Posted by Maria Morrison on February 2, 2012
Ningwakwe Learning Press has developed literacy lesson plans to go with the engaging, contemporary, cultural content that CBC has produced in their series, ReVision Quest. We’ve started with 5 episodes, all though there are many more topics and quality episodes to listen to on their website.
“ReVision Quest mixes personal storytelling, current affairs interviews and comedy to explore issues affecting Native peoples today, kicking some ass-umptions about Aboriginal life along the way. It’s a show about the First Nations experience, created by all First Nations producers. Our guide is Darrell Dennis originally from the Shuswap First Nation in B.C.”
Download the Teacher’s Guide and Student Activities which include more cultural information, thought provoking questions and tasks for literacy learners. Listen to the podcast online or download it for later.
Check back soon as we will be posting more episodes!
Episode 1: Labels
This episode explores the terminology and labels that are associated with Aboriginal people in Canada: First Nations, Natives, Aboriginal, Indigenous, and Indian. Host, Darrell Dennis interviews various Aboriginal people regarding their opinions and stance on these labels. Information about the Indian Act (Membership and Status) is discussed.
 Listen online to Labels or right-click to download and save. |
 Download the Student Activities |
 Download the Teacher's Guide |
- Audio © 2009 Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. All rights reserved.
- Host: Darrell Dennis
- Produced by Doug Holmes
- With appearances by Rosanna Deerchild, Waubgeshig Rice, Dean Jenkins and Wab Kinew
CBC Learning authorizes the reproduction of material contained in this Teacher Resource Guide for educational purposes. Please identify and credit the source.
Teacher’s Guide, Student Activities © Ningwakwe Learning Press, 2012
- Curriculum Developer Rachel A. Mishenene
- Development Team:
- Maria Morrison, Ningwakwe Learning Press
- Kim Ziervogel, CBC
- Laura Hamilton, Ministry of Training, Colleges & Universities
- Linda Wright, Sioux Hudson Literacy Council
- Tina Reed, Contact North
- Colleen Toulouse
- Ningwakwe Learning Press gratefully acknowledges funding from the Ontario Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities for the development of this material.
Published by Ningwakwe Learning Press, 2012
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Posted by Maria Morrison on January 18, 2012
Beginning a new year is always a time of reflection and goal setting. I was reflecting about my role here with Ningwakwe Learning Press over the past 16 years and thought, “WOW! We have over a hundred materials developed.” NLP has created Aboriginal culturally relevant resources for students, teachers and administrators for use in literacy programs across Canada.
The Gift of Sharing by Lawrence Rivers
With news stories making headlines, like Attawapiskat and the proposed First Nations Education Act, it seems like a very old story with the same problems evident within the education system for Aboriginal people. Everyone from the leaders in Canadian politics, to our chiefs, down to the grassroots workers, knows that education is the key in starting to improve the lives of First Nation people.
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Posted by Warren Butler on September 23, 2011
A partnership, by definition, is when two or more groups get together for a common interest. In this case, the Good Learning Anywhere (GLA) program at Sioux Hudson Literacy Council has partnered with Ningwakwe Learning Press (NLP). NLP has created supplemental curriculum to accompany the original content from podcasts of CBC Radio’s program, ReVision Quest and SHLC is turning all this great Aboriginal content into an online Moodle course.
It has been a wonderful experience working on this project. It’s been challenging in many positive ways. For example, in Ontario, literacy organizations are in the process of adapting to a task based learning environment called the Ontario Adult Literacy Curriculum Framework (OALCF). When Good Learning Anywhere received a copy of the curriculum created around the OALCF, we had to convert the tasks into an online format. This was challenging because the course design has to take in consideration how much experience learners have taking online literacy courses. GLA has the experience and knowledge in these areas and was delighted to be asked to participate in this partnership.
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Posted by Maria Morrison on September 16, 2011
Here at Ningwakwe Learning Press, we have over 15 years experience in publishing books. But, it’s not just reading a manuscript and then having them printed. Our unique process has developed through trial and error and looking for the best outcomes to serve our audience – Aboriginal adult literacy learners.
