App designed for Indigenous language education expected to launch in late January. (DreamsTime image ID 52861828)

By Elliott Knopp

Indigenous App

App designed for Indigenous language education expected to launch in late January

Jan 19, 2021 | 11:18 AM

A program designed to revitalize Indigenous languages is expected to release its first two apps to the public later this month.

Through a collection of images and audio files, the app serves to educate users on how to speak in either Cree or Dene, the two linguistic groups used in Meadow Lake First Nations communities. The app is part of the Meadow Lake Tribal Council’s (MLTC) Land, Language, Relationships and Culture initiative (LLRC) that works to improve and strengthen cultural identity.

Demo version of Indigenous language education app. (submitted photo/Celia Deschambeault)

Celia Deschambeault, MLTC assistant superintendent of education, said she felt the delivery of language and cultural programs needed to be changed to make the lessons more accessible and understandable.

“My vision for our program was to start moving [lessons] from paper-based, where we were delivering like books, posters and things like that, to more to a digital program. That way we reach a lot more people, and for those that don’t speak the language, they’d be able to see their language on something and they could hear it,” Deschambeault said.

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She clarified challenges in education were experienced by both students and teachers as they tried to complete lessons through text and traditional worksheets. She added those methods do not provide language learners and less experienced educators with an audible pronunciation, which can result in incorrect learning as these dialects have sounds that aren’t included in English.

In order to accommodate for the subtleties in dialect, the app development team brought in language revitalization consultants Abby Janvier (Clearwater River Dene Cree Nation) and Gwen Cubbon (Canoe Lake Cree First Nation) to create the apps’ linguistic content for their respective region.

In a press release, MLTC Senior Director of Education Heather Merasty said she is eager to see the impact this program will have in their communities and their educational programs.

“I am very blessed to be part of a team that has worked so diligently in supporting the education needs of our nine Meadow Lake First Nations. The development of these apps has been a collaborative effort with our communities and is only the beginning of our initiative in supporting Language Revitalization. I commend Celia Deschambeault and the LLRC team for taking on this challenging venture and facilitating this groundbreaking work for our communities.”

Upon release of the apps, residents in Clearwater River Dene Nation and Canoe Lake Cree First Nation will become the first communities to have access to the program. Between January and June, English River First Nation, Buffalo River Dene Nation, Birch Narrows Dene Nation, Flying Dust First Nation, Waterhen Lake First Nation, Makwa Sahgaiehcan First Nation and Ministikwan Lake Cree Nation will have apps developed that are expected to become available in June 2021.

The apps for Clearwater River Dene Nation and Canoe Lake Cree Nation are set to become available on January 30 through the Apple App Store. An Android version of the program is currently in development.

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Elliott.Knopp@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @ElliottKnopp