Session 1: 8:30-9:30
Opening Keynote: Dustin Whitford • ᐃᐧᑲᐢᑭᓭᓄ (Wīkaskisēnō)
Ballroom
Session 2: 9:45-10:45am
Session 2A - Language Rights and Educational Sovereignty: The Legal Framework Protecting Native Languages in Montana Public Schools
Presenter: Jason Cummins, Montana State University
Room: Ballroom A
Description: This workshop will provide a summary of the legal protections of Native American languages that apply to the public educational space.
Who should attend? Early childhood teachers, Elementary teachers, Middle school/high school teachers, Administrators
Session style: traditional presentation style, conversation/discussion
Session 2B - Wheeling-Use this simple technique to create meaningful dialogue with your students.
Presenter: Terry Brockie, Aaniiih Nakoda College
Room: Ballroom B
Description: The use of wheeling is a simple technique to provide meaningful dialogue in a simple, yet effective process. It’s an interactive way to create vocabulary, incorporate questioning, affirmative, and non-affirmative statements while teaching proper syntax of the target language. The session will examine 1st., 2nd, & 3rd dialogue using primarily oral speech, but also Plains Indian Sign Language and writing.
Who should attend: Early childhood teachers, Elementary teachers, Middle school/high school teachers, Post-secondary teachers or teachers of adults, Administrators, Community members/family
Session style: interactive/engaging/participants are moving and practicing techniques, traditional presentation style, conversation/discussion
Session 2C - Blackfeet Language & Culture in the Classroom
Presenter: Shaylea Tatsey, Browning Public Schools
Room: Ballroom C
Description: How to design a lesson for high school students and include the language, as well as the culture into your classroom.
Who should attend? Elementary teachers, Middle school/high school teachers, Post-secondary teachers or teachers of adults, Community members/family, anyone willing to learn
Session style: interactive/engaging/participants are moving and practicing techniques
Session 2D - Journey of Our Language and the methods to get there
Presenters: Winona Runsabove-KillEagle & Ethan Three Stars, Fort Peck Assiniboine and Sioux Tribes Language & Culture Department
Room: Red Lodge
Description: Understanding language, culture, values and spirituality in every lesson.
Who should attend? Early childhood teachers, Elementary teachers, Middle school/high school teachers, Post-secondary teachers or teachers of adults, Administrators, Community members/family
Session style: interactive/engaging/participants are moving and practicing techniques, traditional presentation style, conversation/discussion
Session 2E - Total Physical Response Rapid Language Acquisition
Presenter: Arthur Westwolf, Browning Public Schools
Room: Roundup
Description: Demonstrations on language lessons using physical response, rapid language acquisition techniques, and traditional games. Participants will be involved to practice learning each method. Discussion on literal translations of our descriptive Indigenous languages.Various props will be used to demonstrate the teaching techniques. Participants are encouraged to ask questions and and share their experiences in their classrooms.
Who should attend? Early childhood teachers, Elementary teachers, Middle school/high school teachers, Post-secondary teachers or teachers of adults, Administrators, Community members/family
Session style: interactive/engaging/participants are moving and practicing techniques, traditional presentation style, conversation/discussion
Session 3: 11am-12pm
Session 3A - TBD
Presenter: TBD
Room: Ballroom A
Description: Info coming soon!
Who should attend?
Session style:
Session 3B - Language Learning & Technology
Presenter: Dr. Velma Pretty on Top, Billings Public Schools
Room: Ballroom B
Description: The world of technology has advanced at a rapid pace and there are many technological tools that can enhance language learning in your classroom. Students have grown up with the advances in technology and are proficient and comfortable utilizing electronic devices. Learn how technology can be utilized as a resource for Indigenous language learning.
Who should attend: Elementary teachers, Middle school/high school teachers, Administrators
Session style: traditional presentation style, conversation/discussion, Participants who bring laptops will have opportunities to practice some of the technology.
Session 3C - Language in the Classroom
Presenters: Willamina Tailfeathers, Jocelyn Big Throat-Vielle, Shaylea Tatsey, Browning Public Schools
Room: Ballroom C
Description: Utilizing the Native Language to teach classroom subjects including STEM.
