Components of Core Curriculum

Adaptive Dimension

The Adaptive Dimension is an essential part of all educational programs. Like the Common Essential Learnings, the Adaptive Dimension is a component of Core Curriculum and is reflected in all curricula.

The Adaptive Dimension in Core Curriculum(1992) provides teachers with a vehicle to accommodate individual needs of students by:

adapting teaching approaches;
adapting curriculum topics and materials;
adapting assessment techniques; and
adapting classroom organization.

The curriculum encourages teachers to make adjustments to the environment to meet individual needs, and to identify meaningful objectives that will promote success for each student. Learning can be made more accessible by modifying the setting, the teaching method, or the material. The Adaptive Dimension allows students to participate in the learning process by offering them alternative access to, and expression of knowledge.

This concept is used to:

increase relevant curriculum content for students;
provide a wide range of learning materials including community resources;
maximize student potential for learning;
facilitate integration of resources for enrichment and extension;
provide opportunity for personal growth and self-esteem;
reduce discrepancies between achievement and ability;
include traditional customs of the language group;
accommodate community needs and involvement; and
provide background knowledge or experience.

The Adaptive Dimension allows teachers to help students develop their potential as independent learners. Adaptations should,however, be consistent with the objectives and spirit of the curriculum.

When making adaptations, teachers might consider the following:

Create a classroom environment conducive to language acquisition. A friendly atmosphere among students and between students and teacher will lower the anxiety level.
Promote mutual respect amongst students in regards to background, culture, interest,language competency, and learning style.
Provide opportunities for students to identify and choose resources that suit their interests and needs.
Follow up on student suggestions and queries.
Encourage student participation in planning,instruction, and evaluation.
Vary the pace of lessons to give students time to grasp the concepts presented before proceeding to more advanced material.
Monitor the use of vocabulary. Advanced and simple forms of vocabulary can be incorporated into the same lesson. Using the different moods of verbs, for example,accommodates students' individual pace of language acquisition, promotes natural speech, and introduces the students to some unique features of the Indian or Michif language.
Maintain a low anxiety level through flexibility, not only with class routine, but also by altering the physical setting. Learning centres, for example, allow students time for independent learning, peer tutoring and creativity.
Introduce new material only when students are comfortable with basics.
Utilize cultural and community resources.
Provide a variety of options when planning activities.
Assessment and evaluation procedures should facilitate the maximum output from each student.
Change materials to enhance learning.
Encourage students to take an active interest in community activities.

The Adaptive Dimension empowers the teacher and students to use available resources and various teaching/learning strategies to plan a meaningful and appropriate language acquisition program for every student. The practice of adapting curriculum content to student needs requires teachers to make decisions about the necessary changes that will include relevant,meaningful input to achieve maximum achievement by students. This curriculum guide allows for such flexibility and decision making.

Teacher's Note

Customs vary from one community to another. To request guidance and/or assistance from an Elder, one must follow customary protocol. Some general guidelines include:

Send a letter to the local band council stating the nature of your request and the Elder's role within the program.
Request assistance regarding protocol.
If your school division normally offers honoraria and/or expense reimbursement to guests, offer the same to a visiting Elder.
Consult with the Elder to determine learning outcomes.

Common Essential Learnings

Six Common Essential Learnings have been identified:
C	Communication
N	Numeracy
CCT	Critical and Creative Thinking
TL	Technological Literacy
PSVS	Personal and Social Values and Skills
IL	Independent Learning.
Understanding the Common Essential Learnings(1988)

The Indian languages curriculum offers many opportunities for incorporating the Common Essential Learnings (C.E.L.s) into instruction. Integrating the C.E.L.s into the course of language acquisition will prepare students for their learning throughout and beyond the kindergarten to Grade 12 education system. The decision to focus on particular C.E.L.s within a lesson is guided by the needs and abilities of individual students and by the particular demands of the curriculum.

It is important to incorporate the C.E.L.s in a natural manner. For example, some units may offer many opportunities to develop all of the Common Essential Learnings, others will not. On the other hand, it should be noted that developing a particular C.E.L. may also lead to the development of other C.E.L.s. This is to be expected as the Common Essential Learnings are interrelated.

It is intended that the Common Essential Learnings be developed and evaluated within subject areas. Therefore, foundational objectives for C.E.L.s are included in the guide. Since the Common Essential Learnings are not necessarily separate and discrete categories, it is anticipated that working toward the achievement of one foundational objective may contribute to the development of others. For example, many skills, understandings and abilities required for developing Communication, Numeracy and Critical Thinking are also needed for the development of Technological Literacy.

Incorporating the Common Essential Learnings into instruction has implications for the assessment of student learning. A unit which has focused on developing particular C.E.L.s should also reflect this focus when assessing student learning. If students are encouraged to think critically and creatively throughout the unit, then teachers need to develop assessment strategies for the unit which require students to demonstrate their critical and creative thinking abilities. The Common Essential Learning s are to be integrated, accommodated and incorporated within the evaluation of each content area.

It is anticipated that teachers will build from the suggestions in this guide and from their personal reflections in order to incorporate the Common Essential Learnings into Indian or Michif language instruction.

Gender Equity

Saskatchewan Education, Training and Employment is committed to providing quality education for all students in the K-12 system. It is recognized that expectations based primarily on gender limit students' abilities to develop to their fullest potential. While some stereotypical views and practices have disappeared, others remain. It is the responsibility of schools to create an educational environment free of gender bias.

This can be facilitated by increased understanding and use of gender balanced material and non-sexist teaching strategies. Both female and male students need encouragement to explore a wide variety of options based on individual aptitudes, abilities a nd interest, rather than on gender.

