This book introduces the general reader to the mosaic of American Indian languages and cultures as they exist in time and space, and supplies limited technical linguistic orientation to encourage further exploration of language interrelationships, cultures, and other ways of knowing. Chapter 1 provides an overview of the status, diversity, and…

This book encourages the use of cultural biographies as a way to understand various cultures. The volume is a collection of stories about the teachers and students in New York (New York) schools who have made family studies central to the curriculum. The book emphasizes the everyday lives of families, their social histories, and cultural…

Fables and trickster stories are short narratives that use animal characters with human features to convey folk wisdom and to help people understand human nature and human behavior. These stories were originally passed down through oral tradition and were eventually written down. These lesson plans are intended for students in grades 3-5 and…

This book introduces young readers to the world of Native American literature. The book traces the songs, chants, and ancient stories of the Native American spoken tradition that had existed for thousands of years before Europeans came to America up to the present time, when Native American writers continue to explore both their heritage and their…

Visual literacy is a culturally-derived strength of Native American students. On a continent with more than 200 languages, Native Americans relied heavily on visual intelligence for trade and communication between tribes. Tribal people interpreted medicine paint, tattoos, and clothing styles to determine the social roles of those with whom they…

As part of an attempt to develop a multicultural model of teacher education that incorporates and embraces Anishinaabe philosophy, interviews were conducted with seven Anishinaabe elders from one Canadian and three U.S. reservations. Eight themes emerged. In order of their importance to the meaning and experience of being Anishinaabe, they are…

The design of this curriculum project allows teachers to introduce the rich Indian culture in a non-threatening way to learners who struggle with writing material. It was initially developed for special education students who read and write significantly below grade level. Some of the project's lessons include showing the students artwork and…

A college teacher altered her approach to evaluating students' progress in an American Indian literatures course by replacing written exams with oral exams. Students were given questions prior to the exam conference and were allowed one page of written notes. Suggests that written exams clash pedagogically with the literatures and cultures being…

For Canada Natives, storytelling and describing dreams are the beginnings of literacy. Many elders survived abuse in residential schools because of language, and claim that one cannot be Indian without the language. This author works in English, yet her writings are informed by Native culture. Language can be a tool or a weapon; it depends on how…

The Camp Grant Massacre remains a salient moment for contemporary Western Apache peoples. Although a difficult part of their history, it continues to instruct Apaches and non-Apaches about the sacrifices of those who have gone before and the circumstances that have shaped the modern world. The story of the massacre was first preserved by personal…

In today's interconnected and global society, socially responsive learning is an integral part of educational excellence. This book encourages socially responsive learning by showing the reader how to use traditional African folk tales and quality children's books, young adult novels, classic literature, and film media about Africa as the mode for…

"Folksong in the Classroom" is designed to be used by teachers of history, literature, music, and the humanities to encourage the study of history through folk song. This volume focuses on the history of the American Revolution, using song and script to better understand the American Revolutionary War. A question and answer segment encourages…

This children's book relates the story of Travis and Laura and how their grandfather, a Maidu Indian, teaches them about their history and culture through stories. The book stresses the importance of storytelling as the traditional way of passing on the history of Indian peoples. As part of a school project, Travis tells his classmates the Maidu…

The use of traditional stories in American Indian language programs connects students' reading to their lives and familiarizes learners with the rhythms of the oral language. Puppet performances are one way of connecting reading programs to the Native oral tradition. A high school reading lesson in a first-year Hupa language class uses many…

Although traditional indigenous stories are widely recognized for their artistic merits and their role in the linguistic and cultural continuity of indigenous peoples, they are seldom used in schools. This paper discusses the instructional uses of traditional coyote stories, with particular reference to bilingual revitalization programs involving…