Who should attend? interactive/engaging/participants are moving and practicing techniques, conversation/discussion
Session style: Elementary teachers, Middle school/high school teachers
Session 3D - Reclaiming Hinóno’eitiít with Technology in a middle school classroom.
Presenter: Claudette Duran, Arapahoe Middle School, Wyoming
Room: Red Lodge
Description: Participants will learn how to use technology through the use of google slides to build a foundation for speakers.
Who should attend? interactive/engaging/participants are moving and practicing techniques, traditional presentation style
Session style: Middle school/high school teachers
Session 3E - Total Physical Response Rapid Language Acquisition
Presenter: Arthur Westwolf, Browning Public Schools
Room: Roundup
Description: Demonstrations on language lessons using physical response, rapid language acquisition techniques, and traditional games. Participants will be involved to practice learning each method. Discussion on literal translations of our descriptive Indigenous languages.Various props will be used to demonstrate the teaching techniques. Participants are encouraged to ask questions and and share their experiences in their classrooms.
Who should attend? Early childhood teachers, Elementary teachers, Middle school/high school teachers, Post-secondary teachers or teachers of adults, Administrators, Community members/family
Session style: interactive/engaging/participants are moving and practicing techniques, traditional presentation style, conversation/discussion
BUFFET LUNCH IN THE HOTEL RESTAURANT
12-1pm
sponsored by the Montana Digital Academy
Session 4: 1-2pm
Session 4A - Learn and speak our language using the ASLA method in a classroom
Presenter: Angel Marceau, Browning Public Schools
Room: Ballroom A
Description: ASLA method - is a classroom-based approach that uses repetition, comprehensible input, conversation, movement, storytelling, and meaningful daily interactions to help students rapidly develop confidence and fluency in an Indigenous language.
Who should attend? Early childhood teachers, Elementary teachers, Middle school/high school teachers, Post-secondary teachers or teachers of adults, Administrators, Community members/family
Session style: interactive/engaging/participants are moving and practicing techniques
Session 4B - Apsáalooke Assessment
Presenters: Bianka Rock Above, Lavonna Little Owl, Nicole Real Bird, Ruby Peterson and Rochelle Deputy, Crow Agency Public School; Lea Whitford, Browning
Room: Ballroom B
Description: Participants will learn how the need for an Apsáalooke Assessment tool was identified to support instruction and measure growth. The session will highlight how our district brought together our Class 7 Crow Language teachers and partners from the Blackfeet Nation and Montana Digital Academy to develop the assessment project. Participants will explore how past efforts at Crow Agency Public School (CAPS) helped shape the current vision and learn about the importance of collaboration and teacher support in developing a meaningful assessment for Apsáalooke Language Learners.
Who should attend? Early childhood teachers, Elementary teachers, Middle school/high school teachers, Post-secondary teachers or teachers of adults, Administrators, Community members/family
Session style: traditional presentation style, conversation/discussion
Session 4C - The Fort Peck Tribal School
Presenter: Dr. Ramey Growing Thunder, Fort Peck Assiniboine and Sioux Tribes Language & Culture Department
Room: Ballroom C
Description: The Fort Peck Tribal School fellows, community members, and newly formed Board of Directors have been working to open its doors to K-12 students interested in learning from an Indigenous cultural-based and land-based curriculum, starting with Kindergarten and First grade in year one, with the first opening in fall 2027. We have been developing for over two years in a school design fellowship. Want to start a Tribal School and hear our journey so far, come listen in.
Who should attend? conversation/discussion
Session style: Early childhood teachers, Elementary teachers, Middle school/high school teachers, Post-secondary teachers or teachers of adults, Administrators, Community members/family, Students
Session 4D - Intro to Cree Language
Presenter: Bill The Boy, Box Elder School
Room: Red Lodge
Description: I use T.P.R. (total physical response) with some high frequency words. I also show students sentence structure, so they can start saying basic sentences right away.