Producing relevant literacy material for a mainly Canadian audience has led to a very inclusive process. Not only does the Publishing Manager (me) work side by side with the author throughout their writing and research, but we round up some great professionals with profound knowledge and opinions to assist.
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Posted by Maria Morrison on September 8, 2011
This year’s International Literacy Day, September 8, 2011, theme is Literacy for Peace. Storytelling is a key element of promoting peace between different nations. Knowledge gained by hearing and reading about other cultures promotes understanding and tolerance.
Ningwakwe Learning Press continues to celebrate and promote First Nation, Metis and Inuit cultures in all of our books. Our hope is that by providing Indigenous people across Canada with the teachings and stories of their ancestors in a learning environment that they will not only gain new literacy skills, but traditional knowledge that will empower their quest for identity.
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Posted by Martha Troian on September 6, 2011
When writing the Healthy Life Series: Volume 6- HIV/AIDS, I added a factoid about how someone may not know they are HIV-positive and unknowingly infect others. Because it can take years for someone to develop noticeable symptoms, it’s best to get tested if you suspect you’re infected. Wouldn’t it be better to know you are not HIV-positive?
Another factoid examined why Aboriginal people are 10 times more likely to become infected with HIV/AIDS than the general public. A few of the reasons are social and economic factors, substance use, and limited access to health services.
A veritable tsunami of health deficiencies overwhelm Aboriginal people and sadly, it’s been that way for quite some time. Not only are rates of HIV/AIDS higher than in the general public, but Aboriginal people suffer higher rates of diabetes, obesity, infant mortality and suicide to name but a few.
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Posted by Ningwakwe George on July 20, 2011
It is an absolute honour to have been chosen as the 2011 recipient of the Council of the Federation Literacy Award for Ontario. I am so grateful to the people who submitted the nomination, and to the people who started the process. I am accepting this award on behalf of the people who have shared their dreams, hopes and aspirations with me over the years – learners and practitioners.
It was this sharing that set the energy into motion that made for some remarkable experiences over my twenty-five years in Aboriginal literacy.
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Posted by Maria Morrison on June 17, 2011
One of the new materials Ningwakwe Learning Press is really excited about is the second volume in our history series, ‘Our History. Our Story. Our Future.” I’ve been reviewing the first draft of a book about the little known Lenni Lenape people and I can’t wait to read more! Continue reading →
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Posted by Maria Morrison on May 30, 2011
Ningwakwe Learning Press is in the midst of producing a new batch of books, materials and literacy curriculum. Learning all about a new literacy curriculum framework in Ontario has kept us quite busy on the research end of things over the past months.
All of this ‘behind the scenes’ work will assist in making our new releases this year some of the best books we’ve ever released. The topics we explore all focus around First Nation, Métis and Inuit cultural content from across Canada.
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Posted by Martha Troian on May 10, 2011
While writing on the topic of HIV/AIDS for the Ningwakwe Learning ‘Healthy Living Series,’ the message I wanted to drive home was that with medication and healthy choices, HIV-positive people can live long lives.
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Posted by Maria Morrison on April 12, 2011
Ningwakwe Learning Press, and the literacy field in general, are founded on grassroots, community involvement. And this means that many volunteers giving generously of their time, effort, skills and support.
April 10-16, National Volunteer Week, is as good a time as any to acknowledge and show appreciation for the many people who in the past, and currently, make a difference to our publishing activities. Continue reading →
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Posted by Martha Troian on March 31, 2011
In writing a new addition to Ningwakwe Learning Press’ “Healthy Life Series” on the topic of HIV/AIDS, I had to decide during the writing process how the fictional character would become infected.
Although it’s fiction, I wanted a First Nation character based on reality and ensure there were no negative stereotypes. I mention this because I think today HIV/AIDS is still viewed negatively by many in society.
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Posted by Maria Morrison on March 25, 2011
One of the most important phases in our publishing process is the review stage. Ningwakwe Learning Press was formed out of a grassroots Aboriginal literacy movement. After 15 years, we still try to include a variety of reviewers with different expertise that compliment the topic being reviewed. Each year that we start a new material, I hand pick a variety of reviewers to assist us through each phase of material development – from the outline phase all the way to the final manuscript. I credit a lot of the success and longevity of our materials to the continued evolution of this process.
