The WAYK team has just finished our second visit to the X̱aad Kíl Née program this year. During our first visit to Haida Gwaii this August we prepared for and then kicked off their new SFU Certificate program.
Since our visit in August the X̱aad Kil Née team and the first cohort of full-time Certificate students have done the hard work of simultaneously building a language space, developing a WAYK-style curriculum, and learning to teach and speak X̱aad Kil. Thanks to this tremendous effort all students have shown so much growth!
Our most recent visit in November was focused on lesson writing, building up capacity for students to turn their “Language Hunts” into full-fledged language lessons that can be taught off to other students. These lessons will be added to their ever-growing Fluency Freeway, a collaborative curriculum for future learners.
It has been an exciting and rewarding effort that has also come with a lot of good laughs and connections. We are thrilled to see the program start on such solid footing and be in such good hands.
Thanks to Jaasaljuus, Jasḵwaan, K’uyáang, G̱úud Gíigangaa, all of the students, and to the kind and welcoming speakers, elders, and teachers we have had the pleasure of working alongside so far.
(Port Hardy -> Skidegate)
