Monthly Feature April 2011 - CBC.ca · 3 The Audio In this story, you will hear CBC journalist...
Transcript of Monthly Feature April 2011 - CBC.ca · 3 The Audio In this story, you will hear CBC journalist...
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www.alberta.ca www.cbc.ca/edmonton/eal
Feature Story April 2011 Feature Story Objectives
Beyond the past – heal the hurt
CLB competency outcomes Listening: Reading: Speaking: Writing:
L: Identify factual details and some implied meanings in extended listening texts L: Extract detailed meaning from a text L: Comprehend main points and details in moderately demanding text (Global) R: Demonstrate comprehension of a one‐or two page moderately complex extended description, report, or narrative on a familiar topic S: (Global Descriptor) Pronunciation errors rarely impede communication W: Write a summary of a longer text
Language skills Vocabulary: Use word definitions and contextual cues to choose correct
vocabulary items
Grammar: Recognise the role of text genre and lexical rules for passive voice
Speaking: Identify correct pronunciation for plural endings of words
Language Activities (in order of appearance in materials)
Answering comprehension questions and discussion questions about a short background text Completing pre‐listening activities to build vocabulary and prepare learners for audio Listening to audio to identify facts and details Listening to audio to develop listening transfer skills Creating a chart while listening to a podcast Identifying pronunciation patterns in plural forms of words Identifying role of genre and lexical rules in passive voice use Answering questions about a reading passage Analyse grammatical subject verb relationships while reading
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Introduction Before you read, think about the following questions.
Do you think it is important for children to learn about their cultural heritage? Why or why not? Background Reading: Wichitowin Nights The paragraph below is about a recurring event for aboriginal families called “Wichitowin Nights”. Read the paragraph and answer the questions. Wichitowin nights were started in 2006 as way for teachers, principals, and aboriginal families to get together to share food and cultural teachings. The events are held once a month and move between eight different schools in Edmonton’s west end. These evenings are funded by the schools and are organized by Bent Arrow Traditional Healing Society. Each evening has a different aboriginal cultural activity. Different activities include having elders come to tell stories or having aboriginal dancers or games. Sometimes role models come to speak such as Linsay Willier, an aboriginal fashion model who was runner up on the television program “Canada’s Next Top Model” and who also has a degree in Child and Youth Care from MacEwan University. Wichitowin Nights are a great way for aboriginal children, parents, teachers, and principals to socialize, enjoy good food, and share cultural activities. Background Reading: Questions
Understanding the reading 1) Who attends Wichitowin Nights?
2) What types of activities do they have?
3) Why was Linsay Willier invited to Wichitowin Nights?
Food for thought 4) What do you think the benefits of Wichitowin Nights might be for the following
people: a) School principals?
b) Aboriginal parents?
c) Aboriginal children?
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The Audio
In this story, you will hear CBC journalist Niall McKenna and Presenter Peter Brown,
discuss one Edmonton family who lost touch with their Aboriginal culture but are
working to make sure their son understands his culture. They take part in a school
activity called Wichitowin nights to ensure Aboriginal children grow up knowing and
understanding the importance of their heritage and culture.
In this Audio, you will hear:
Radio host – Peter Brown
Radio journalist‐ Niall McKenna
Jack Foster‐Boucher
Matt Foster‐Boucher
Caroline Foster‐Boucher
Cheryl Whiskeyjack
Leona Gordey
Predicting How might a child feel about learning about her or his parents’ culture and heritage which is outside the majority Canadian culture?
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Vocabulary Before you listen to the audio file, complete this vocabulary activity. It will help you to understand the listening. The words and phrases below are from the mp3 audio. The definitions are next to the words. Read the definitions then do the activity below.
Word from the text Definition 1. residential schools
(noun) Schools that native children were forced to attend and live at. They ran from the 19th century until the 1960’s.
