Students incorporating Navajo language into studies (fwd)

[phil cash cash]

Students incorporating Navajo language into studies
Farmington school provides culture to education
http://www.nativetimes.com/index.asp?action=displayarticle&article_id=3781

FARMINGTON NM
Candice Adson 2/10/2004

Students at McKinley Elementary are spending an hour each afternoon
submersing themselves in Navajo language, history and culture. This
comes after the Farmington School District approved a bilingual
language and culture guide in November.

Bernice Casaus, and a team of co-developers developed the Dine Bilingual
Language, Culture and History Curriculum Guide. The guide complies with
Farmington Schools Education Plan for Student Success, state Department
of Education standards and Benchmarks and the Navajo Nation Education
Policy. The guide’s approval made Farmington the first school district
in New Mexico to have an indigenous language guide that meets state
standards.

Recently, parents were able to sit in on a session of the class and see
how the curriculum has affected their children.

Elthea Charles said that her daughter, Ashlynn has considers herself
lucky to be enrolled in the class.

“She’s communicating with her grandparents. It’s opening new horizons
for her. She’s picking up a lot of things,” said Charles.

Pupils reported different reasons for participating in the curriculum.
Some say it is a way for them to communicate with their grandparents,
and other tribal elders who primarily speak Navajo, and some said that
it has helped to improve their marks in other classes.

Mary Lou Yazzie and Carol Yazzie have been chosen to instruct the class,
along with Casaus. Presently, the class is taught almost completely in
Navajo. They use a mostly hands-on approach with the children.

“If you do hands-on, it sticks. Abstract doesn’t work,” said Casaus.