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<DIV><B><FONT size=5 face=TimesNewRomanPS-BoldMT><FONT size=5
face=TimesNewRomanPS-BoldMT>
<P align=left>Saskatchewan First Nation Speaking Project</P>
<P align=left>www.allanadam.com</P></FONT></FONT><FONT size=5
face=TrebuchetMS-Bold><FONT size=5 face=TrebuchetMS-Bold>
<P align=left>Saskatchewan First Nations Language Speaking
Project</P></FONT></FONT><FONT face=TrebuchetMS-Bold>
<P align=left>Vision</P></B></FONT><FONT face=TimesNewRomanPSMT>
<P align=left>To enable individuals, families, organizations and communities to
increase speaking ability of First Nation</P>
<P align=left>languages in Saskatchewan.</P></FONT><B><FONT
face=TrebuchetMS-Bold>
<P align=left>Goal</P></B></FONT><FONT face=TimesNewRomanPSMT>
<P align=left>To develop a method for First Nation language learners to speak a
base vocabulary so they can converse with</P>
<P align=left>fluent speakers and work towards gaining oral
fluency</P></FONT><B><FONT face=TrebuchetMS-Bold>
<P align=left>Principles</P></B></FONT><FONT face=Symbol>
<P align=left>· </FONT><FONT face=TimesNewRomanPSMT>No cost to learn, resources
are free</P></FONT><FONT face=Symbol>
<P align=left>· </FONT><FONT face=TimesNewRomanPSMT>Accessible to
everyone</P></FONT><FONT face=Symbol>
<P align=left>· </FONT><FONT face=TimesNewRomanPSMT>Community driven by
volunteers</P></FONT><FONT face=Symbol>
<P align=left>· </FONT><FONT face=TimesNewRomanPSMT>Oral fluency is most
valued</P></FONT><FONT face=Symbol>
<P align=left>· </FONT><FONT face=TimesNewRomanPSMT>Minimal resources required
to run programs</P></FONT><FONT face=Symbol>
<P align=left>· </FONT><FONT face=TimesNewRomanPSMT>Enables Elders to pass
knowledge directly to learners</P></FONT><FONT face=Symbol>
<P align=left>· </FONT><FONT face=TimesNewRomanPSMT>Focus on learning whole
phrases versus grammar and word lists</P></FONT><FONT face=Symbol>
<P align=left>· </FONT><FONT face=TimesNewRomanPSMT>Takes advantage of digital
technology and internet</P></FONT><B><FONT face=TrebuchetMS-Bold>
<P align=left>Tools</P></B></FONT><FONT face=TimesNewRomanPSMT>
<P align=left>1. First Nations Language Speaking Circle</P>
<P align=left>2. First Nations Language Online Speaking Lessons</P>
<P align=left>3. First Nations Language Audio Lessons</P></FONT><B><FONT
face=TrebuchetMS-Bold>
<P align=left>First Nations Language Speaking Circle – The tool to link fluent
speakers to learners in one room</P></B></FONT><FONT face=TimesNewRomanPSMT>
<P align=left>In April 2009, the Regina First Nations Language Speaking Circle
began. This group began with a group of</P>
<P align=left>interested fluent speakers and interested language learners who
met once a week for an hour and a half to learn</P>
<P align=left>to speak a First Nations language. Schools, workplaces and
other regions of the country have expressed interest in also starting local
speaking circles. </P></FONT><B><FONT face=TrebuchetMS-Bold>
<P align=left>First Nations Language Online Speaking Lessons – The tool to link
fluent speakers to learners</P>
<P align=left>globally</P></B></FONT><FONT face=TimesNewRomanPSMT>
<P align=left>Shortly after the Regina First Nations Language Speaking Circle
began to meet, the lessons taught at each</P>
<P align=left>session were recorded using a digital recorder and uploaded to a
website for learners to practice. This allows</P>
<P align=left>learners who do not know a fluent speaker to continue to practice
speaking daily which is the most effective</P>
<P align=left>way of learning. So far there are 800+ files online. By the end of