2. aboriginal (adjective) relating to the people who lived in Canada first (in Canada, the terms first nations and native are also used)
3. embracing (verb) accepting something fully and happily 4. cleansing (verb) removing harmful things from your mind and/or body
(e.g., bad thoughts and feelings, toxins) 5. smouldering (verb) burning slowly with smoke, but without fire 6. crouched (verb) bent your legs and back in order to be closer to the
ground or an object 7. cherishes (verb) loves and cares about something a lot 8. foster care (noun) placing a child with a volunteer family for a temporary
period of time because the child cannot be with his/her own family
9. addictions (noun) a powerful and unhealthy need for something such as drugs or alcohol
10. adopted (verb) became the legal child of parents who were not your biological parents
11. yearning (noun) a strong wish or want for something 12. reserves (noun) pieces of land that are set aside for first nations people
to use. 13. hit (verb) come to or reach something (e.g., an age, a speed, or
an amount of money) 14. gauges (verb) estimates or guesses the amount or level of something 15. dramatically (adverb) quickly and powerfully 16. involving (verb) causing someone to join or to be a part of something 17. haunted (verb) saddened or upset by something from the past
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Use the vocabulary words above to complete the sentences. The first one is done for you.
1. Beth’s math grades have improved dramatically since we hired a tutor to help her.
2. She _____________ the size of the audience by seeing how many sections of the stadium are empty.
3. We have only been living in France for a few months but we are already ______________ our new culture. We usually cook French food and we are learning to speak French.
4. I do yoga twice a week because it is good for ____________ my mind. 5. I was really sad when I ___________ my 30’s because it made me feel like I
was getting old. 6. I am still _____________ by the time I spent fighting in the war. 7. I was ____________ when I was a baby because my birth parents were killed
in a car crash. 8. My husband and I were both born on _______________ but now we live in
Edmonton. 9. I want to learn more about the history of the ____________ people in Canada
so I am taking a course in Native Studies at the university. 10. They ____________ over the hole and tried to see how deep it was. 11. My grandmother really ________________ the old photographs she has from
her childhood. 12. You shouldn’t leave a campfire if it is still ________________ because it can
cause a forest fire. 13. I don’t it think ______________ our friends in our new business was a good
idea. We argue all the time. 14. I watched a program about _____________________ on TV last night. I
didn’t realize how many children were sent to those places. 15. When I was a child, my mother became very ill and I didn’t have any close
relatives so I was put into ______________ for 6 months. 16. Sometimes people with serious ______________ will steal or lie to get what
they want. 17. I have a _________________ to see the country where I was born.
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Other vocabulary Sage: a plant that is used as an herb and is important in aboriginal
culture. Sweetgrass: a plant that is used as an herb and is important in aboriginal
culture. When it is burned, it releases strong sweet smelling smoke.
Rastafarianism: a religion that was started in Jamaica. Sweat lodges: traditional aboriginal ceremonies that take place in tents or small
buildings that are heated with hot stones from a fire. Cree: an aboriginal language and people.
Now listen to the Audio – the introduction is here to help you get started…
Peter Brown
Today CBC’s series learning the path, Niall McKenna introduces us to Edmontonian Matt Foster‐Boucher and his family. Matt is one of the 150,000 Canadian children who attended church run residential schools. That experience caused him to lose touch with his culture and his aboriginal identity. CBC Edmonton’s Niall McKenna brings us the story of a family embracing their heritage and looking to a brighter future.
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Listening Activities
Listen to the audio
While you are listening, complete this table.
Compare these childhood and adult experiences of the adults in the story. Put a
checkmark in the column for the issues and situations Matt has experienced, which ones
Caroline has experienced and which they have both experienced.
(Answers can be found in the appendices) Experiences Matt Foster Boucher Caroline Foster‐Boucher
Attended residential school
Raised in foster care
Former drug addict
Former alcoholic
Tried out different religions
Adopted by a non‐
Aboriginal family
Reconnected with their
Aboriginal culture
Raising a child with a
connection to their culture
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Listening for meaning
Use the information from the podcast to answer the following questions.
1) What were the causes of Matt losing his aboriginal identity?
2) How did residential schools impact Caroline’s childhood?
3) How did visiting their home reserves help Matt and Caroline learn about their
heritage?
4) Why were educators concerned before the Wichitowin nights were started?
5) Why are some aboriginal parents nervous about visiting older schools in
Edmonton?
6) Do you think a lot of people attended Wichitowin night at Inglewood school?
