<div dir="ltr"><br clear="all">
<div id="gmail-content">
<div id="gmail-main-header-wrapper">
<div id="gmail-header">
<div id="gmail-logo"> <a href="http://www.merrittherald.com"><img src="http://www.merrittherald.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/logo.jpg" alt="Merritt Herald"></a> </div>
<div id="gmail-header-info">
<div id="gmail-small-nav"> <div class="gmail-menu-second-menu-container"><ul id="gmail-menu-second-menu-1" class="gmail-menu"><li class="gmail-menu-item gmail-menu-item-type-post_type gmail-menu-item-object-page gmail-menu-item-31239"><a href="http://www.merrittherald.com/archives/">Archives</a></li>
<li class="gmail-menu-item gmail-menu-item-type-custom gmail-menu-item-object-custom gmail-menu-item-10835"><a href="http://www.merrittherald.com/directory">Business Directory</a></li>
<li class="gmail-menu-item gmail-menu-item-type-post_type gmail-menu-item-object-page gmail-menu-item-34854"><a href="http://www.merrittherald.com/online-editions/">Online Editions</a></li>
<li class="gmail-menu-item gmail-menu-item-type-post_type gmail-menu-item-object-page gmail-menu-item-36368"><a href="http://www.merrittherald.com/specialty-magazines/">Specialty Magazines</a></li>
</ul></div> </div>
<div id="gmail-leader-right">
<div class="gmail-weather-widget"><div id="gmail-gogadget_weather_widget" class="gmail-widget gmail-GG_func_widget_weather_and_weather_forecast"><table width="100%" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"><tbody><tr><td><img src="http://www.merrittherald.com/wp-content/plugins/weather-and-weather-forecast-widget/weatherimages/WeatherCom_2/93/.png" alt="" style="float: right;" title="Actual Conditions - Wind: Light Breeze (3km/h) from SE - Humidity: 95% - Dewpoint: -2°C - Sunrise at 06:01 hrs - Sunset at 20:03 hrs (in 07:16h) - Length of day: 14:02h - Moonphase: Waxing Crescent" width="93"><br><p style="text-align:center"><span style="font-size:100%">-1°C</span><br><span style="font-size:100%"></span></p></td></tr></tbody></table><table width="100%" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"><tbody><tr><td><span style="font-size:100%">Today: <br>°C / °C </span></td><td><img src="http://www.merrittherald.com/wp-content/plugins/weather-and-weather-forecast-widget/weatherimages/1x1.gif" alt="" title="Today: -"></td></tr></tbody></table><table width="100%" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"><tbody><tr><td colspan="8" style="font-size:0px"> </td></tr><tr><td style="font-size:90%"></td><td style="font-size:90%"></td><td style="font-size:90%"></td><td style="font-size:90%"></td><td style="font-size:90%"></td><td style="font-size:90%"></td><td style="font-size:90%"></td><td style="font-size:90%"></td></tr><tr><td><img src="http://www.merrittherald.com/wp-content/plugins/weather-and-weather-forecast-widget/weatherimages/1x1.gif" alt="" title="" width="22"></td><td><img src="http://www.merrittherald.com/wp-content/plugins/weather-and-weather-forecast-widget/weatherimages/1x1.gif" alt="" title="" width="22"></td><td><img src="http://www.merrittherald.com/wp-content/plugins/weather-and-weather-forecast-widget/weatherimages/1x1.gif" alt="" title=""></td><td><img src="http://www.merrittherald.com/wp-content/plugins/weather-and-weather-forecast-widget/weatherimages/1x1.gif" alt="" title=""></td><td><img src="http://www.merrittherald.com/wp-content/plugins/weather-and-weather-forecast-widget/weatherimages/1x1.gif" alt="" title=""></td><td><img src="http://www.merrittherald.com/wp-content/plugins/weather-and-weather-forecast-widget/weatherimages/1x1.gif" alt="" title=""></td><td><img src="http://www.merrittherald.com/wp-content/plugins/weather-and-weather-forecast-widget/weatherimages/1x1.gif" alt="" title=""></td><td><img src="http://www.merrittherald.com/wp-content/plugins/weather-and-weather-forecast-widget/weatherimages/1x1.gif" alt="" title=""></td></tr><tr><td style="font-size:81%"></td><td style="font-size:81%"></td><td style="font-size:81%"></td><td style="font-size:81%"></td><td style="font-size:81%"></td><td style="font-size:81%"></td><td style="font-size:81%"></td><td style="font-size:81%"></td></tr><tr><td style="font-size:81%"></td><td style="font-size:81%"></td><td style="font-size:81%"></td><td style="font-size:81%"></td><td style="font-size:81%"></td><td style="font-size:81%"></td><td style="font-size:81%"></td><td style="font-size:81%"></td></tr></tbody></table></div></div> </div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
<div id="gmail-content-top">
<div id="gmail-ticker">
<span class="gmail-ticker-heading">Don't miss</span>
<ul class="gmail-ticker-list">
<li><a href="http://www.merrittherald.com/career-fair-coming-to-civic-centre/">Career fair coming to civic centre</a><span class="gmail-ticker-date">Posted 2 weeks ago</span></li>
<li><a href="http://www.merrittherald.com/province-unveils-plans-for-new-winter-driving-regulations/">Province unveils plans for new winter driving regulations</a><span class="gmail-ticker-date">Posted 2 weeks ago</span></li>