the project, there will be approximately 1000</P>
<P align=left>phrases total in 9 language categories on this website. There are
now both video and audio lessons in Woods Cree, Plains Cree,</P>
<P align=left>Nakota, Saulteaux, Dene, and will be adding Ojibway and Dakota
soon.</P></FONT><B><FONT face=TrebuchetMS-Bold>
<P align=left>First Nations Language Audio Lessons – For learners without high
speed internet access</P></B></FONT><FONT face=TimesNewRomanPSMT>
<P align=left>For communities and individuals with no to high speed internet,
the video lessons are inaccessible. We are now</P>
<P align=left>working on different way to the digital audio files with
others.</P>
<P align=left>We have recently added these files to the web site so people can
download them to make their own CD’s. We</P>
<P align=left>are hoping that communities will create and share copies of these
files with others.</P></FONT><B><FONT face=TrebuchetMS-Bold>
<P align=left>The Coordinators</P></B></FONT><FONT face=TimesNewRomanPSMT>
<P align=left>This project is a personal project for Allan Adam and Cathy
Wheaton. It is unfunded and not affiliated with any institution. Allan Adam is a
fluent Dene speaker,</P>
<P align=left>interpreter/translator and instructor originally from Fond du Lac
Denesuline First Nation. Cathy Wheaton is</P>
<P align=left>Woodlands Cree from La Ronge Indian Band but wishes to become a
fluent speaker like most of her family.</P>
<P align=left>Allan and Cathy have spent hundreds of hours January 2009 working
on this project. It was initially not</P>
<P align=left>anticipated to be this large but it grew very
quickly!</P></FONT><B><FONT face=TrebuchetMS-Bold>
<P align=left>Thank You!</P></B></FONT><FONT face=TimesNewRomanPSMT>
<P align=left>Everyone who made this project a reality gave their time freely on
a volunteer basis. Elders who spent time with the project
includes Nakota Elders: Fred Spyglass of Mosquito First Nation and Wilma
Kennedy of Carry the Kettle. Our fluent speakers were Bill Cook, Bernie Cook,
Guy Albert, Reg and Marlene Bugler,</P>
<P align=left>Darren Okemaysim, Doreen Oakes, Allan Adam, Natalie Owl, Alice
Taysap and many others who attended our</P>
<P align=left>weekly Speaking Circles. Jessica Generoux who works at the Albert
Library offered free space and</P>
<P align=left>program promotion for the Speaking Circle. Allan Adam donated web
site space on his web site for this project. He also records the audio files
with Elders</P>
<P align=left>and fluent speakers, edits and creates the online videos. Cathy
Wheaton compiles the common phrase lists for</P>
<P align=left>interviews, organizes the web site content, finds external links,
writes the materials, coordinates the speaking</P>
<P align=left>circles and uploads files to Youtube. Together we travel to
communities to interview and meet Elders on our</P>
<P align=left>own expense in our spare time. We encourage others with similar
interests to do the same!</P>
<P align=left>Contact:</P>
<P align=left>Allan Adam</P>
<P align=left>(306) 960-5192</P>
<P align=left>(306) 425-3354</P></FONT><FONT color=#0000ff
face=TimesNewRomanPSMT><FONT color=#0000ff face=TimesNewRomanPSMT>
<P align=left>allan.adam@sasktel.net</P></FONT></FONT><FONT
face=TimesNewRomanPSMT>
<P align=left>Cathy Wheaton</P>
<P align=left>(306) 425-0488</P>
<P align=left>(306) 425-3354</P></FONT><FONT color=#0000ff
face=TimesNewRomanPSMT><FONT color=#0000ff face=TimesNewRomanPSMT>
<P>chimiskwew@hotmail.com</P></FONT></FONT></DIV></BODY></HTML>