How can you tell?
7) In what ways does Caroline think that Wichitowin nights will help her son?
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8) How have the Wichitowin nights helped Matt?
9) Why do you think Matt feels negatively about his son becoming Roman Catholic?
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Building Speaking Skills
Pronunciation: plural endings. The plural endings of words sound different depend on which sound comes at the end of the word. Look at the chart below to see the different pronunciations of plural endings. /s/ sound /z/ sound /iz/ sound
tracks asks tents tops baths cliffs
hands suns clams wells files labs kings fillers schools
kisses* wishes judges entices beaches
*Notice that with the /iz/ pronunciation, there is always an “e” before the “s” The following words are all spoken in the podcast. Try to place the words in the correct category on the chart. Use the examples to help you. The first one is done for you. schools heads practices addictions reserves siblings lodges
masks rattles drums teachings others activities parents
schools girls nights smiles teachers
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Now listen to this clip from the podcast again. (2:07‐2:35). Pay attention to the pronunciation of the plural endings. Niall Caroline and matt followed that yearning back to their home reserves.
They met siblings. They did sweat lodges and they brought back native masks, rattles and drums for their son.
2:07
Jack This is made from animal hide. 2:19 Niall Matt and Caroline didn't want these cultural teachings to die out once
Jack hit school age so they picked a school with a high Aboriginal population. And a school that offers something more.
2:24
Practice saying the passage at the same time as Niall. Try to sound exactly like him. You can practice as many times as you want! Extra Practice: Tell someone about about an important cultural event in your country. While you are speaking, try to think about plural endings.
TIP: Listen for plural endings when you are listening to the radio and watching T.V. When you are speaking, correct yourself if you make a mistake
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Grammar Activity Passive Voice A discussion of the use and meaning of the passive voice using authentic examples from the Foster‐Boucher news story The passive voice is more than just a re‐organization of the word order of a sentence. It is important to understand that use of the passive is determined by two main factors:
1. Text genre – passive voice is much more common in academic writing and news reporting than in conversation
2. Lexical factors (word rules) – passive occurs commonly with verbs such as make, give, use, seen and rarely with verbs such as have, want, lack, get.
There are two main types of passive, the long passive and the short passive
Long passive combines the passive verb with a by phrase
Ex: Matt is still haunted by his time at residential school.
Short passive – this is the more common type of passive
Ex: I was called ‘mentally retarded. What is the function of the passive?
The passive decreases the importance of the agent of the verb and increases the importance given to the person/object affected by the verb EX: Matt Foster‐Boucher was put into foster care. (We care about Matt here rather than the authorities that put him in foster care). The passive adds to cohesion and concise writing by omitting the obvious agent EX: I was constantly being put in the corner. (obviously by the teacher)
TIP: When you are reading the newspaper, underline examples of the passive. Ask yourself why the passive voice was chosen for this sentence.
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Reading Activities Before you read: Below is a reading from the CBC website about Residential schools, why they were started and their impact on Aboriginal communities and culture. Pre‐Reading Vocabulary The following vocabulary activity will help you to understand the reading below. These are some difficult words from the reading. The words chosen for this activity are also found on the academic word list. The definitions or synonyms are provided but mixed up Match the words with their correct definition or synonym. The first answer has been completed for you. (Answers can be found in the appendices)
Word from the text Definition Answers 1. concept (noun)
A. work or operate 1. D
2. generation (noun) B. required by law 2.
3. policy (noun) C. official plan 3.
4. diminsh (verb) D. idea 4.
5. federal (adjective) E. started 5.
6. mandatory (adjective) F. suffered 6.
7. established (verb) G. belief 7.
8. assumption (noun) H. to make less important 8.
9. mainstream (adjective) I. national 9.
10. endured (verb) J. dominant 10.
11. allegation (noun) K. group of people born around the same time
11.
12. segregated (verb) L. isolate or divide 12.
13. substandard (adjective) M. below average 13.
14. function (verb) N. accusation 14.
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For more vocabulary support when reading this text see: http://oxforddictionaries.com/
What is a residential school?
