Page 5 - Native Languages 9-10 (1999)

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The Program in Native Languages
Overview
All courses in the Native languages program cover oral communication, reading, and writing; vocabulary, language conventions, and grammar; and use of information technology. Students also become familiar with the writing and sound systems of the language under study, and develop an appreciation of Native language and culture. All courses in the Native languages program provide an opportunity for students to enhance their sense of cultural identity and self-worth. The Native languages that are recognized in the Native languages program are the following: Cayuga, Cree, Delaware, Mohawk, Ojibwe, Oji-Cree, and Oneida. Students may study one or more of these languages in the program.
The courses in Native languages are not restricted to specific grades, so that students may begin the study of one or more of the languages in any grade of secondary school. For this reason, progression is indicated by levels rather than grades. Five levels of courses in Native languages are offered in the Native languages program in Grades 9 through 12. The courses offered are Native Languages, Levels 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 (NL1, NL2, NL3, NL4, and NL5).
This document contains the curriculum expectations for NL1, NL2, and NL3. NL1 and NL2 give students the opportunity to develop their ability to use basic words, phrases, and sentences. NL3 includes more complex expectations in all areas of communication and also integrates the study of Native philosophy, spirituality, and values with the study of language.
NL1 is offered to students who have little or no background in a Native language. Students who begin the Native languages program with NL1 would normally complete up to NL4.
NL2 is offered to students who have studied a Native language for at least four years in elementary school, or who have successfully completed NL1 or a proficiency test. Students who begin the program with NL2 would normally complete their studies with NL5.
NL3 is offered to students who have successfully completed NL2 or who have successfully completed a test indicating proficiency at the NL2 level.
As outlined in The Ontario Curriculum, Grades 9 and 10: Program Planning and Assessment, 1999, the new curriculum for secondary school is organized into several types of courses. (See the document mentioned for a description of the different types of secondary school courses.) However, not all types of courses are available in every discipline. In the Native languages program, there is only one type of course – the “open” course.
The chart on page 5 lists the range of course codes for the courses in Levels 1 to 3 in the Native languages program. The course codes consist of five characters, as follows: the first three characters identify the language, the fourth character identifies the course level (i.e., A, B, and C refer to Level 1, Level 2, and Level 3, respectively), and the fifth character identifies the type of course (i.e., O refers to “open”). The first three characters for the Native language courses are as follows:
LNA – Cayuga LNC – Cree LND – Delaware LNL – Oji-Cree
LNM – Mohawk LNN – Oneida LNO – Ojibwe