A Little Language in Everyday Life

Carcross/Tagish First Nation is offering new opportunities for community members to learn and teach Lingít through a series of programs designed to make language learning accessible, engaging and part of everyday life.

The programs include teacher training based on the Paul Creek curriculum, regular Lingít classes and a weekly activity night. All three are open to people at every language level, from beginners to advanced learners, according to Nicole Welin, C/TFN’s language manager.

“The big thing is just getting people to speak,” Welin said of the Paul Creek curriculum, which emphasizes speaking and listening rather than memorizing written words or worrying about pronunciation.

The teacher training, scheduled for Nov. 2-4, will introduce participants to the curriculum and prepare them to teach it to others. The training runs from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at Haa Shagóon Hídi, with 15 seats available. Participation is free, with priority given to Carcross/Tagish Citizens.

The approach encourages learners to speak from the beginning, repeating what they hear and building confidence through practice, movement and interaction. Participants do not need to be fluent to teach the material.

The curriculum was developed by the Children of the Taku, a group from Atlin whose members created the program while learning the language themselves.

“It’s a lot more just have fun, just get it out,” Welin said. “We figure it out as we go.”

Regular Lingít classes will run Tuesdays and Wednesdays from 9:30 a.m. to noon at Haa Shagóon Hídi. The classes will use the same curriculum and be taught by Amber Taylor Fisher.

In a departure from more structured language programs, attendance will be flexible. Participants are encouraged to attend when they can, rather than being required to attend every session. The goal is to make it easier for people to get involved and continue learning at their own pace.

A weekly activity night will also take place Mondays from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. in the Heritage Boardroom at Haa Shagóon Hídi. Activities will include board games, bingo, arts and crafts, and beading, with opportunities to incorporate Lingít.

For Welin, the programs are about more than learning in a classroom. They are intended to help bring the language back into homes and daily conversations, strengthening its place in community life and creating opportunities for people to pass it on.

“Language is involved in everything that we do,” she said. “A big part of these programs is bringing those languages back into everyday life.”

She encourages anyone interested in starting their language-learning journey to give the programs a try.

“It’s fun, full of learning, full of laughter,” she said. “There’s never a class where there’s not laughter.”