Program Description
This 30-credit program is designed for Algonquin, Cree, Inuit, Mi'gmaq, and Kanienkehaka (Mohawk) students who wish to gain a deeper understanding of their Indigenous language, especially in its written form. It is aimed mainly at those who will be teaching their Indigenous language.
This certificate may be taken concurrently and completed within the Bachelor of Education for Certified Teachers program if the requirements for B.Ed. are fulfilled.
More information about the Certificate in Indigenous Language and Literacy Education (program requirements, a full list of courses and course descriptions) can be found below.
Program Requirement:
This 30-credit program is designed for Algonquin, Cree, Inuit, Mi'kmaq, and Kanienkehaka (Mohawk) students who wish to gain a deeper understanding of their Indigenous language, especially in its written form. It is aimed mainly at those who will be teaching their Indigenous language.
This certificate may be taken concurrently and completed within the Bachelor of Education for Certified Teachers program if the requirements for B.Ed. are fulfilled.
Required Courses (6 credits)
-
EDEC 342 Intermediate Indigenous Lang 3 Credits
- Fall
- Winter
- Summer
Offered in the:Curriculum and Instruction: A study of Indigenous language phonology and structure, emphasizing the connection between the two, demonstrating the orderliness of many dialectic differences.
Offered by: Integrated Studies in Ed
- Prerequisite(s): EDEC 289 or equivalent, e.g. EDEC 273, EDEC 278 or permission of Director
- Restriction(s): Not open to students who have taken EDEE 342. Limited to students enrolled in off-campus programs delivered through the Office of First Nations and Inuit Education.
- **Due to the intensive nature of this course, the standard add/drop and withdrawal deadlines do not apply. Add/drop is the third lecture day and withdrawal is the sixth lecture day.
- Terms
- Fall 2024
- Instructors
- Jeannie Palliser
-
EDEC 344 Advanced Indigenous Language 3 Credits
- Fall
- Winter
- Summer
Offered in the:Curriculum and Instruction: The final course in a set dealing with Indigenous phonology and structure. An understanding of basic Indigenous syntax in particular, rules governing verb and possessive endings.
Offered by: Integrated Studies in Ed
- Prerequisite(s): EDEC 342 or permission of Director
- Limited to students enrolled in off-campus programs delivered through the Office of First Nations and Inuit Education.
- Restriction(s): Not open to students who have taken EDEE 344.
- **Due to the intensive nature of this course, the standard add/drop and withdrawal deadlines do not apply. Add/drop is the third lecture day and withdrawal is the sixth lecture day.
- Terms
- This course is not scheduled for the 2024-2025 academic year
- Instructors
- There are no professors associated with this course for the 2024-2025 academic year
Complementary Courses (18 credits)
18 credits selected as described below.
Language Courses
6 credits from the following language courses (or other courses as approved by the Director of Programs in First Nations and Inuit Education) including a beginning course (3 credits) in the Indigenous language as a first language (e.g., EDEC 241 Cree Language 1) and a second-level course (3 credits) in the same language (e.g., EDEC 242 Cree Language 2).
-
EDEC 227 Naskapi Language 1 3 Credits
- Fall
- Winter
- Summer
Offered in the:Curriculum and Instruction: The phonological system, including syntax and morphology. Word generation conventions will be analyzed and labels will be developed to describe how the language functions.
Offered by: Integrated Studies in Ed
- Terms
- This course is not scheduled for the 2024-2025 academic year
- Instructors
- There are no professors associated with this course for the 2024-2025 academic year
-
EDEC 228 Naskapi Language 2 3 Credits
- Fall
- Winter
- Summer
Offered in the:Curriculum and Instruction: The morphology and syntax analysis of Naskapi at a more advanced level, including the study of word generation conventions. Importance will be placed on developing reading and writing skills.
Offered by: Integrated Studies in Ed
- Prerequisite: EDEC 227
- Terms
- This course is not scheduled for the 2024-2025 academic year
- Instructors
- There are no professors associated with this course for the 2024-2025 academic year
-
EDEC 239 Mi'gmaw Language 1 3 Credits
- Fall
- Winter
- Summer
Offered in the:Curriculum and Instruction: An introduction to the study of the phonological system of Mi'gmaw for the purpose of literacy skills development. Explores Mi'gmaw syntax and morphology, word generation conventions, and Mi'gmaw labeling in order to develop understanding of the functioning of the Mi'gmaw language.
Offered by: Integrated Studies in Ed
- Terms
- Fall 2024
- Instructors
- Karen Martin
-
EDEC 240 Mi'gmaw Language 2 3 Credits
- Fall
- Winter
- Summer
Offered in the:Curriculum and Instruction: Students will continue their syntactical and morphological analysis of Mi'gmaw and further develop their reading and writing skills. Features of Mi'gmaw that are difficult for language learners will be highlighted and implications for classroom practice discussed.
