Dianna Rai: Passionate advocate for Nisga’a language and culture

Year: 2020 — Province: British Columbia
Certificate of Achievement Recipient

Alvin A. McKay Elementary School
Nisga'a language, Kindergarten to grade 7
Laxgalts'ap, British Columbia

Whether it's assisting with who to contact in the community for help with a project; advice on student relations; or information regarding the interconnections of Nisga'a and school culture — Mrs. Rai can be counted upon to give solid advice and tangible support.

nominator

The Nisga'a language is in danger of extinction; roughly 5,500 people speak it, and only 470 of those are fluent. Dianna Rai is passionate about Nisga'a culture, both inside and outside the classroom. In the community, she organizes and cooks for feasts, dances at events, helps make traditional medicines, and volunteers with the Elders' Council and the Language Authority.

Teaching approach

Dianna has embraced the First Nations Education Steering Committee's ASK ME curriculum. To improve students' oral fluency in Nisga'a, she uses total physical response strategies—including sign language, movement, and simple pictures—to engage their eyes, hands and bodies.

In the classroom

  • Mentors and learns from language assistants: is helping her two assistants become fluent in Nisga'a; they help her learn to use smartboards and other digital technologies; together, they have created smartboard language games for students.
  • Incorporates music: writes songs, translates lyrics and directs performances; assistants use software to set songs to music; every Friday, all students sing "O Canada" and other songs in Nisga'a together; they also sing various songs at community events.
  • Extends Nisga'a language learning beyond her school: creates after-school language programs; organizes Nisga'a summer camps; teaches free evening classes for high school students.
  • Team teaches with a new, non-Indigenous teacher: embeds Nisga'a language, culture and stories in younger teacher's thematic units; new teacher attends Dianna's language classes as a participant and observer.

Outstanding achievements

  • Is a Nisga'a language leader: has served as district language commissioner for four years; was involved in developing a Nisga'a dictionary; is helping create a common Nisga'a alphabet; is a resource for fellow teachers; seeks out advanced training in this field.
  • Engages the community: invites adults to school activities; encourages students to attend local feasts and ceremonies; community involvement with the school and student attendance at non-school events have both improved.
  • Builds bridges to Elders: uses the alphabet and dictionary she helped develop to record and share Elders' knowledge; Elders are moved to tears at school and village events to hear children speak and sing in Nisga'a.

Get in touch!

Alvin A. McKay Elementary School
311 Church Street, P.O. Box 220
Laxgalts'ap BC  V0J 1X0

250-621-3277
drai@nisgaa.bc.ca
https://aames.nisgaa.bc.ca/