<li><a href="http://www.merrittherald.com/upper-nicola-solar-project-clears-another-hurdle/">Upper Nicola solar project clears another hurdle</a><span class="gmail-ticker-date">Posted 2 days ago</span></li><li><a href="http://www.merrittherald.com/nicola-valley-fish-and-game-club-heading-back-to-court/">Nicola Valley Fish and Game Club heading back to court</a><span class="gmail-ticker-date">Posted 3 days ago</span></li><li><a href="http://www.merrittherald.com/student-recognized-with-national-service-award/">Student recognized with national service award</a><span class="gmail-ticker-date">Posted 7 days ago</span></li><li><a href="http://www.merrittherald.com/oil-by-rail-traffic-rises-as-b-c-battles-over-trans-mountain-pipeline/">Oil-by-rail traffic rises as B.C. battles over Trans Mountain pipeline</a><span class="gmail-ticker-date">Posted 7 days ago</span></li><li><a href="http://www.merrittherald.com/kinder-morgan-presses-pause-on-pipeline-project/">Kinder Morgan presses pause on pipeline project</a><span class="gmail-ticker-date">Posted 1 week ago</span></li><li><a href="http://www.merrittherald.com/renters-landlords-to-be-quizzed-on-b-c-problems/">Renters, landlords to be quizzed on B.C. problems</a><span class="gmail-ticker-date">Posted 1 week ago</span></li><li><a href="http://www.merrittherald.com/b-c-blasted-for-trans-mountain-pipeline-tactics/">B.C. blasted for Trans Mountain pipeline tactics</a><span class="gmail-ticker-date">Posted 1 week ago</span></li><li><a href="http://www.merrittherald.com/encouraging-signs-for-residents-business-owners-affected-by-fire/">Encouraging signs for residents, business owners affected by fire</a><span class="gmail-ticker-date">Posted 1 week ago</span></li></ul>
</div>
<div id="gmail-content-social">
<ul>
<li><a href="http://www.facebook.com/300306716649720" alt="Facebook" class="gmail-fb-but" target="_blank"></a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.twitter.com/merrittherald" alt="Twitter" class="gmail-twitter-but" target="_blank"></a></li>
<li><a href="https://plus.google.com/113783179997573938161/posts" alt="Google Plus" class="gmail-google-but" target="_blank"></a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.merrittherald.com/feed/rss/" alt="RSS Feed" class="gmail-rss-but"></a></li>
<li>
<div class="gmail-search-wrapper">
<div class="gmail-search-box"> <form method="get" id="gmail-searchform" action="http://www.merrittherald.com/">
<input name="s" id="gmail-s" value="Search site" type="text">
</form>
</div>
</div>
</li>
</ul>
</div>
</div>
<div id="gmail-main">
<div id="gmail-post-area" class="gmail-post-326327 gmail-post gmail-type-post gmail-status-publish gmail-format-standard gmail-has-post-thumbnail gmail-hentry gmail-category-news gmail-tag-coquihalla-highway gmail-tag-featured gmail-tag-ministry-of-transport gmail-tag-news-2 gmail-tag-winter-driving">
<div class="gmail-breadcrumb">
<div id="gmail-crumbs"><a href="http://www.merrittherald.com">Home</a> > <a href="http://www.merrittherald.com/category/community/">Community</a> > <span class="gmail-current">SD 58 to support Indigenous language learning through provincial grant</span></div>
</div>
<h1 class="gmail-headline">SD 58 to support Indigenous language learning through provincial grant</h1>
<div id="gmail-post-info">
<div id="gmail-post-info-left">
By <a href="http://www.merrittherald.com/author/theherald/" title="Posts by The Herald" rel="author">The Herald</a> on April 18, 2018
</div>
</div>
<div id="gmail-social-box">
<ul class="gmail-post-social-horz">
<li>
</li>
<li>
<a class="gmail-PIN_1524147863000_button_pin gmail-PIN_1524147863000_save" href="https://www.pinterest.com/pin/create/button/?guid=mwj38dcQw1Cz-2&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.merrittherald.com%2Fsd-58-to-support-indigenous-language-learning-through-provincial-grant%2F&media=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.merrittherald.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2017%2F12%2FIndigenousLanguage.jpg&description=SD%2058%20to%20support%20Indigenous%20language%20learning%20through%20provincial%20grant">Save</a>
</li>
<li>
<div style="text-indent:0px;margin:0px;padding:0px;background:transparent none repeat scroll 0% 0%;border-style:none;float:none;line-height:normal;font-size:1px;vertical-align:baseline;display:inline-block;width:32px;height:20px" id="gmail-___plusone_0"></div>
</li>
<li>
<div class="gmail-fb-like gmail-fb_iframe_widget"><span style="vertical-align:bottom;width:68px;height:20px"></span></div>
</li>
</ul>
</div>
<div id="gmail-content-area">
<div>
<img src="http://www.merrittherald.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/IndigenousLanguage.jpg" class="gmail-attachment-full gmail-size-full gmail-wp-post-image" alt="" width="900" height="524">
<div class="gmail-caption">
Students enrolled Merritt Secondary School’s First Nations
language courses hope that by learning the language, it will be alive
for future generations. (Michael Potestio/Herald).