Offered by: Integrated Studies in Ed
- Prerequisite: EDEC 239
- **Due to the intensive nature of this course, the standard add/drop and withdrawal deadlines do not apply. Add/drop is the third lecture day and withdrawal is the sixth lecture day.**
- Terms
- Winter 2025
- Instructors
- There are no professors associated with this course for the 2024-2025 academic year
-
EDEC 241 Cree Language 1 3 Credits
- Fall
- Winter
- Summer
Offered in the:Curriculum and Instruction: Students will learn their own phonology and see how the phonological system is reflected in dialects. They will learn the spelling rules and develop their literacy skills in syllabics. Finally, they will derive Cree grammatical terms and begin to study Cree morphology and syntax.
Offered by: Integrated Studies in Ed
- Terms
- This course is not scheduled for the 2024-2025 academic year
- Instructors
- There are no professors associated with this course for the 2024-2025 academic year
-
EDEC 242 Cree Language 2 3 Credits
- Fall
- Winter
- Summer
Offered in the:Curriculum and Instruction: Students will study the morphology and syntax analysis of Cree at a more advanced level and begin the study of word generation conventions. In addition, features of Cree that are difficult in first language acquisition will be highlighted and implications for classroom practice discussed.
Offered by: Integrated Studies in Ed
- Prerequisite: EDEC 241
- **These courses are only for the Office of First Nations and Inuit Education (OFNIE) for getting people to register online.
- **Web drop deadline is June 19, 2024
- **Web add deadline is July 3, 2024
- **Web withdrawal deadline is July 4, 2024
- Terms
- This course is not scheduled for the 2024-2025 academic year
- Instructors
- There are no professors associated with this course for the 2024-2025 academic year
-
EDEC 272 Algonquin Language 1 3 Credits
- Fall
- Winter
- Summer
Offered in the:Curriculum and Instruction: Students will learn the Algonquin phonological system. They will focus on animate/inanimate and inflections for agreement, aspect, tense and number. They will analyze word generation conventions and derive Algonquin labels to describe how Algonquin operates.
Offered by: Integrated Studies in Ed
- Restriction(s): Not open to students who have taken EDEE 294.
- Terms
- This course is not scheduled for the 2024-2025 academic year
- Instructors
- There are no professors associated with this course for the 2024-2025 academic year
-
EDEC 273 Algonquin Language 2 3 Credits
- Fall
- Winter
- Summer
Offered in the:Curriculum and Instruction: Continues earlier study of the Algonquin language with a focus on complex tenses, complex sentence structures (e.g., conditionals, subordination, embedded structure), and nominalizing verbs and verbalizing nouns. Objective is to develop reading and writing skills.
Offered by: Integrated Studies in Ed
- Terms
- This course is not scheduled for the 2024-2025 academic year
- Instructors
- There are no professors associated with this course for the 2024-2025 academic year
-
EDEC 277 Mohawk Language 1 3 Credits
- Fall
- Winter
- Summer
Offered in the:Curriculum and Instruction: Students will learn the Mohawk phonological system (including glottal stop, length mark, up and down stress). Syntactically and morphologically, they will focus on the pronoun system (tense included). Word generation conventions will be analyzed and Mohawk labels developed to describe how the language functions.
Offered by: Integrated Studies in Ed
- Restriction(s): Not open to students who have taken EDEE 297.
- Terms
- This course is not scheduled for the 2024-2025 academic year
- Instructors
- There are no professors associated with this course for the 2024-2025 academic year
-
EDEC 278 Mohawk Language 2 3 Credits
- Fall
- Winter
- Summer
Offered in the:Curriculum and Instruction: Continues earlier study of the predictable items in the Mohawk language and introduces an examination of non-predictable items: irregular verbs, reflexive and semi-reflexive verbs, purposive stem, translocative, etc. Objective is to develop reading and writing skills.
Offered by: Integrated Studies in Ed
- Prerequisite: EDEC 277
- Restrictions: Not open to students who have taken EDEE 298.
- **Due to the intensive nature of this course, the standard add/drop and withdrawal deadlines do not apply. Add/drop is the second lecture day and withdrawal is the fourth lecture day.
- Terms
- This course is not scheduled for the 2024-2025 academic year
- Instructors
- There are no professors associated with this course for the 2024-2025 academic year
-
EDEC 289 Inuktitut Orthography&Grammar 3 Credits
- Fall
- Winter
- Summer
Offered in the:Curriculum and Instruction: Structure and morphology of Inuktitut for teachers working in that language. Use of orthography, both qaliujaaqpait (Roman script) and qaniujaaqpait (syllabics) as established by the Inuit Cultural Association.