In order for any community-based publication to be truly relevant to the audience it is serving, you need community involvement. You can’t have too many people or the creative process may stall. However, enough people are needed to provide relevant feedback to the author for inclusion into a better, more focused material. This is why handpicking ‘experts’ for reviewing your material is essential. If it is a cultural or historical piece, it’s common sense to pick someone who is already quite knowledgeable about the chosen topic. For example, don’t pick an Ojibwe kindergarten teacher to review a manuscript about northern Cree hunting techniques intended for a adult literacy audience. Obviously, quicker, more culturally accurate feedback can be provided if time is taken to find a person of Cree ancestry to assist with the reviews.
I’m going to share some best practices that we have developed over the years for incorporating review teams into developing books. Continue reading →
Posted by Maria Morrison on March 16, 2011
This www.firstnationliteracy.com website, blog and Twitter account are almost a year old now. I have been really only using social media for the past year and have learned rapidly from one of the best social media marketing teachers in my area. One of the most important things that I’ve learned as a newbie is how much there is to know and how rapidly it all changes.
I’ve learned enough to start delving into the age old question, “Why am I here?” As a not-for-profit literacy support organization and publisher, the message that we are trying to get across to new supporters and older advocates and partners needs to be clearly conveyed. So, after one year of blogging and tweeting, I’ve been thinking about why I’m engaging in social media and what benefit that is to the organization. Continue reading →
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Posted by Maria Morrison on March 10, 2011
Ningwakwe Learning Press has been busy hiring new authors and starting some new materials. We are looking forward to the development of these great, new resources for literacy learners across Canada. I’d like to introduce you to some of our new authors and their works in progress. Continue reading →
Posted by Maria Morrison on March 1, 2011
Students of any age learn differently from one anther. Many people retain more information and details from listening to interesting, engaging stories. This is never more true than in an adult literacy classroom or online literacy venues. People with different levels of reading and writing skills can all listen to the same audio program and learn something new.
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Posted by Maria Morrison on December 22, 2010
2010 was a great year for growth at Ningwakwe Learning Press. We created this new blog and website to house the latest literacy and education resources for First Nation adult learners.
New Materials this year:
Seven Gifts for Cedar by Cherie Dimaline
Beadwork – First Peoples’ Beading History and Techniques by Christi Belcourt
Sinew and Sage 4 - Aboriginal Literacy Workbook by Mary Shem
Are You Ready to Mind Your Own Business by Narda Kathaleen Iulg
A New Vision Guiding Aboriginal Literacy by Ningwakwe George
Continue reading →
Posted by Maria Morrison on December 15, 2010
A true partnership between organizations exists when they work together in a spirit of cooperation. They contribute to a goal, by combining knowledge or activities and mutually share its profit. The “profit” in the literacy field is the desire to assist Canadians achieve higher literacy levels and improve their quality of life. This goal compels us to reach out, work together and form joint collaboration on many aspects within the literacy field.
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Posted by Maria Morrison on December 2, 2010
Ningwakwe Learning Press is looking to hire 4 writer/consultants and 1 curriculum developer! You can read through the details for each material and topic we are looking for and the qualifications we are looking for under the ‘Opportunities’ link. Pass this information on to anyone you know who may be qualified.
Best of luck to all applicants.
Please call the Publishing Manager, Maria Morrison, if you have any questions 1-888-551-9757.
Deadline is December 23, 2010.
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Posted by Marilyn Dumont on November 12, 2010
From award-winning author, Marilyn Dumont, comes the story of Wryly, a young Métis man surviving on the streets of Edmonton while chasing his dream of becoming a filmmaker. Searching for love, hope and success while dealing with the loss of his beloved moccasins and the failing health of his aged mother.
Wryly’s easy to read story brings you inside a contemporary urban Aboriginal world you won’t soon forget.
Marilyn writes:
“I wanted Wryly, the main character in Stray Dog Moccasins, to be one of the bright, talented, yet dispossessed, young Aboriginal men that streamed daily through the library entrance where I was the Writer in Residence. What appealed to me about Wryly was that he was informally educated after spending so much time refuged in the library between bad jobs and couch surfing.
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