In the beginning
In the 19th century, the Canadian government believed it was responsible for educating
and caring for the country's aboriginal people. It thought their best chance for success
was to learn English and adopt Christianity and Canadian customs. Ideally, they would
pass their adopted lifestyle on to their children, and native traditions would diminish, or
be completely abolished in a few generations.
The Canadian government developed a policy called "aggressive assimilation" to be
taught at church‐run, government‐funded industrial schools, later called residential
schools. The government felt children were easier to mould than adults, and the concept
of a boarding school was the best way to prepare them for life in mainstream society.
Who ran the schools?
Residential schools were federally run, under the Department of Indian Affairs.
Attendance was mandatory. Agents were employed by the government to ensure all
native children attended.
Who attended the schools?
Initially, about 1,100 students attended 69 schools across the country. In 1931, at the
peak of the residential school system, there were about 80 schools operating in Canada.
There were a total of about 130 schools in every territory and province except
Newfoundland, Prince Edward Island and New Brunswick from the earliest in the 19th
century to the last, which closed in 1996.
In all, about 150,000 aboriginal, Inuit and Métis children were removed from their
communities and forced to attend the schools.
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What went wrong?
Residential schools were established with the assumption that aboriginal culture was
unable to adapt to a rapidly modernizing society. It was believed that native children
could be successful if they assimilated into mainstream Canadian society by adopting
Christianity and speaking English or French. Students were discouraged from speaking
their first language or practising native traditions. If they were caught, they would
experience severe punishment.
Throughout the years, students lived in substandard conditions and endured physical
and emotional abuse. There are also many allegations of sexual abuse. Students at
residential schools rarely had opportunities to see examples of normal family life. They
were in school 10 months a year, away from their parents. All correspondence from the
children was written in English, which many parents couldn't read. Brothers and sisters
at the same school rarely saw each other, as all activities were segregated by gender.
When students returned to the reserve, they often found they didn't belong. They didn't
have the skills to help their parents, and became ashamed of their native heritage. The
skills taught at the schools were generally substandard; many found it hard to function in
an urban setting. The aims of assimilation meant devastation for those who were
subjected to years of mistreatment.
URL = http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/story/2008/05/16/f‐faqs‐residential‐
schools.html
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Reading for meaning
1. Why did the government of Canada believe the creation of residential schools was a good idea?
2. a) What do you think the term “aggressive assimilation” means? b) What are some examples from the reading of how the government used
“aggressive assimilation” with aboriginal children?
3. Who was responsible for running the schools?
4. How did the government force all aboriginal children to attend residential schools?
5. What were some of the bad things that happened to children at residential schools?
6. What problems did the children experience after leaving residential school?
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7. What do you think some long terms effects of the residential schools and the policy of “aggressive assimilation” might be?
Reading Skills Activity “Who does what” reading activity
All of the following verbs are taken from the reading text above.
For each verb, identify who does that action, or the subject.
Then write a completely new sentence using the noun and verb. The first one has been
done for you.
VERB (WHAT) SUBJECT (WHO)
assimilated native children
Sentence: The goal of residential schools was to assimilate native children.
forced
Sentence:
read
Sentence:
belong
Sentence:
attended
Sentence
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Writing Activity
How to write a summary Writing a summary is an important writing skill. The process of writing a summary can help you to understand a text you are reading; the summary itself can show your teacher how well you understand and can express a text in your own words. It is important to remember that when you write a summary, you should use your own words but keep the ideas and organization of the original text. A summary should be shorter than the original text and you can do this by trying to cut out all of the details and examples which are not needed. When you are planning and writing your summary, think about what the author is saying. Below are some steps that will help you to write a good summary.
1. Skim the text – check out the title, sub‐headings and think about the main ideas you can get from these.
2. Read the text from beginning to end. What is the author saying. 3. If you have a photocopy of the text (not the original book or magazine), circle the
key words, or highlight the main idea of each section. 4. Re‐read the main points you have highlighted. 5. Identify the title, author and original date of the text you are going to summarize. 6. Write one sentence that summarizes the main idea of the text. 7. Write the main points and important details in your own words. You will have to
use the same technical vocabulary and proper names for things in the original text. Do not waste words by using such expressions as, “The original text says,” or “ The author states…” The whole summary tells us what the original text says!
