Elitnauryarait qaneryaramta quliratgun: teachings of our language through storytelling

Abstract

My master's project, Elitnauryarait Qaneryaramta Quliratgun (Teachings of Our Language Through Storytelling) connects two different ways of teaching and learning Yugtun in a first grade classroom setting. I used the PACE model (English western schooling), which is a story-based approach to support language development. I picked one of the local quliraq (old traditional oral story) told in Yugtun language. Quliriyaraq (way of Yup'ik storytelling) is one of the important teaching tools that tells stories in a natural way. This Quliriyaraq project is culturally relevant (rich in authentic language and cultural background knowledge) and my Yup'ik students were so engaged and motivated. Instruction using the PACE model enhanced students' motivation by using a grammatical feature or a language structure from the story and learning it in a meaningful way. Other aspects that connect to my project are Multiliteracies (meaning-making modes that make learning and teaching literacy effective) and Funds of Knowledge (acquired knowledge from home). Authentic assessments are also included for a traditional oral story into a western education classroom, which are culturally relevant and appropriate in a school. This is one way to maintain our strong and powerful language through our school's bilingual programs. This project can very well serve new Yugtun language teachers, especially in bilingual program schools.