</div>
</div>
<p> </p>
<p>by Dara Hill</p>
<p class="gmail-p1">School District 58 received a grant of $6,571 to support Indigenous language learning in the Nicola Valley.</p><div class="gmail-uZcF8Xqt" style="clear:both;float:left;width:100%;margin:0px 0px 20px"><div id="gmail-div-gpt-ad-1489446058570-0" style="height:250px;width:300px">
<div id="gmail-google_ads_iframe_/51837340/MH_300x250_article_ad_space_1_0__container__" style="border:0pt none;display:inline-block;width:300px;height:250px"></div></div></div>
<p class="gmail-p1">As part of the B.C. Ministry of Education’s mandate to
reflect Indigenous wordviews and perspectives in the the kindergarten to
Grade 12 curriculum, the grant is designed to support Indigenous
language curriculum, programs and policy.</p>
<p class="gmail-p1">Superintendent Stephen McNiven explained this grant is on top of one previously received to support the <span class="gmail-s1"><a href="http://www.merrittherald.com/language-nest-in-lower-nicola-reinvigorating-indigenous-culture/">nłeʔkepmxcin language nest</a> curriculum and resources.</span></p>
<p class="gmail-p1">“This second grant is to help the school district pursue
the recent conversations we’ve had with Lower Nicola around partnering
with about two or three different activities,” he said, adding that the
the Nooaitch, Shackan, and Coldwater bands are also involved in the
conversation.</p>
<p class="gmail-p1">The first is the possibility of introducing a district
component to the Lower Nicola language nest partnering with Lower
Nicola’s language nest — bringing a district component. The second is
language development over the summer for adult learners in order to
increase the number of potential instructors in the future and the third
is a joint partnership with the building of a sʔístkn (winter house).</p>
<p class="gmail-p1">He told the <i>Herald</i> he’s feeling positive about the options.</p>
<p class="gmail-p1">“So those conversations are going on right now and the
ministry dollars that we received are to help us carry on with them,” he
said. “Right now the initiatives are focused on the <span class="gmail-s1">nłeʔkepmxcin language, but in Upper Nicola we focus on the Suxwtxtem language. </span></p>
<p class="gmail-p1"><span class="gmail-s1">McNiven noted the district’s language programs have grown stronger in the last two years, and this year in particular. </span></p><div class="gmail-n9cquOF5" style="clear:both;float:left;width:100%;margin:0px 0px 20px"><div id="gmail-div-gpt-ad-1489618173897-0" style="height:250px;width:300px">
<div id="gmail-google_ads_iframe_/51837340/MH_300x250_article_ad_space_2_0__container__" style="border:0pt none;display:inline-block;width:300px;height:250px"></div></div></div>
<p class="gmail-p1"><span class="gmail-s1">“We’ve seen more students participating —
taking both languages — and we’re just doing our best to build capacity
around it because it’s very difficult to find fluent speakers of the
languages,” he explained. </span></p>
<p class="gmail-p1"><span class="gmail-s1">The school district has two goals moving forward, said McNiven.</span></p>
<p class="gmail-p1"><span class="gmail-s1">“One is work on the early learning piece
of this through the language nest, or what we would describe as a
StrongStart approach,” he said. “The second is determining how we can
build capacity in our adult learners so they might become fluent
speakers — and therefore teachers in the future.”</span></p>
<p class="gmail-p1"><span class="gmail-s1">McNiven said the Nicola Valley Institute of Technology (NVIT) is another partner in these exploratory conversations.</span></p>
<p class="gmail-p1"><span class="gmail-s1">“They are part of the discussion at this
point, and we’re trying to figure out where we go in the near future
with it,” he said. “NVIT, both from the expertise they have around the
traditional languages and their early childhood education program, has
facets that we’re interested in pursuing.</span></p></div></div></div></div>
<br>-- <br><div class="gmail_signature" data-smartmail="gmail_signature">=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+<br><br> Harold F. Schiffman<br><br>Professor Emeritus of <br> Dravidian Linguistics and Culture <br>Dept. of South Asia Studies <br>University of Pennsylvania<br>Philadelphia, PA 19104-6305<br><br>Phone: (215) 898-7475<br>Fax: (215) 573-2138 <br><br>Email: <a href="mailto:haroldfs@gmail.com" target="_blank">haroldfs@gmail.com</a><br><a href="http://ccat.sas.upenn.edu/~haroldfs/" target="_blank">http://ccat.sas.upenn.edu/~haroldfs/</a> <br><br>-------------------------------------------------</div>
</div>