8. Keep the same organization as the original author. 9. Do not add your own ideas or conclusion, unless your teacher specifically asks
you to do this. 10. Proofread your summary – ask yourself, ”Have I kept the authors original ideas
but used my own words?”
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Re‐read the text above, What is a residential school? Using the steps suggested above, write a summary of the text. Try to write the summary in one paragraph. You can see an example summary of the residential schools text in the appendix.
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Links to learning about language and your community Visit this website to learn about the Bent Arrow Healing Society.
http://www.bentarrow.ca/
Visit this website to read the full‐length version of the article about residential schools.
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/story/2008/05/16/f‐faqs‐residential‐schools.html
Visit this website to hear more stories from CBC’s Learning The Path series.
http://www.cbc.ca/edmontonam/feature/learningthepath/
For more information about the Academic Word List see:
http://www.victoria.ac.nz/lals/resources/academicwordlist/
More information about how to write a summary
http://www.vaniercollege.qc.ca/tlc/tipsheets/writing/write‐summary(59).pdf
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Appendix Answer key Background Reading: Questions
Understanding the reading 1) Who attends Wichitowin Nights? Principals, teachers, and aboriginal families
2) What types of activities do they have? They have aboriginal dances and games. They also
have elders come to tell stories and have role models visit.
3) Why was Linsay Willier invited to Wichitowin Nights? She is a role model
Food for thought 4) What do you think the benefits of Wichitowin Nights might me for the following people:
Answers will vary. Some possible answers are included below. a) School principals? They can get to know the parents of children who attend their
schools and help families feel more welcome at their schools.
b) Aboriginal parents? They can learn more about their children’s school and teachers
and can share their aboriginal culture with their children.
c) Aboriginal children? They can have fun, learn about their culture and interact with
their teachers and principals outside of class time.
Vocabulary
1. dramatically 2. gauges 3. embracing 4. cleansing 5. hit 6. haunted 7. adopted 8. reserves 9. aboriginal 10. crouched 11. cherishes 12. smouldering
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13. involving 14. residential schools 15. foster care 16. addictions 17. yearning
Listening strategies Experiences Matt Foster‐Boucher Caroline
Attended residential school ✔
Raised in foster care ✔
Former drug addict ✔
Former alcoholic ✔
Tried out different religions ✔ ✔
Adopted by a non‐
Aboriginal family
✔
Reconnected with their
Aboriginal culture
✔ ✔
Raising a child with a
connection to their culture
✔ ✔
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Listening for meaning
1) What were the causes of Matt losing his aboriginal identity?
He was put into foster care and then residential school.
2) How did residential schools impact Caroline’s childhood?
Her mother’s experiences at residential school led her to drink, which then led to
Caroline being put into foster care when she was only one month old.
3) How did visiting their home reserves help Matt and Caroline learn about their
heritage?
They met siblings and they took part in cultural activities (sweat lodges). They
also got cultural items such as masks, rattles, and drums for their son.
4) Why were educators concerned before the Wichitowin nights were started?
They were concerned that aboriginal parents were not attending parent‐teacher
interviews or school activities.
5) Why are some aboriginal parents nervous about visiting older schools in
Edmonton?
The older school remind them of residential schools. Older schools often have
separate entrances for boys and girls just like residential schools did.
6) Do you think a lot of people attended Wichitowin night at Inglewood school?
How can you tell?
Yes. When Leona Gordey gauge the nights attendance she had a smile on her
face which probably means a lot of people attended the event.
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7) In what ways does Caroline think that Wichitowin nights will help her son?
She thinks he will understand who he is and what his value system is. She hopes
this will make him into a leader.
8) How have the Wichitowin nights helped Matt?
They have helped him share his heritage with his son, and have helped him find
healing and forgiveness.
9) Why do you think Matt feels negatively about his some becoming Roman
Catholic?
The residential school he attended was run by the Catholic Church.
