Why it Matters to be a Champion of Literacy?

Our grandparents are our teachers, teaching us through our strengths; literacy is learner-centredand a life long journey. For growth, personal empowerment, community development and self-determination literacy includes our languages, cultures and involves our elders, leaders; the wholecommunity. Champions of Literacy is a holistic approach that involves the whole community.

We have experienced great harm to our education journey from residential schools where ourchildren were removed from the home community and nation; placed in a foreign environmentgoverned by Non-Native rules and expectations. The situation was not much better for thechildren who attended school in their home community where the majority of the teaching staff are

hired from out of the community, oftennon-Native forcing unfamiliar values and

teaching strategies. Therefore,Champions of Literacy matters most as

we regenerate our language and culturethroughout all the literacies. Healingcomes from empowerment and gaining a

sense of self; this comes fromunderstanding where we have comefrom, knowing and understanding whowe are and our place within the circle oflife.

Literacy empowers the spirit giving us

the sills sets need to walk in both worlds,our traditional ways and today'senvironment. In Webequie, ourcommunity is being under attack from alldirections as it is the centre of the "Ringof Fire" issue. How do our communitymembers become equal participants withrights and power .... through multipleliteracies. Strength comes from ourtraditions, first language and people.Development is areas such as economic,social education, political and spiritual life comes from multiple literacies.

Why it Matters to be a Champion of Literacy? [t matters so much to our next generation and thoseto come. We are the one who have the opportunity to heal from the past and set things on the rightpath for our youth and generations to come. Education (literacy) is the tool for us to set thingsright and make this world a better place honouring our traditions, celebrating our language andgiving our children all the opportunities they have a birthright to have.

Champion of Literacy Pedagogy

Aboriginal Focus Teaching Strategies

An Aboriginal teaching approach to literacy involves holistic strategies that are learnercentred and respect the whole person. A holistic approach to literacy includes allstakeholders, parents, school and community. Thewhole Nation is a participant in the literacy programwhich seeks to balance a learner in all four areas ofthe medicine wheel; spiritual, emotional, mental andphysical states.

. Culturally based - Put literacy into culture, and don't forceculture into literacy.

. Respect for the learner by taking account of prior learningexperiences.

. Incorporate skill development in the leamer's own languages

and traditions.. Important to always consider the learner in todays'world.. Our grandparents are our teachers; ensure they are given an

importance within the literacy school plan.. Literacy involves many area, first language, traditions, today's

world, technology, machines, world economics etc.

How Would You prepare students to be Champions ofLiteracy?

Campaign the community; ensue the students'parents are partners and willing to fosterliteracy at home to support the program. Build students'confidence and make surethey are aware of the key issues that have influenced the state of where things are.Reinforce the goals of literacy and how the skills ofliteracy can empower an individual and changedirection for future generations. Literacy offersopportunities. Engaging the community with theschool is the most important strategy:

1 employing Elders and Aboriginal staff2 embedding and celebrating Aboriginal

culture and language3 building cultural understanding among

teachers4 engaging and working with parents.

.a