However, there are certain sociological factors that must be respected when planning a curriculum on Indian languages. Most of the Indian languages of Saskatchewan have definitive morphological and syntactic structures that address gender not in an adversarial context but as a form of respect and protocol. These features are embedded within the languages and cannot be changed without altering the whole language. The curriculum encourages teachers to facilitate an integration of both views into lesson plans.

The following guidelines will assist Indian language teachers to promote gender equity.

Select resources that reflect the current and evolving roles of both men and women in many sectors of society. Resources should portray females and males in non-traditional roles.
Model language that is gender fair.
Use gender equitable instructional and assessment techniques.
Seek a balance of male and female characters in literary works.
Include the study of both male and female writers.
Bring gender-biased materials to students' attention.
Have equally high expectations for both female and male students.
Plan activities that encourage participation by all students and where both boys and girls have equal opportunity (e.g., Talking Circle).
Ensure that students of both genders have equal time and access to resources and equipment.
Encourage and respect the interests and abilities of students of both genders.
Model equitable interaction with students.
Invite male and female Elders, artists, and other community members as resource people.

Indian and Métis Content and Perspectives

The integration of Indian and Métis content and perspectives within the Kindergarten to Grade 12 Indian Languages curriculum fulfils a central recommendation of both the Five Year Action Plan for Native Curriculum Development, Saskatchewan Education (1984) and the Indian and Métis Education Policy from Kindergarten to Grade Twelve, Saskatchewan Education (1989).

The policy states:

Saskatchewan Education recognizes that the Indian and Métis peoples of the province are historically unique peoples and occupy a unique and rightful place in society today. Saskatchewan Education recognizes that education programs must me et the needs of Indian and Métis peoples, and that changes to existing programs are also necessary for the benefit of all students. (p. 6)

The inclusion of Indian and Métis content, perspectives and resources fosters meaningful and culturally identifiable experiences for Indian and Métis students. The inclusion of such content also promotes the development of positive attitudes in all students toward Indian and Métis peoples.

Increasing an awareness of one's own culture and the cultures of others develops a student's self-concept, promotes an appreciation of Canada's cultural mosaic, and supports universal human rights.

Saskatchewan Indian and Métis students come from diverse cultural backgrounds and social environments including northern, rural and urban areas. New curricula require a variety of teaching strategies and materials that accommodate and build upon the diversity of cultures, learning styles, and strengths of Indian and Métis students.

Teachers have a responsibility to evaluate resources for bias and to teach students to recognize such bias. Guidelines in Diverse Voices: Selecting Equitable Resources for Indian and Métis Education (Saskatchewan Education, 1992), can assist teachers and students in understanding forms of bias in resources that inaccurately portray Indian and Métis peoples.

The following four points summarize the Aboriginal content expectations for all core curricula.

Curricula and materials will concentrate on positive images of Indian, Métis and Inuit peoples.
Curricula and materials will reinforce and complement the beliefs and values of Indian, Métis and Inuit peoples.
Curricula and materials will include historical and contemporary issues.
Curricula and materials will reflect the legal, cultural, political, social, economic and regional diversity of Indian, Métis and Inuit peoples. Indian and Métis Education Policy from Kindergarten to Grade Twelve (Saskatchewan Education, 1989, p. 12.)

Teacher Note:

The holistic approach to language instruction represents a multicultural approach. The emphasis on student and teacher developed units affords teachers the opportunity to accommodate diverse cultural and linguistic backgrounds.

Resource-Based Learning

Resource-based instruction enables teachers to use a variety of resources to assist in the development of attitudes and abilities that empower independent, life-long learning. Students are given opportunities to share in the responsibility of planning relevant learning experiences to achieve goals that they set for themselves. An environment rich in resources gives students incentives to learn.

Teacher-librarians, if available, are invaluable partners in identifying resources and assisting the teacher in various ways.

The teacher should consider the following guidelines when incorporating resource-based learning into unit plans.

Involve students in unit planning. Discuss unit topics, themes, objectives and learning activities and experiences with them.
With the help of students and teacher-librarian, if available, gather appropriate resources including community resources.
As a co-learner, model the use and appreciation of learning materials and local human resources as sources of enjoyment and information.
Encourage and assist students to establish a collection of materials to support core curriculum initiatives.
Utilize the students' knowledge, experiences and opinions as a resource.
Guide students to recognize people in the community as valuable resources.

Locally-Determined Options

To meet community and student needs at the local level, provision is made within Core Curriculum for locally-determined options.

The time allotted for Indian language instruction at the elementary and middle levels (Gr. 1 - 9) is determined locally

At the elementary and middle levels, time for locally-determined options may be gained by reducing the time spent in one or more of the required areas up to a maximum of 20%.

At the secondary level (Gr. 10 - 12), time for such options is available through the use of credits in the elective categories.

Framework of Objectives for to 12

Aim Goals Language Acquisition Foundational Objectives Learning Objectives

The major aim of the Indian Languages Curriculum is to graduate students who can use an Indian or Michif language to communicate effectively and confidently in various situations.

The general goals of the Indian Languages Curriculum are:
to encourage the development of listening, speaking, reading and writing skills in an Indian or Michif language.
to promote in students the development of an understanding and appreciation of Indian and Métis cultures through language.
to encourage enjoyment of communicating, reading, and writing in an Indian or Michif language.
to cultivate positive personal and social growth through use of an Indian or Michif language.

Second language acquisition theory forms the basis for teaching and evaluation strategies in this curriculum.

The objectives include the most important understandings and abilities which are developed at each level. Unit planning and evaluation reflect the objectives. These are considered to be achievable by most students at each grade level.

These objectives describe specific knowledge, skills and attitudes students develop as they gradually achieve the foundational objectives for each level. They also guide resource use, daily activities, classroom instruction, and authentic language experience.