Growing an Immersion Program - Current & Future
Learnee -
Hipéexnu’ has a dream to have an immersion school of its own that will target young learners that will fill the Learnee positions. After the Learnees have met learning milestones in the Niimiipuu dialect. The plan for the classroom designation is to begin when the children are preschool and younger.
Currently, hipeexnu' has been partnering with the Tiny Tots Learning center, where up to 70 toddler and preschool aged students have benefited from hipéexnu's service. This is a partnership that is showing signs of success; with the babies easily grasping the dialect, the teachers eager to learn, and the open doors from the Tiny Tots Learning Center.
357 Agency Road
P.O. BOX 158
Lapwai, ID 83540
208-843-9262
Little Roots Learning Center - Lapwai, Idaho
As of June 2020, Hipéexnu’ has been offering short immersion sessions for the Little Roots students. They are picking up fast with some having 300 immersion hours since last March 2019.
http://www.facebook.com/littlerootslc
230 J Webb Drive
Lapwai, ID 83540
208-305-6952
Open Monday – Friday. 7:30AM – 5:30PM
Language
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The language will be consistent with the same number of students;
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Teacher(s) from the Tiny Tots Learning Center have been being the Learnee Apprentice (LA). Hipeexnu' wishes to seek resources to seek more Learnee Apprentices as well as Leanee Mentees (LM).
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Instruction time for the students cannot be less than ten hours a week, learning from both the Head Language Instructor and advanced LA(s).
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Learnee Mentees will be sought out. LM will typically be adolescents younger than 18 but under 30 is preferred. Hipéexnu's Immersion Learning Center is to build up more Mentees and Apprentices teach the youth on the Nez Perce reservation.
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In other words, the way to revitalize and preserve is to build an army of lifetime committed speakers and teachers in the Niimiipuu dialect.
Culture
Culture is a lifestyle. Lessening mainstream lifestyles is a challenge, as it is for every Nimiipuutimt class. Connecting culture to the teachings is an area yet to be defined, but there are many volunteer hours going into protecting the culture.
This new year, the new Spring, brought us back together through the land. Through Charlotte Martin Foundation (CMF), Hipeexnu' was able to take small groups of adults and youth to dig our traditional roots.
On June 17th 2020, Hipeexnu' was awarded a $10,000 grant from Seventh Generation Fund to share with our communities to get back to the land. She's waiting...