Building the Fire

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A program of Aboriginal family literacy evolved over a 7 month period with input from the students, the community, and the partnership. It proved to be a success in many ways. All the students acquired more experiences and stronger skills in reading, writing, math, computers, and family literacy. The program acknowledged and respected individual cultural beliefs and values; and it provided an abundance of literature and a variety of activities to develop cultural awareness and pride in each of the students. They met with other adult learners, with similar expectations and needs, in a non-threatening, informal learning environment.

The most valuable outcomes of the Aboriginal Family Literacy Program are that each student finished with a greater sense of self and a greater level of self-confidence (both are conducive to making successful changes); and each student understood the impact of and value in reading stories to his/her children.

With experiences teaching pre-schoolers through adults, the instructor has learned that when a person (child, youth, or adult) sees him/herself as a valuable and capable person, he/she is more receptive to learning and to taking risks that will make positive changes.

Building the Fire was a program that provided a stepping stone to future empowerment for each participant.

References

Annicchiarico, B. (1993). Homespun Family Literacy Program. Brooks, AB: Medicine Hat College.

Badar, Louis A. (1983). Badar Reading and Language Inventory. New York: Macmillan Publishing Co., Inc.

Hoffman, P. (1995). Come Read With Me Family Literacy Program. Regina: Wascana Institute.

Murphy, C. (1985). Challenger Adult Reading Series. Laubach Literacy International. Syracuse, NY: New Readers Press.

Taylor, M. (1994). Literacy Portfolio Assessment. A Resource for Literacy Workers. Ottawa: University of Ottawa.

Bibliography

Instructor's Resources

Annicchiarico, B. Homespun Family Literacy Program. Brooks, AB: Medicine Hat College, 1992.

Badar, Louis, A. Badar Reading and Language Inventory. New York: Macmillan Publishing Co., Inc., 1983.

Barker, J. Arithmetic 4th Edition. New York: Saunders College Publishing, 1987.

Cambridge Adult Education. Math Skills By Objectives, Book One. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice Hall Regents, 1987.

Faga, William T. The L-I-T-E-R-A-T-E Program: A Resource, Book for Literacy Instructors. Edmonton: University of Alberta. Faculty of Education, 1990.

Hoffman, Pat. Come Read With Me Family Literacy Program. 1994. Regina: Wascana Institute, 1995.

Isserlis, J., McCue, L., Weinstein, L., and Sauve, V. Community Literacy: An Intergenerational Perspective. Hull:National Literacy Secretariat, 1994.

Murphy, C. Challenger Adult Reading Series. Laubach Literacy International. Syracuse, NY: New Readers Press, 1985.

Norton, M. Journeyworkers Approaches to Literacy Education with Adults, Tutor's Handbook. Calgary: Access Network, 1988.

Norton, S., and Green, B. The Bare Essentials English Writing Skills. Toronto: Holt, Rinehart and Winston of Canada, 1983.

Pasula, S. Metis Nation of Alberta Association Literacy Project. Edmonton: Metis Nation of Alberta, 1992.

Purton, D. Saskatchewan Aboriginal Literacy Workshop Report. Yorkton, SK: Parkland Regional College, 1995.

Skage, S. A Practical Guide to Family Literacy. Brooks, AB: Medicine Hat College, 1995.

Skage, S. Building Strong and Effective Community. A Manual for Family Literacy Workers. Brooks, AB: Medicine Hat College, 1996.

Aboriginal Adult Literature

Bloomfield, Leonard. Sacred Stories of the Sweetgrass Cree. Saskatoon: Fifth House Publishing, 1983.

Campbell, M. Half-Breed Halifax: Formac Publishing Company Ltd., 1973.

Culleton, B. April Raintree. Winnipeg: Peguis Publishers, 1992.

Culleton, B. Spirit of the White Bison. Winnipeg: Peguis Publishers, 1993.

Dove, M. Coyote Stories. Idaho: Caxton Printers Ltd., 1990.

