Have Fun with Reading/Literacy and the New Oklahoma Indian Education Resources: Practical

Activities for Your Classroom!”

Dr. Stephan Sargent Northeastern State University

January 19, 2015

Four Ponca Chiefs

Our Session Today… 1. Overview of Native

Languages and a classroom application

2. The Oklahoma Indian Education Resource (OIER)

3. Review lesson from OIER & literacy – there are hundreds for you available!

4. Writing Idea5. Other resources6. Video on OIER

Native Languages Q: How many Native American languages are there, and how many people speak them? A: There are about 150 Native American languages in Canada and the United States, There are about half a million speakers of indigenous languages in Canada and the US.

Q: What does it mean when you say Native American languages are endangered? A: If children stop learning their native language, the languages can die out just like endangered species. Some Native American communities are bilingual, but in most places parents have stopped teaching children their native language. Some communities are trying to recruit elders to teach the youngest generation the language before it is too late.

Q: Is there anything I can do to help preserve Native American languages? A: Learn the language and help others learn their native language! More than anything else, this is in the hands of the kids. Young people can learn a language more quickly and easily than older people.

Native Languages • First excellent resource: myON:

https://www.myon.com/login/ • Guest speaker: Mrs. Gina Stanley (

gstanley@myon.com)• An excellent technique to preserve the

language(s) of Native Americans using children’s literature.

• Great kid-friendly website (free) with ideas for classroom involvement with Native Languages: http://www.native-languages.org/kidfaq.htm#5

Oklahoma Advisory Council on Indian Education (OACIE) • Where is the new material coming from? • The Oklahoma Advisory Council on Indian

Education was created by House Bill 2929 which became effective on July 1, 2010. The Council shall make recommendations to the State Board of Education and the Superintendent of public instruction in the Education matters affecting the Education of Native American students in Oklahoma.

• The Council is composed of an 18 member board which will make recommendation, evaluate, and make an annual report on the effectiveness of the public education system in meeting the needs of the Native American students in Oklahoma. The Council meets quarterly.

Oklahoma Indian Education Resource • Available at: http://ok.gov/sde/oier• Consists of 5 parts:

1) Oklahoma Indian Tribe Education Guides (http://www.ok.gov/sde/tribe-education-resources)

2) Lesson Plans (http://www.ok.gov/sde/indian-education-lesson-plans-high-school)

3) Lesson Resources (http://www.ok.gov/sde/indian-education-lesson-resources)

4) Oklahoma Academic Standards (http://ok.gov/sde/oklahoma-academic-standards)

5) Submit a Lesson/Resource

Explore a Lesson In pairs, explore a lesson from OIER; how

could literacy be integrated throughout the lesson?

• Elementary: https://chickasaw.net/Documents/Short-Term/Curriculum/Unit-1/Cultural-Series/Elementary-Educator-Lesson-1.aspx

• Early Childhood: https://chickasaw.net/Our-Nation/History/Chickasaw-Nation-Curriculum.aspx

• Junior High/Middle School: https://chickasaw.net/Documents/Short-Term/Curriculum/Unit-1/Cultural-Series/Secondary-Educator-Lesson-3.aspx

• Senior High School: https://chickasaw.net/Documents/Short-Term/Curriculum/Unit-1/Cultural-Series/Secondary-Educator-Lesson-3.aspx

Early Childhood --- Buffalo Activity

Elementary-HS --- Canoe Activity

Literacy Idea…

Integrated Writing Ideas • Elementary – “Lifeline/Timeline”• Early Childhood – Dictation Stories; Acrostic

Poems (http://www.readwritethink.org/files/resources/interactives/acrostic/)

• Junior High/Middle School – “Jumble Stories” --- choose 4 numbers between 1 and 5 --- (character, time, setting, challenge)

• Senior High School – “I-Charts” (great to get started with research) http://www.readingquest.org/strat/ichart.html

ECE/Elementary Handout: ABC Brainstorming & History Frames

Jr. High & Senior High Handout: Venn Diagrams & I-Charts

Excellent Resources • Oklahoma Ag in the Classroom (November

Page): www.clover.okstate.edu/fourh/aitc/calendar/november/native.html

• Oklahoma’s Indian Education Homepage: http://ok.gov/sde/indian-education

• Teacher/Student Resources from The Museum of the American Indian: http://www.nmai.si.edu/explore/foreducatorsstudents

• Excellent Collection of Children’s Literature: http://comminfo.rutgers.edu/professional-development/childlit/ChildrenLit/nalist.html

Excellent Resources • General Resources from the

Smithsonian: http://www.smithsonianeducation.org/educators/resource_library/american_indian_resources.html

• Multiple Resources in One Place: http://www2.nau.edu/~jar/IndianLinks.html

Video about Indian Education in Oklahoma • http://ok.gov/sde/oier

• Questions?