Submitted by Don “Flip” White
Vision: To restore the Seneca language to the point it is the first language acquired and is learned in the home.
“In our future the Seneca language will be in use in the daily lives of all Seneca’s and our culture will be a vibrant force for identity and community collaboration, resulting from a shared understanding of our history and the implementation of a comprehensive instructional approach that incorporates our linguistic, cultural, and spiritual traditions.” – Seneca Language Group 2001
The Seneca Nation Language Revitalization Plan will revive the use of our language and cultural heritage as the foundations to our distinct identity and daily existence.
Mission: To become functional speakers of the Seneca Language.
In July of this year a group of approximately 15 individuals set out to create a comprehensive 20 year plan to secure the future of the Seneca language.
The following describes the initial plan for the next 5 years and describes some of the work that is currently underway.
In the first five years the following milestones will be accomplished. A Seneca Language Commission whose purpose is to enact and oversee a collaborative, ‘one mind’ operating philosophy, will be established. The responsibilities of this Commission include strategizing, assessment, accountability, communication, and reporting. Directors from the Language, Ceremonial, ECLC, SALC, and Education programs from both territories will report to this commission. Benefits of this collaboration are clarity of language learning expectations, purposeful language teacher development and career growth, improved quality and delivery of language services, avoidance of duplication and wasteful spending, and strategic program administration.
Each program is being assessed based on their program objectives. The operational infrastructure of each program is also being evaluated in terms of its ability to create and sustain a Good Mind culture within the department and classroom environments. These environments have to be such that they attract and draw others to become involved in learning the language and supporting this revitalization effort. Using the collective talents and experience of the ‘language community,’ we can offer quality programs, a progressive curriculum, and quality instruction to foster/influence broader participation.
Every language employee will have their speaking ability assessed based on the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL) Scale. The assessments will determine where our strengths and weaknesses are. Fluent Seneca speakers will conduct the language assessments via a conversational interview conducted entirely in Onödowa;ga:’ gawë:nö’. When completed, we will be better able to make adjustments where needed and initiate plans to create a ‘speaker pool.’ The goal is for all language employees to achieve a proficient rating. For those language/culture teachers already performing at the proficient level, a Fast Track Development plan will be put in place.
We are happy to share that these assessments, 72 in all, were completed in November. The results are now being analyzed and shared with individual teachers.
The ACTFL Proficiency Guidelines are being used in this plan. They are descriptions of what individuals can do with language in terms of speaking in real-world situations in a spontaneous and non-rehearsed context. These guidelines identify five levels of proficiency: Distinguished, Superior, Advanced, Intermediate, and Novice and are subdivided into High, Mid, and Low sublevels. They describe what an individual can and cannot do with language at each level, regardless of where, when, or how the language was acquired. These levels form a learning progression in which each level incorporates all previous levels.
Once the proficiency level is achieved, language teachers will enroll into an accredited teacher certification track. Some of the topics included in the teacher training are classroom management, lesson planning, and implementation of the assessment battery, applying the results to instructional practice, ‘Best Practices’ and learning methodologies. There will also be a Haudenosaunee Worldview and Lifeways component as part their teacher training.
The initial goal is to create a pool of language teachers who have sufficient language skills to ‘stay in the language’ for 75% of scheduled classroom time with every intention to achieve a 100% in the future.
Finally, after this stage teachers will continue on in community language programs, in the school districts, Early Childhood Learning Centers, local colleges, or within SNI departments. Looking forward, it is also safe to assume new and expanded language programming will evolve.
In between each stage of their development, evaluations will be conducted to insure the learner progresses and maintains the consistent use of the language in the classroom.
In summary, we have taken the first step in a very long journey. This journey will evolve and grow with each new day. We will encounter new challenges; whatever lies in our path, we will not allow it to stop us. As the organization grows & stabilizes our participation and involvement of others will also expand.
This initiative is on behalf of our language, the children, and future; it is a responsibility for us individually and as a Nation.
Nya:wëh,
Kelly Spruce, Gonio Miller, Robbie Jimerson Jr., Brandon Martin, Adrian John, Lexie Stevens, Flip White, Trudy Jackson, Darlene Miller, Sandy Dowdy, Clayton Logan, Nancy Williams, Ja:no’s Bowen, Alexia John, Nicole John, Amy Jimerson, Nation Councillors Linda Doxtator, Tim Waterman, & Al George.
