The aim of the Dene 10, 20, 30 curricula is to prepare individuals who value Dene and appreciate its role in society. The goal of the Dene 10, 20, 30 curricula is the development of communicative competence and cultural knowledge, skills, and attitudes in learning Dene. This curriculum offers students the opportunity to develop a basic functional command of Dene that can be expanded through further study or contact with other Dene speakers.

Dene 10, 20, 30 is designed to be used for teaching three 100 hour elective courses for core language credit at the secondary level. As with other activity-oriented curricula, daily timetables may need to be adjusted to reflect the integration and use of community resources. The goals of Dene 10, 20, 30 are outlined below:

• To use language in community and school situations requiring interaction, production or interpretation of language.
• To use strategies for learning language.
• To communicate with degrees of precision, accuracy and fluency.
• To use language to give and receive information, to socialize and celebrate, to interpret and communicate, and to inquire about culture.

At the Dene 10 level, the majority of instructional time is spent on oral communication. At the 20 level, the main focus continues to be on oral communication, with an introduction to reading and writing. The amount of reading and writing that students undertake increases at the 30 level, while expectations for oral communication are higher than at the Dene 10 and 20 levels. This curriculum is intended for students who are beginning their study of the Dene language and culture at the secondary level. The aim of Dene 10, 20, 30 is to help students obtain:

• Functional communication skills in Dene;
• An understanding of the nature of Dene; and,
• And understanding of, and respect for, the Dene cultures and traditions.

Language learning is an active process. Language is acquired at various rates throughout a learner's stages of growth. It develops gradually. Learners enhance their language abilities by applying their knowledge of language in new and more complex contexts and with increasing sophistication. They reflect on and use prior knowledge to extend and enhance their language knowledge and understanding. Errors are an integral part of the language learning process. This curriculum is designed to promote the development of language skills for a variety of purposes, in a wide range of contexts, at increasing levels of proficiency.

Intent and Use of the WNCP Framework

The framework identifies outcomes and indicators for additional language programming in which First Nations and Metis languages are taught as a separate subject. Each division, school or community decides on the type of First Nations and Métis language programming offered to the learners. The programs focus on providing language and cultural content relevant to each community. Proficient language speakers from the community can support and enrich the learning outcomes for all students. Use of this framework promotes knowledge of First Nations and Métis languages in Saskatchewan. The outcomes are based on the assumption that language will be taught and used while teaching cultural content. It is encouraged to integrate indicators into other subject areas by other educators. The following statements of assumptions from First Nations and Métis perspective and from a linguistic perspective have guided the development of this curriculum (Manitoba Curriculum, 2007).

Assumptions from an Aboriginal Perspective

• Language is a gift from the Creator.
• Aboriginal languages are oral languages that are continually evolving.
• Aboriginal languages are increasingly being learned and taught through reading and writing, whereas in the past, they were passed on predominantly through oral tradition.
• Aboriginal languages encompass and reflect a way of life.
• Aboriginal languages and cultures are an important part of Canada's heritage.
• Elders are the keepers of knowledge, and it is their guidance that Aboriginal people seek as they strive for balance in their relationships with the Creator, the natural world, other people and themselves.
• Language and culture are inseparable.
• Language will be taught using Aboriginal cultural content and perspectives.
• All Aboriginal languages can be learned.
• All learners can be successful learners of an Aboriginal language and culture, although they will learn in a variety of ways and acquire competence at varied rates.
• Literacy is an important aspect of Aboriginal language learning.

Assumptions from a Linguistic Perspective

• Language is one of the main instruments for transmitting culture from one generation to another.
• Learners are curious about language.
• Language and culture are inseparable, and effective communication requires knowledge of both.
• Young children have a capacity to learn more than one language at a time.
• The early years are a particularly effective development stage for introducing an additional language.
• Learning a new language provides important insights into various aspects of a culture.
• Knowledge of an additional language enhances an individual's opportunities for self-expression, for intercultural communication, and for a variety of other purposes (Manitoba Curriculum, p.9, 2007).