Who should attend? Early childhood teachers, Elementary teachers, Middle school/high school teachers, Post-secondary teachers or teachers of adults, Administrators, Community members/family
Session style: interactive/engaging/participants are moving and practicing techniques
Session 4E - Teaching Indigenous Studies through Computer Science
Presenter: Veronica Miller, Fremont County School District, Wyoming
Room: Roundup
Description: This is training demonstrates how elementary teachers on the Wind River Reservation integrate computer science into their existing instruction in a way that is meaningful to students’ culture, identities, and interests.
Who should attend? Elementary teachers, Community members/family, Language Instructors
Session style: traditional presentation style
Session 5: 2:15-3:15pm
Session 5A - Learn and speak our language using the ASLA method in a classroom
Presenter: Angel Marceau, Browning Public Schools
Room: Ballroom A
Description: ASLA method - is a classroom-based approach that uses repetition, comprehensible input, conversation, movement, storytelling, and meaningful daily interactions to help students rapidly develop confidence and fluency in an Indigenous language.
Who should attend? Early childhood teachers, Elementary teachers, Middle school/high school teachers, Post-secondary teachers or teachers of adults, Administrators, Community members/family
Session style: interactive/engaging/participants are moving and practicing techniques
Session 5B - Wheeling-Use this simple technique to create meaningful dialogue with your students.
Presenter: Terry Brockie, Aaniiih Nakoda College
Room: Ballroom B
Description: The use of wheeling is a simple technique to provide meaningful dialogue in a simple, yet effective process. It’s an interactive way to create vocabulary, incorporate questioning, affirmative, and non-affirmative statements while teaching proper syntax of the target language. The session will examine 1st., 2nd, & 3rd dialogue using primarily oral speech, but also Plains Indian Sign Language and writing.
Who should attend: Early childhood teachers, Elementary teachers, Middle school/high school teachers, Post-secondary teachers or teachers of adults, Administrators, Community members/family
Session style: interactive/engaging/participants are moving and practicing techniques, traditional presentation style, conversation/discussion
Session 5C - A method of teaching Indigenous language
Presenter: Jordan Douglas-Tavani, Northwest Native American Language Resource Center, University of Oregon
Room: Ballroom C
Description: Participants will be presented a new resource, developed by the Northwest Native American Language Resource Center, which serves Montana. The resource, an Illustrated Storybook Template for Teaching Indigenous Languages, provides teachers with a concrete, free-to-use tool for teaching their languages. The books are also set up to be able to teach about the animals and plants that are Indigenous to Alaska, Idaho, Montana, Oregon, and Washington.
Who should attend? Early childhood teachers, Elementary teachers, Middle school/high school teachers, Post-secondary teachers or teachers of adults, Administrators, Community members/family
Session style: interactive/engaging/participants are moving and practicing techniques, traditional presentation style, conversation/discussion
Session 5D - Intro to Cree Language
Presenter: Bill The Boy, Box Elder School
Room: Red Lodge
Description: I use T.P.R. (total physical response) with some high frequency words. I also show students sentence structure, so they can start saying basic sentences right away.
Who should attend? Early childhood teachers, Elementary teachers, Middle school/high school teachers, Post-secondary teachers or teachers of adults, Administrators, Community members/family
Session style: interactive/engaging/participants are moving and practicing techniques
Session 5E - Action-Based Learning: Teaching Indigenous Languages with TPR
Presenter: Annie Sage, Arapahoe Elementary School, Wyoming
Room: Roundup
Description: Total Physical Response (TPR) will be used to teach Indigenous languages through teacher modeling, student modeling, student participation, writing, repetition and practice.
Who should attend? Early childhood teachers, Elementary teachers
Session style: interactive/engaging/participants are moving and practicing techniques
Session 6: 3:30-4:30
Film Screening: The Sacred Culture of the Apsáalooke Nation, created by teens, elders, and teachers from Crow Country in partnership with Wonder Media (33 minutes)
Followed by panel: Darrin Old Coyote • Tylis Bad Bear • Riley Singer • Linda Covers Up
Lavonna Little Owl Real Bird • Dominica Bear Crane
Introduced and moderated by Bianka Rock Above
Ballroom
6 renewal units available for Day 1