Cultivating Lakota

2015 – 2016

About The Program

The American Indian College Fund supported a Lakota language and culture revitalization program, Cultivating Lakota Early Childhood Learning Opportunities in 2015 to 2016. Partnering with Sitting Bull College, the program sought to develop a scope and sequence of a pre-K Lakota immersion language curriculum, improve family engagement strategies, create an early learning language immersion assessment system, and strengthen the knowledge and skill of Lakota immersion language teachers. Focusing on early learning contexts, this program envisioned to create a long-term, sustainable plan for Lakota language and culture revitalization.

Cultivating Lakota Early Childhood Learning Opportunities is guided by three main objectives:

  • Development of Lakota language immersion curriculum, enriched by family engagement
  • Development of Lakota language immersion assessment aligned with curricular lessons
  • Provide opportunities for teachers to engage in targeted professional development in language learning and development

This funded project will have intentional benefits and sustained impact on the Lakhól’iyapi Wahóhpi families, children and teachers at Sitting Bull College and beyond.

Program Gallery

Grantees

Sitting Bull College

Related Blogs

BIMAADIZIWIN: “A Healthy Way of Life” Through Family Fun Night

BIMAADIZIWIN: “A Healthy Way of Life” Through Family Fun Night

At Keweenaw Bay Ojibwa Community College (KBOCC) traditional Ojibwe teachings which  portray the family as a part of the framework that honors the individual and the collective groups to which the individual belongs. Throughout the year, Migiziinsag (Little Eagles), an early childhood program for four-year-old children, engages by incorporating aspects of indigenous early learning, Anishinaabe language, cultural ceremonies, nutrition and physical activities. The “Family Fun Event Planning Framework” embraces four areas:

NWIC Restorative Teachings Holiday Cedar Weaving and Storytelling Event

NWIC Restorative Teachings Holiday Cedar Weaving and Storytelling Event

On a blustery and bitterly cold December night Northwest Indian College (NWIC) Early Learning Center (ELC) welcomed families and community members to celebrate traditional plants and foods of the Coast Salish culture. In spite of the winter’s chill, the event was an amazing success, with nine enrolled ELC families and eight families from the Lummi community represented.

College Fund Expert Lends Voice to Cell Phone Debate for Young Children

Tarajean Yazzie-Mintz, Co-Director of the American Indian College Fund’s Office of Research and Sponsored Programs and Senior Program Officer of Tribal College and University Early Childhood Education Initiatives, shared that cell phones are no longer merely communications devices, but are tools to access and exchange multiple sources of information. Parents must consider these factors while strategically monitoring and guiding children’s use of these tools.

Our Program Areas

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Computer Science

Environmental Stewardship

Indigenous Education

Infrastructure

Native Arts

The Iñupiat family engagement event was held at the Aimaaġvik Assisted Living Center to celebrate the season with the elder residents.

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