Offered by: Integrated Studies in Ed
- Prerequisite: Fluency in Inuktitut
- Restrictions: Not open to students who have taken EDEE 249.
- Terms
- Fall 2024
- Instructors
- Caroline Inukpuk
Education Courses
12 credits from the list below:
-
EDEA 242 Cultural Skills 1 3 Credits
- Fall
- Winter
- Summer
Offered in the:Arts Education: Development of Indigenous skills and knowledge in art, music, handicrafts and other areas both modern and traditional. Topics will vary and be chosen from a range identified by instructors and students.
Offered by: Integrated Studies in Ed
- Terms
- Fall 2024
- Instructors
- Jacob N Gale
-
EDEC 220 Curriculum Development 3 Credits
- Fall
- Winter
- Summer
Offered in the:Curriculum and Instruction: This course, introducing Aboriginal educators to the principles and processes of curriculum development, emphasizes the impact of language and culture on the development of materials. Features of the process of curriculum and materials design, which are strategically important in meeting the needs of Aboriginal students, are highlighted.
Offered by: Integrated Studies in Ed
- Terms
- This course is not scheduled for the 2024-2025 academic year
- Instructors
- There are no professors associated with this course for the 2024-2025 academic year
-
EDEC 403 The Dialects of Inuktitut 3 Credits
- Fall
- Winter
- Summer
Offered in the:Curriculum and Instruction: Study of the main Eskimo-Aleut dialects from Siberia to Greenland, looking at the effect of Inuit migrations across the Arctic on the development of dialectical differences. The main phonological, grammatical and lexical differences between the dialects and the patterns underlying these differences will be examined.
Offered by: Integrated Studies in Ed
- Prerequisite: EDEE 344
- Terms
- This course is not scheduled for the 2024-2025 academic year
- Instructors
- There are no professors associated with this course for the 2024-2025 academic year
-
EDEE 223 Language Arts 3 Credits
- Fall
- Winter
- Summer
Offered in the:Elementary Education: Different approaches to language arts education in the contexts of kindergarten and elementary classrooms will be investigated. Explores current research and theories related to language and literacy development, learning and teaching. Opportunities for cultivating techniques for aligning language arts pedagogy, curriculum, instruction and assessment will be provided.
Offered by: Integrated Studies in Ed
- Corequisites: EDEE 253 and EDEE 283.
- **This course will be held on July 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 12 & 13.
- **Due to the intensive nature of this course, the standard add/drop and withdrawal deadlines do not apply. Add/drop is the second lecture day and withdrawal is the fourth lecture day.
- Terms
- Fall 2024
- Winter 2025
- Instructors
- Lynn Shalit, Susan A Runnels, Diem H Lam Vu, Heather A Phipps, Simone E Bennett
- Melanie Bennett-Stonebanks, Maija-Liisa Harju
-
EDEE 240 Use&Adaptation of Curricula 3 Credits
- Fall
- Winter
- Summer
Offered in the:Elementary Education: Provincial or Nunavut curricula as a basis for planning, materials production and evaluation. Methods of adapting curricula to local needs and of developing local courses of study in First Nations and Inuit community schools.
Offered by: Integrated Studies in Ed
- Terms
- This course is not scheduled for the 2024-2025 academic year
- Instructors
- There are no professors associated with this course for the 2024-2025 academic year
-
EDEE 243 Reading Meth in Inuktitut/Cree 3 Credits
- Fall
- Winter
- Summer
Offered in the:Elementary Education: Overview of reading theories and their application to Inuktitut/Cree; processes used by proficient readers. Methods of teaching reading.
Offered by: Integrated Studies in Ed
- Prerequisite: Fluency in Inuktitut/Cree syllabics
- Terms
- This course is not scheduled for the 2024-2025 academic year
- Instructors
- There are no professors associated with this course for the 2024-2025 academic year
-
EDEE 248 Reading&Writing Inuktitut/Cree 3 Credits
- Fall
- Winter
- Summer
Offered in the:Elementary Education: Methods of teaching syllabic reading and writing. Understanding the principles of sight word reading instruction, child observation, material development and guided instruction.
Offered by: Integrated Studies in Ed
- Prerequisite: Fluency in Inuktitut/Cree syllabics
- **These courses are only for the Office of First Nations and Inuit Education (OFNIE) for getting people to register online.