Building Speaking Skills /s/ sound /z/ sound /iz/ sound
tracks ask tents tops moths cliffs masks parents nights
hands suns clams wells files labs kings fillers leaves schools heads addictions reserves siblings drums
kisses* wishes judges entices beaches practices lodges
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rattles teachings others activities schools girls smiles teachers
Writing Activity – Answer key
Sample summary paragraph – answers may vary The purpose of the residential school system was to prepare Aboriginal people in Canada for modern life, however it had a devastating impact on all Aboriginal communities. The goal was for the students of residential schools to learn English or French and leave their native traditions behind. The target of the policy was children who the government believed it could shape more easily than adults. A boarding school system was set up in the 19th century and in total 150,000 students passed through until the last one closed in 1996. Students were often abused and lived in very poor conditions. They were not allowed to speak their heritage languages and were separated from their families. The loss of language and culture meant they were caught between mainstream Canadian society and their traditional Aboriginal culture. The terrible impact of the residential school system was felt for many years.
READING ACTIVITY
1. Why did the government of Canada believe the creation of residential schools was a good idea?
The government said that residential schools would give aboriginal children a better chance of being successful and adapting to a modernizing society.
2. a) What do you think the term “aggressive assimilation” means?
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Aggressive assimilation means forcing people from one culture and language to adopt the values and language of another.
b) What are some examples from the reading of how the government used
“aggressive assimilation” with aboriginal children?
Children were forced to attend residential schools 10 months out of the year. They were not allowed speak their own language. They were not allowed to write to their parents in their own language. They were also punished for practicing any of their traditions.
3. Who was responsible for running the schools?
The church was responsible for running the schools (The government funded the schools).
4. How did the government force all aboriginal children to attend residential
schools?
They employed agents to find the children. 5. What were some of the bad things that happened to children at residential
schools?
Children were forced to speak only English or French. Boys and girls were kept separate and so brothers and sisters couldn’t see each other. They lived in substandard conditions. Many suffered physical, emotional, and even sexual abuse. They were also unable to see their parents for 10 months of the year and because they were only allowed to write home in English or French, many could not communicate with their parents at all while in school.
6. What problems did the children experience after leaving residential school? Children had a difficult time fitting in when they went back to the reserves. They didn’t have the skills they needed to help their parents and be successful on the reserves, but also had not been given adequate skills to function well in an urban setting.
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7. What do you think some long terms effects of the residential schools and the policy of “aggressive assimilation” might be? Answers will vary. There are many possible answers and only some are included here. Aboriginal languages have suffered and many aboriginal people have lost their language as a result of residential schools. Children who were abused at residential schools may suffer long term emotional and psychological effects. Children in residential schools had few opportunities to learn about their cultural and family traditions and pass those on to their own children. Reading skills activity Sample answers only
VERB (WHAT) SUBJECT (WHO)
assimilated native children
Sentence: The goal of residential schools was to assimilate native children.
forced aboriginal, Inuit and Métis
Sentence: Aboriginal, Inuit and Métis children were forced to speak English
read parents
Sentence: The girl did not write letters to her parents because they could not read.
belong students
Sentence: The students did not belong in the mainstream Canadian world or on their reserves.
attended students
Sentence The students attended school for 10 months each year.
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Transcript of the audio
SPEAKER TITLE: HEAL THE HURT – BEYOND THE PAST TIME
Announcer
Today CBC’s series Learning the Path, Niall McKenna introduces us to Edmontonian Matt Foster‐Boucher and his family. Matt is one of the 150 thousand Canadian children who attended church run residential schools. That experience caused him to lose touch with his culture and his Aboriginal identity. CBC Edmonton’s Niall McKenna brings us the story of a family embracing their heritage and looking to a brighter future.
0:00
Jack Ah 0:35 Matt What are you doing? 0:36 Jack Smudging 0:37 Matt You're cleansing yourself. 0:38 Niall Matt Foster‐Boucher and his son, Jack, pull smoke over their heads from a
smouldering tuft of sage, sweetgrass and tobacco. They're crouched around the dining room table in their west Edmonton home. Matt cherishes every moment he can teach these practices to his son.
0:40
Jack Creator, thank you for all the food and ... 0:57 Niall At the age of one, Matt was ripped away from his culture. First, he was
put in foster care. Then ‐‐ residential school run by the Catholic Church in Fort Chipewyan.
