.
Knowledge and Strategies
Textual and Functional Knowledge:
- Recognize the differences between linear and nonlinear structured content when reading.
- Identify new words or phrases.
- Use context and new words or phrases to identify key details in chunks of information.
- Use steps to summarize a text.
- Use synonyms to rephrase when summarizing.
Sociolinguistic Knowledge:
- Understand the diversity of Indigenous cultures and histories across Canada.
- Understand different types of cultural practices in Indigenous communities.
- Understand different communities and cultures’ use of linear and nonlinear communication (storytelling, sharing teaching and so on).
Activities and Tasks
Sample Skill-Building Activities:
- Elicit prior knowledge of Indigenous cultures.
- Review the diversity of Indigenous Peoples, cultures and histories across Canada.
- Introduce and review vocabulary related to Indigenous ways of knowing and learning.
- Review effective note-taking strategies.
- Read an article or webpage about Indigenous ways of knowing and learning.
- Review strategies for writing a summary. Summarize the article or webpage.
- Discuss prior experiences with ways of knowing and learning in contrast to the sample reading.
- Review idea of linear and nonlinear speaking and writing and how to recognize signposts to sequence information.
- Practice identifying signposts and sequences in examples of nonlinear texts.
- Watch a video demonstrating an example of an Indigenous way of knowing and learning such as: NCCIE: Land Based Education in Denendeh: Interview with Dr. Glen Coulthard and take notes.
- Write a summary of the video using the notes taken.
Sample Skill-Using Tasks:
- Read an article about Indigenous ways of knowing and being and answer questions to identify the main idea, key details and demonstrate understanding.
- Summarize the article identifying the main idea and key details.
Sample Assessment Tasks:
- Compare Indigenous ways of knowing and learning to other ways of teaching and learning, and summarize the differences.
Teaching Considerations
Cultural Considerations:
- Use authentic Indigenous content and materials.
- If possible, have an Indigenous speaker speak to the class or visit a Friendship Centre.
- Connect understanding of information learned to own culture, cultural practices and ways of learning.
- Compare your own culture to Indigenous cultures, cultural practices and ways of learning to develop intercultural awareness.
- Discuss events and consequences of Canada’s colonial past.
Digital Literacy Strategies:
Successful completion of some tasks may require some baseline digital knowledge and skills.
Learners may need to:
- Identify authentic Indigenous sources of Indigenous information online.
- Identify safe and reliable sources of information and news.
- Evaluate online research results.
- Interpret information from online sources such as statistics, graphs or charts.
- Locate, navigate and use websites.
- Scan online resources to find information.
- Identify safe and reliable sources of information and news.
- Understand safe use of the internet and social media.
Instructors can:
- Use digital tools such as translation or pronunciation tools to support language learning and foster autonomous learning.
- Introduce websites that are relevant to the task(s).
- Support learners in finding, navigating and using websites.
- Teach reading strategies such as skimming and scanning to find information on websites.
- Share knowledge and strategies to ensure online safety.
- Refer learners to programs to improve their digital skills.
Equity, Diversity, Inclusion and Indigenization Strategies:
Instructors can:
- Use diverse representations of people in all your learning resources and images, including people who are 2SLGBTQIA+, Indigenous, Francophone and of other cultures, and people who have disabilities or who are neurodivergent.
- Include examples of intersectionality, such as Two-Spirit peoples.
- 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.
- Recognize that some learners in the class may be members of Indigenous groups from other geographical areas, for example, South America.
- Recognize that some learners may have different views and experiences related to EDII concepts. You can be sensitive to their opinions, but all learners benefit from EDII, and all learners have the right to an inclusive and equitable learning environment.
- Teach that race, national or ethnic origin, colour, religion, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, marital status, family status, genetic characteristics and disability are all protected grounds under the Canadian Human Rights Act.
Trauma-informed Strategies:
Possible Trauma Triggers:
- Discussion of settler/ colonial violence and displacement of peoples may be triggering for learners who have experienced trauma or who have experienced colonization or displacement themselves.
- Many learners have biases or lack of knowledge of Indigenous peoples and their history. Gently call out disrespectful comments.
- 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. However, it is important for all learners, including learners who have experienced trauma, to learn as complete a story of Canada as possible.
Strategies:
- When teaching about Canada, you may teach about things that are triggering to learners who have experienced trauma, such as or 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 official apologies to both of these groups of people. 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.
- Give learners advance warning of this topic and be aware that there may be learners who require support.
- Recognize and respect learners’ right to choose if, when and what they share about themselves.
- Make space for learners to recover from learning about/ sharing about Indigenous history.
Resources
Outings, Guest Speaker Suggestions, Extension Activities:
- Attend an Indigenous festival or event such as National Indigenous Peoples Day or Métis Cultural Days.
- Invite an elder or community leader as a guest speaker.
- Take a Indigenous-led tour in your community (topics could include outdoor activities, histories, cultures, lands, medicines and so on).
- Learn about other elements of Indigenous history and culture.
Realia:
- Recordings or videos of Indigenous Peoples sharing ways of knowing and learning.
- Recordings or videos of Indigenous Peoples sharing aspects of their cultures.
- National Association of Friendship Centres
Units and Modules:
- Avenue Course Builder: Select the theme Indigenous Studies, and CLB 5, 6, 7 and 8 for units related to Indigenous Peoples (adapt for the CLB level you teach).
- CLB 5 Learning about Indigenous Cultures
- CLB 6 Introduction to Indigenous Peoples
- CLB 6 Arts and Games
- Tutela:
Lessons and Activities:
- Ellii: How to Write a Summary
- Ellii: How to Paraphrase
- Ellii: How to Compare and Contrast
- Tutela.ca: Cultural Appreciation vs. Cultural Appropriation CLB 6-8
- Tutela.ca: Indigenous Peoples: Indigenous Student Centres CLB 5-8
- Tutela.ca: Indigenous Culture: Cree Teaching by Elder Mary Lee CLB 5-6
- Tutela.ca: Indigenous Cultures – Blackfoot Pow Wow and Dances CLB 5-7
Multimedia:
Detailed Sample Task
This exemplar is aligned with the Canadian Language Benchmarks (CLB) and is designed to guide and inform your lesson and module planning. Consult the Canadian Language Benchmarks English as a Second Language for Adults for detailed performance descriptors at this benchmark and skill.
The information in this document is not exhaustive and can be expanded on. As well, you can use more learner-friendly language in your materials and assessments.
This is NOT a lesson or module plan.