- **Web drop deadline is June 19, 2024
- **Web add deadline is July 3, 2024
- **Web withdrawal deadline is July 4, 2024
- Terms
- Fall 2024
- Instructors
- There are no professors associated with this course for the 2024-2025 academic year
-
EDEE 345 Literature&Creative Writing 1 3 Credits
- Fall
- Winter
- Summer
Offered in the:Elementary Education: A study of the development of oral and written poetry and prose in the various dialects of Inuktitut or of another Aboriginal Language from pre-European contact to the present day. Emphasis on themes and structures in contemporary writings. Original production of poetry, narrative, drama and journalism in the selected language is required of each student.
Offered by: Integrated Studies in Ed
- Terms
- This course is not scheduled for the 2024-2025 academic year
- Instructors
- There are no professors associated with this course for the 2024-2025 academic year
-
-
EDEE 347 Grammar and Composition 1 3 Credits
- Fall
- Winter
- Summer
Offered in the:Elementary Education: Reading and writing of an Indigenous language which includes using a computer. Focus is on nouns, verbs, prefixes, suffixes, along with specific Indigenous lexicon.
Offered by: Integrated Studies in Ed
- Terms
- This course is not scheduled for the 2024-2025 academic year
- Instructors
- There are no professors associated with this course for the 2024-2025 academic year
-
EDEE 348 Grammar and Composition 2 3 Credits
- Fall
- Winter
- Summer
Offered in the:Elementary Education: Reading and writing of an Indigenous language. Intermediate and advanced aspects of grammar of the Indigenous language. Continuation of language development.
Offered by: Integrated Studies in Ed
- Prerequisite: EDEE 347
- Terms
- This course is not scheduled for the 2024-2025 academic year
- Instructors
- There are no professors associated with this course for the 2024-2025 academic year
-
EDEE 373 Traditional Healing 3 Credits
- Fall
- Winter
- Summer
Offered in the:Elementary Education: Indigenous traditional healing and its cultural value. The origins of Indigenous traditional medicines will be explored through elders' knowledge and stories.
Offered by: Integrated Studies in Ed
- Terms
- Fall 2024
- Instructors
- Vera George, Mary Diamond Bear
-
EDEE 383 Oral and Family History 3 Credits
- Fall
- Winter
- Summer
Offered in the:Elementary Education: Oral and family history techniques, emphasising kinship terms and the importance of kinship values to Indigenous Cultures.
Offered by: Integrated Studies in Ed
- Terms
- This course is not scheduled for the 2024-2025 academic year
- Instructors
- There are no professors associated with this course for the 2024-2025 academic year
-
EDES 365 Experiences in Communications 3 Credits
- Fall
- Winter
- Summer
Offered in the:Secondary Education: Personal development of students as communicators; involvement of the imagination in individual and group projects in language and in another chosen medium of communication: analysis of experiences in projects in relation to general problems of communication.
Offered by: Integrated Studies in Ed
- Offered through Continuing Education
- Terms
- This course is not scheduled for the 2024-2025 academic year
- Instructors
- There are no professors associated with this course for the 2024-2025 academic year
-
EDPE 304 Measurement and Evaluation 3 Credits
- Fall
- Winter
- Summer
Offered in the:Ed Psych & Couns (Psychology): The purposes of examinations. Causes of complaints about examinations. Equalizing means and dispersions in distribution of marks. Standardized scores. The percentile system. Essay and objective-type examinations. Taxonomies of educational objectives. Validity and reliability: item analysis.
Offered by: Educational&Counselling Psych
- Terms
- Fall 2024
- Winter 2025
- Instructors
- Marian Jazvac-Martek
- Marian Jazvac-Martek
Electives (6 credits)
6 credits of suitable courses approved by the Director of Programs in First Nations and Inuit Education.
Admission Information
This program is offered through community partners - there is no direct admission. For more information about partners and how to create a partnership with McGill First Nations and Inuit Education, see our Partners page.
Course Delivery Method
The Office of First Nations and Inuit Education works collaboratively to structure the course delivery method with the Partner. The sequence of courses, the location, the dates are all decided together- McGill and the Partner. The programs are customized to meet the McGill requirements as well as the Partner’s needs. Examples of course delivery methods include; face to face courses, blended courses using technology for follow up and support, community based as well as courses offered on McGill campus. The uniqueness of the course delivery method is the attentiveness that is paid to the students’ learning and well-being.
Contact Information
Stephen Peters
Director, Office of First Nations and Inuit Education
Tel.: (514) 398-4527 Ext. 00859
ofnie.education [at] mcgill.ca (Email)
Jim Howden
Assistant Director, Office of First Nations & Inuit Education
Tel.: (514) 398-4527 Ext. 09855
ofnie.education [at] mcgill.ca (Email)
Program information is organized for two distinct groups:
Prospective Students   Currently Registered
