Official JAG competency wording: Communicate in writing
Category: Basic Competencies
Source themes: written communication, documentation, clarity
Source: JAG Competencies Descriptions.docx.
Open this competency in the learning workspace
Reviewed OSEU and Wolakota interview connections
D23 — Communicate in writing
Explore D23 · Developing Native Writers - Lowell Amiotte - OSEU 4 · OSEU 5
Reviewed teaching connection (Supporting): Lowell Amiotte describes developing Native writers and written accounts so people can represent their own perspectives. The connection supports writing with audience and purpose, not adopting another person’s identity. OSEU 5 is a current content-based connection; the source title’s OSEU 4 label is retained separately.
Updated for Proposed August 9, 2024: Developing Native written accounts supplies primary-source cultural perspectives, supporting revised 5.2. Original JAG–interview approval retained.
In order to have the Indian voice heard, we're going to have to develop writers. People who actually put things down on paper. You know, earlier, when I was young and I went to school, we would read things about Native Americans, but they were all written by non-Indians. So gradually, we were trying to build toward developing a written voice. I think the old stories are very important, and a lot of them have been written down now, so they're easier to pass on. We even established what's called the Oak Lake Writers Association, where we—again, I'm not a writer, but here I'm starting something. We invited them all in, known writers and young people who wanted to be writers, and they produce three or four books now. One of those that you may know is Lydia Whirlwind Soldier. She's been a very good person in that group. And another one from right here in Rapid City is Liz Cook Lynn. She's the one trying to get the Indian statues down at Holly Park. So we started that with the idea that we now needed a written voice. And we have young writers like Don Montlow now who are coming on and starting to write things down so it's not all lost. I mentioned earlier the idea of the vanishing language. There was even a book called The Vanishing American, which was about American Indians. We don't want to vanish anything. We think we have a lot to offer, and people should stop and read other people's philosophies, learn something about their religion. I think it makes us very important. The Indians always say we're responsible for seven generations. We have to make sure that Seven Generations has that knowledge and that it's passed on. And as we go on now through the times, if it's still all oral, we're going to lose a lot of it, or it's going to really change because outside factors influence it. So we have to get it written down by Indian people.
Learn About: Why does Lowell Amiotte describe a need for Native people to produce a written voice?
Learn From: What idea could you communicate in your own words, and who would you want to understand it?
05 Wolakota Project Video Transcripts and URLs.docx · WP-0079; video fShKlqEDggQ; passage containing: we now needed a written voice.. Teaching interpretation is separate from official wording and the interviewee’s account.
D23 — Communicate in writing
Explore D23 · Dakota Language Revitalization - Dr. Sherry Johnson & Dr. Nadine Eastman - OSEU #3 · OSEU 3
Reviewed teaching connection (Supporting): Sherry Johnson and Nadine Eastman describe their sister’s work producing Dakota curriculum, cards, signs, and a language-based game. This supports D23 by inviting students to plan written material for an audience.
Updated for Proposed August 9, 2024: New connection to the overall current understanding. No specific OSEU standard alignment is claimed. Original JAG–interview approval retained.
Dr. Nadine Eastman: We want to talk about language because…I want you to know that I’m the youngest sister and she’s the oldest sister…and in between us is our middle sister, Tammy…and in our reservation, her job is…what’s her official title?...Lakota Language Director at Dakota Language Institute…she’s a director. And she has been trying to preserve our language. We’re all concerned about losing our language. So, for years and years now, she has been working on making curriculum materials in Dakota for the schools and individuals. She has a program through Transparent Languages, a UNKNOWN WORD program, just for assisting Dakota that we use in our schools.
Learn About: What details in this passage support the speaker’s account of language revitalization? What would you need to hear in the full interview before interpreting it?
Learn From: How could you plan written material for an audience? Use a fictional or classroom example if you prefer, and explain which part of the speaker’s account informed your approach.
05 Wolakota Project Video Transcripts and URLs.docx · WP-0087; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5V7mbNGrxqg; opening passage. Teaching interpretation is separate from official wording and the interviewee’s account.
D23 — Communicate in writing
Explore D23 · Addressing OSEU 4 with Cheryl Medearis · OSEU 4
Reviewed teaching connection (Supporting): Cheryl Medearis describes building a community of learners and invites students to write and tell their stories. This supports D23 by inviting students to use writing to communicate a story.
Updated for Proposed August 9, 2024: New connection to the overall current understanding. No specific OSEU standard alignment is claimed. Original JAG–interview approval retained.
One of the most important things to me as an educator and to work with future educators and to work with inservice teachers is to help them understand that sense of community and what is kinship. And maybe we're not related by blood, maybe your students are and aren't, but to build that strong community of learners and for students to go back and know who their relatives are and to understand who their families are. And that's a real struggle in this day and age with families that are separated and split and children's names are changed in the court has had a devastating impact. So we have to really think about how we have students go back and know their story. I think that's one of the most powerful assignments that students have done in our class is write your story, tell your story. I do that as part of the class that I do... and it's like, oh really?
Learn About: What details in this passage support the speaker’s account of community of learners? What would you need to hear in the full interview before interpreting it?
Learn From: How could you use writing to communicate a story? Use a fictional or classroom example if you prefer, and explain which part of the speaker’s account informed your approach.
05 Wolakota Project Video Transcripts and URLs.docx · WP-0105; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sf9IP-srFl0; opening passage. Teaching interpretation is separate from official wording and the interviewee’s account.
Human Shaped Learning connection
Chapter 12: Using Storytelling as a Tool for Learning
Reviewed teaching connection: Reviewed connections: D23. Use a story to explore the learning goal, then invite a written, visual, or spoken response.
Human Shaped Learning with Front Matter.docx · Ch. 12, actual manuscript pp. 92–98; chapter opening and conceptual discussion
Plan with these recommendations and select more HSL chapters.