Indian Act: Simplified. Yorkton, SK: Parkland Regional College and Yorkton Tribal Council, 1994.

Jaine, L. Editor. Residential Schools: The Stolen Years. Saskatoon: University Extension Press, U. of S., 1995.

McLain, G. The Indian Way. New Mexico: John Meur Publications, 1990.

Mitchell, S. Northern Lights. Edmonton: EJHS Literacy Publications, 1994.

Moses, D.D. and Goldie, T. Editors. An Anthology of Canadian Native Literature in English. Toronto: Oxford University Press, 1992.

Perreault, J. and Vance, S. Editors. Writing the Circle Native Women of Western Canada. Edmonton: Newest Publishers Ltd., 1993.

Roman, T. Editor. Voices Under the Sky. Scarborough: International Thomson Publishing, 1994.

Wall, S. Wisdom's Daughters. New York: Harper Collins Publishers, 1994.

Weekes, M. The Last Buffalo Hunter. Saskatoon: Fifth House Publishers, 1994.

Aboriginal Children's Literature

Ahenakew, F. How the Birch Tree Got It's Stripes. Saskatoon: Fifth House Publishers, 1988.

Ahenakew, F. How the Mouse Got Brown Teeth. Saskatoon: Fifth House Publishers, 1988.

Cameron, A. Lazy Boy. Madeira Park, BC,. Harbour Publishing Co. Ltd., 1988.

Campbell, M. Achimoona. Saskatoon: Fifth House, 1985.

Carlstrom, N. Northern Lullaby. New York: The Putnam and Grosset Group, 1992.

Eyvindson, P. Chester Bear, Where Are You? Winnipeg: Pemmican Publications Inc., 1988.

Goodtrack, Kim Soo. ABC's of our Spiritual Connections. Penticton,BC: Theytus Books, 1994.

Harrison, T. A Northern Alphabet. Montreal: Tundra Books of Montreal, 1982.

Joosse, B. Mama, Do You Love Me? Vancouver, BC: Raincoat Books, 1991.

Loewan, I. My Mom is So Unusual. Winnipeg: Pemmican Publications Inc., 1986.

Sanderson, E. Two Pairs of Shoes. Winnipeg: Pemmican Publications Inc., 1990.

The Alfred Reading Series. Regina: Gabrielle Dumont Institute of Native Studies.

Wheeler, B. I Can't Have Bannock but the Beaver has a Dam. Winnipeg: Pemmican Publications Inc., 1984.

Children's Literature

Ahlberg, J. and A., Each Peach Pear Plum. New York: Viking, 1978.

Babbitt, N., Tuck Everlasting. Toronto, ON: Farrar, Strus and Giroux, 1975.

Bourgeois, P., Franklin in the Dark. Kids Can Press, Ltd., 1986.

Briggs, R., The Snowman. London: The Penguin Group, 1978.

Brown, M. W., The Runaway Bunny. New York: Harper and Row, 1942.

Carle, E., The Very Hungry Caterpillar. New York: Philomel Books, 1969.

Carle, E., Draw Me A Star. New York: Philomel Books, 1969.

Carrier, R., The Hockey Sweater. Montreal: Tundra Books, 1979.

Galdone, P., The Three Billy Goats Gruff. New York: Clarion Books, 1973.

Kovalski, M., The Wheels on the Bus. Toronto: Kids Can Press, 1987.

Kraus, R., Leo the Late Bloomer. New York: Windmill Books, 1971.

Lunn, J., Amos's Sweater. Toronto: Douglas & McIntyre, 1988.

Martin Jr., B., Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See? New York: Henry Holt and Company, 1967.

Martin Jr., B., and Archambault, J., Chicka Chicka Boom Boom. New York: Simon & Schuster, 1989.

• All the Aboriginal books listed in the bibliography were ordered through the Native Book List in Calgary. The toll free number is 1-800-360-8823.
• A copy of the students' book of stories is included. It is a tribute to their success.