First Nations languages and cultures are central to First Nations’ distinctive laws, traditions, and ways of life, and First Nations’ connections to their lands are embedded in their languages.

As set out in DRIPA, Indigenous peoples have the right to revitalize, use, develop, and transmit to future generations their histories, languages, oral traditions, philosophies, writing systems, and literatures, and to designate and retain their own names for communities, places and persons. First Nations’ inherent rights to language are constitutionally protected, and are recognized by the Government of Canada in the federal Indigenous Languages Act. 

The Province of British Columbia’s Declaration Act Action Plan also includes several points specifically related to supporting First Nations language rights, systemic language access, and sustainable, long-term funding to support language preservation and revitalization.  Additionally, the 2018 BC Tripartite Education Agreement (BCTEA) includes important commitments to support First Nations language and culture programming in First Nation schools and to co-develop effective policies and guidelines for language teaching in BC public schools. 

FNESC is actively engaged in advancing all of those commitments.

First Nations Languages and Culture Program for First Nation Schools

The 2018 BC Tripartite Education Agreement includes a comprehensive First Nations Language and Culture Program (FNLCP) for First Nation schools. The FNLCP sponsors grants for First Nation schools as well as language support services, such information sessions and professional development opportunities for language teachers.

In-person and virtual coaching is also available to First Nation schools upon request. Coaching offers support in, but is not limited to, planning, assessment, instruction, curriculum building, classroom management, and on-the-land learning opportunities.

For more information, please contact us.

BCTEA First Nations Languages Policy Development

The 2018 BC Tripartite Education Agreement recognizes that all students should have the opportunity to learn their language whenever possible and with the support of their community. Therefore, the agreement includes mutual commitments related to the development of a collaborative, co-created process to support K-12 Indigenous language learning in public schools, including joint work on a Ministry of Education Indigenous Language Policy and implementation plan.

BCTEA also provides for the collection and analysis of meaningful Language and Culture learning data, the advancement of full-course offerings in First Nation languages, and the inclusion of FNESC in any reviews of or changes to relevant Ministry of Education standards and policies.

First Nations Language Teacher Mentor Apprentice Program

The First Nations Language Teacher Mentor Apprentice Program (FNLTMAP) is designed to increase the fluency of staff who work in First Nation schools by providing opportunities for one-on-one language practice with a language Mentor (a fluent or proficient speaker, identified by the community as an appropriate Mentor).

First Nation schools can learn more about this program and the application process by contacting us.

First Nations Language Fluency Degree

In partnership with a consortium of Indigenous Adult and Higher Learning Association (IAHLA) institutes and public post-secondary institutions, FNESC and IAHLA have continued to advance a framework for a four-year Indigenous Language Fluency Degree, which has fluency in an Indigenous language as its primary learning outcome and purpose.