The Learning Environment

This curriculum encourages teachers to utilize the input of students, parents, teacher-librarians and Elders in the program. Students may help with planning and setting goals. Teamwork and communication among these groups establishes sound basis for a positive environment, good rapport, and mutual respect. Inclusion of the community, students, parents and Elders ensure that Dene acquisition takes place in the context of the community, generates a feeling of ownership and fosters a holistic learning environment.

In addition to planning and instruction, establishing the physical setting is of equal importance. The classroom should be organized with several areas where students have access to materials such as computers, books, resource books, DVDs, and an audio station where students may listen to or record conversations, stories, or listen to pre-recorded Elders’ stories. Although the appearance of these work stations will change over the year the well planned classroom setting will help learners adjust to the daily routine and encourage independent self-directed learning.

Experiential Learning

Information is taken in through the senses, yet ultimately people learn by doing. First, people watch and listen to others. Then they try to do things on their own. This sparks interest and generates motivation for self-discovery. Experience and reflection has taught more than any manual or lecture ever could.

David Kolb (2001) describes experiential learning as a four-step process. He identifies the steps as (1) watching and (2) thinking (mind), (3) feeling (emotion), and (4) doing (muscle). He draws primarily on the works of Dewey (who emphasized the need for learning to be grounded in experience), Lewin (who stressed the importance of a people being active in learning), and Jean Piaget (who described intelligence as the result of the interaction of the person and the environment). Kolb (2001) wrote that learners have immediate concrete experiences that allow us to reflect on new experience from different perspectives. He stated that in order to be effective learners we must (1) perceive information, (2) reflect on how it will impact some aspect of our life, (3) compare how it fits into our own experiences, and (4) think about how this information offers new ways for us to act. Learning requires more than seeing, hearing, moving, or touching to learn. We integrate what we sense and think with what we feel and how we behave. Without that integration, we’re just passive participants and passive learning alone doesn’t engage our higher brain functions or stimulate our senses to the point where we integrate our lessons into our existing schemes. The following chart is an example of strategies and descriptors that can be used in the classroom:

Experiential learning is recommended for language learning; it is a widely used strategy for learning additional languages. Experiential learning reflects a holistic approach to Indigenous language learning. In the process, the individual makes choices and decisions with the guidance of immediate and extended family members. Incorporating legends, stories, recollections, and information about customs such as name giving into language instruction not only helps teach the language but also serves to revive customs.

Teachers must provide students with opportunities to interact with peers and adults in the learning environment.

Community celebrations or activities may be structured or attended. For example, a teacher may consider inviting male and female Elders to explain or tell stories to the students in Dene. This is consistent with the communicative approach to language instruction and the philosophy and principles of core curricula.

The Communicative Approach stresses the need to gain communicative competence as opposed to linguistic competence; thus, functions are emphasized over forms. Students work with authentic materials in small groups on communicative skills during which they gain practice in negotiating meaning. The goal is to become communicatively competent, with an ability to use Dene appropriately for any given social context, and to manage the process of negotiating meaning. The teacher facilitates learning by managing classroom activities.

The communicative approach in additional language instruction emphasizes the importance of communicating a message. Students require support as they strive to express and understand thoughts, ideas, and feelings in two languages. The communicative approach acknowledges the important relationship between accuracy and effective communication, but places slightly less emphasis on accuracy and form. In accordance with the communicative approach, students’ abilities, weaknesses and strengths in English and Dene languages must be assessed. Appropriate teaching approaches should be utilized to maintain a balance in their understandings of language processes. Sound pedagogical development in one language will enable students to appreciate and acquire skills in another language.