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

Tribal College Students Embracing ECE Initiatives at NWIC

Tribal College Students Embracing ECE Initiatives at NWIC

Things are moving fast at the Northwest Indian College and the Lummi community.  For the last three and a half years of collaboration and planning on behalf of the Wakanyeja “Sacred Little Ones” Early Childhood Education Initiative by the American Indian College Fund, the leadership and partnerships have created many exciting new opportunities for families and children in the Lummi community. 

NWIC Brings Family Engagement to Lummi Community

NWIC Brings Family Engagement to Lummi Community

Our first Family Engagement activity was an Ey’ Snat Family Fun Night in September held in conjunction with Sacred Little Ones partner site Lummi Head Start. We wanted families to get to experience a salmon barbeque with salmon cooked in the traditional way.

College of Menominee Nation’s Ké’ Family Engagement

College of Menominee Nation’s Ké’ Family Engagement

The College of Menominee (CMN) December Family Engagement Saturday morning activities were every bit as busy as Santa’s workshop would be on the 6th of the month! This semester the CMN Family Engagement grant staff along with our pre-service Teacher Education students designed, developed and delivered all aspects of College 4 Kids, our Saturday morning workshop for parents and their children.

SIPI’s Native Harvest Feast Creates Sharing, Community Bonds

SIPI’s Native Harvest Feast Creates Sharing, Community Bonds

Thanksgiving is a time of sharing and community bonding. The Southwestern Indian Polytechnic Institute (SIPI) Youth Development Incorporated (YDI) families engaged with one another during our Native Harvest Feast on November 24, 2014.  SIPI YDI families and Wakanyeja “Sacred Little Ones”/Ke’ staff worked together to provide a Native inspired meal to share in honor of the “giving thanks” season.

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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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