1:00
Matt I was constantly being put in the corner. I was called 'mentally retarded,' 'deaf,' 'stupid.'
1:10
Niall Matt turned to drugs and alcohol. By the time he was thirty, his addictions were under control ‐‐ but he'd completely lost his Aboriginal identity.
1:18
Matt At one point in my life, I was trying to find myself, and going from one religion to another, trying to feel comfortable. And I just couldn't feel comfortable in religion.
1:26
Caroline OK, so you need to change ... 1:37 Niall Matt's wife, Caroline, did not go to residential school. But her mother did.
Caroline says it drove her mom to alcohol, forcing her to give up Caroline at one month old. She was adopted and raised outside her culture ‐‐ never sure who she really was.
1:39
Caroline And so, I got into Rastafarianism and thought that that was it. Eventually along the way realizing that I was not, in fact, a Rastafarian, nor was I Jamaican. But I knew I was searching for something, see, and I knew that when I walked down the street and I passed an Aboriginal, I felt
1:53
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a yearning. Niall Caroline and Matt followed that yearning back to their home reserves.
They met siblings. They did sweat lodges and they brought back native masks, rattles and drums for their son.
2:07
Jack This is made from animal hide. 2:19 Niall Matt and Caroline didn't want these cultural teachings to die out once Jack
hit school age so they picked a school with a high Aboriginal population. And a school that offers something more.
2:24
Matt Where's your gloves 2:35 Niall It's six at night. And the Foster‐Boucher family are driving back to
Inglewood School. 2:39
Matt There's the school right there. 2:45 Niall Every month, this school ‐‐ and seven others in west end ‐‐ take turns
hosting a night of cultural teachings ... [Take pride in your tribe]...food...[Yup, Indian tacos. Indian tacos! ] ... and music. Jack gathers around a large drum with his classmates...[So, if you boys come forward to the drum ... Nice and soft]... Five years ago, educators at Edmonton Public were worried. Many Aboriginal parents weren't coming to parent‐teacher nights. Or they wouldn't attend school activities.
2:47
Cheryl So we are building that sense of community. 3:22 Niall Cheryl Whiskeyjack with the Bent Arrow Healing Society started these
cultural nights as a way to make schools more inviting. She says some Aboriginal parents may actually be afraid of the city's older schools.
3:24
Cheryl You know, you go to some of the schools in and around Edmonton and you still see on the door, there's an entrance for boys and an entrance for girls. And that was something that was common in residential schools was that they kept these kids very separate. You know, so, brothers and sisters weren't allowed to be brothers and sisters.
3:36
Niall Organizers call these "Wichitowin" nights. "Wichitowin" is Cree for "helping each other."
3:52
Cheryl You know, for Aboriginal families, it's a system that they're going to have to deal with. So, you can do it in a fearful way, or you can get engaged and be a part of your child's learning. [Prince Charles!]
3:58
Niall Inglewood principal, Leona Gordey, is all smiles as she gauges tonight's turn out. These Wichitowin nights have dramatically changed how her school communicates with Aboriginal families.
4:11
Leona What I ask my teachers is, if parents are not coming, are we extending the right invitation to them? Because we need to look, too, at how we do our
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work. It's more than of a family thing than an 'Us and them.
Niall Jack Foster‐Boucher moves to the craft room to paint a flag. 4:38 Jack It's healthy for me to learn what we do in our culture. 4:43 Niall His mother ‐‐ Caroline ‐‐ is grateful every day her son grows up ‐‐
surrounded by his Aboriginal culture. 4:47
Caroline My hope is by really involving Jacky in these types of activities, will give him a really solid understanding of who he is and what his value‐system is. So that, rather than following along with the crowd, he'll actually be able to lead, rather than follow.
4:53
NIall Jack's father ‐‐ Matt ‐‐ is still haunted by his time at residential school. But through these cultural teachings, he's found healing and forgiveness. Today ‐‐ he only wants what's best for his son.
5:08
Matt As much as it'll pain me for him to be going into Roman Catholic, but I'll support him. If that's what he wanted. If he wanted to be in a rock band, I guess I'll support him. (laughing).
5:19
NIall In Edmonton, I'm Niall McKenna.
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