Learning English with CBC
Listening Lessons for Intermediate Students
Based on CBC Manitoba Radio Broadcasts
November 6, 2008
Lesson 32: Self Study Edition
Level:
Benchmark 6 and up
Topic:
It’s Time to Fix Aboriginal Education
Language Skills and Functions:
Listening – listening to a short interview for main
ideas, details and inference
Speaking – comparing experiences; making an
apology
Reading – reading a text for information
Writing - making notes; completing a chart and a
Venn diagram
Language competencies:
Language Tasks:
Vocabulary, Pronunciation, Listening and Speaking
Strategies, Sociocultural/sociolinguistic Competence
Completing a Know – Want to Know – Learned chart on Manitoba’s
Aboriginal peoples
Listening to a radio interview with a researcher for main ideas and
inference
Using synonyms in context
Comparing the culture shock experiences of newcomers and Aboriginal
people
Reading and analyzing excerpts of the Government of Canada’s apology
on residential schools
Problem solving on keeping youth in school
Essential Skills:
Reading text, thinking skills, problem solving
Appendices:
Transcript of the podcast
The Prime Minister’s Apology (excerpts)
Answers to worksheets
Attention students: You will need to print the lesson to be able to complete the activities.
Manitoba Memo1
The Aboriginal peoples of Canada are also known as First Nations, Metis and Inuit peoples.
They are the descendants of the original inhabitants (or Indigenous peoples) of the land we now
call Canada. In early times, Aboriginal peoples gathered everything they needed to live from the
land, plants and animals around them. They saw the land as sacred because it gave and
sustained life.
Indigenous peoples taught the European explorers and settlers how to survive on the land.
Then, as the number of European settlers increased, some Aboriginal peoples signed treaties
with government about the use of the land. Government and Aboriginal peoples have disputed
the intent of these treaties for many years now. Aboriginal peoples believe their ancestors
signed agreements to let the settlers share the use of the land. They did not think they were
giving the land away. The Canadian government saw things differently. They took control of
much of the land covered by the treaties and set aside small sections of land for Aboriginal
peoples to live on. They called these areas reserves.
The Canadian government also made laws which applied only to Aboriginal peoples. The
best known of these is the Indian Act, which defined who is an “Indian”. To make Aboriginal
peoples more like European settlers, the government tried to assimilate their children by sending
them away to Christian-run residential schools. The policy of sending children to residential
schools failed on many levels. Many students did not receive a good education and they
suffered abuse and neglect at these schools. The harm they experienced still affects Aboriginal
peoples today.
Canadians and the federal government now recognize that the Aboriginal people of this
country have been treated poorly. Many of the socio-economic problems Aboriginal
communities face are the result of failed policies of the past. Now, the emphasis is on building
new relationships based on fairness and respect. Aboriginal people are working hard to ensure
a good future for their families, communities and nations.
Manitoba’s future is strongly tied to the future of the Aboriginal population. Fifteen percent
of the province’s population is Aboriginal and this percentage is growing. One in four children in
the province is Aboriginal. What will their future hold?
1
The main source of the information in the Manitoba Memo is the booklet The Aboriginal Peoples of Manitoba Welcome
Newcomers to Our Homeland. It was an initiative of Ka Ni Kanichihk Inc., an organization that provides services and
programs to Aboriginal peoples in Winnipeg. It was published in 2006.
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Background
1. Before you listen, think about what you know and want to know about Canada’s
Aboriginal peoples
One way to promote understanding across cultures is to learn about them. What is important
to them? What is their history? Summarize what you know in column one.
Are there things you would like to know about Canada’s Aboriginal peoples? Write the things
you want to know more about in column two. At the end of the lesson, you can complete the
third column.
1: I know
2: I want to know
3: I learned
I know that….
I want to know more about….
I learned that…
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2. Think about the importance of education
The topic of this lesson is Aboriginal education. How important is education? Think
about the following questions before you listen.



How important is the education of young people to the future of a country? Is
it very, somewhat or not very important? Why is that?
Do you think completing high school and going on to post-secondary
education is seen as more important in your country than in Canada? Or is it
less important? Why?
What are some of the consequences young people in Canada may face if
they don’t receive a good education? What happens if they don’t graduate
from high school or pursue post-secondary education?
3. Words you need to know
Here are a few words you need to know to understand the podcast.
Vocabulary
Aboriginal
Aboriginal peoples are the descendants of Canada’s
Indigenous peoples, who were the first inhabitants of the
land now called Canada. First Nations, Métis and Inuit
people are Canada’s Aboriginal peoples.
trend
A trend is when things seem to be going in a certain
direction. For example, after the Stock Market crashed,
experts said that our economy was on a downward trend.
disaster
A disaster is when something very bad happens. It could
be a natural event (storm, tsunami, flood) or it could be
because something fails (a system, a business or the
stock market).
Caledon Institute
The Caledon Institute of Social Policy is a not-for-profit
organization which works to inform and influence public
opinion and to foster public discussion on poverty and
social policy issues.
contributing
Contributing citizens are those who are able to give back
to their society in different ways.
social requirements
Things someone may need or ask for from government.
For example, someone many need income support
(sometimes referred to as welfare) because they have
difficulty finding work.
post-secondary education
Education beyond the high school level. This includes
college, technical school or university.
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K – 12
How people describe Canada’s education system which
generally begins in Kindergarten and ends in Grade 12.
mature student
A mature student is someone who returns to school as
an adult.
First Nations
In the 1970’s, people began to use the term First Nations
to replace the word “Indian”. Indian bands in Manitoba
began to call themselves First Nations (for example,
Peguis First Nation). The term is also used in a more
generic sense, for example, “First Nations Youth.”
precious resource
Something or someone you value. For example, we
often talk about children as a precious resource. This
means they are special and important to us.
adequate
If you have an adequate supply of something, you have
enough or about the right amount. For example, you
could say that a person has adequate funds to go to
college, so they don’t need to get a student loan.
4. Listen to the podcast
In this story, Terry MacLeod interviews Michael Mendelson. Michael was a Deputy
Minister in the Manitoba government in the 1980’s and is now Senior Scholar with the
Caledon Institute on Social Policy in Ottawa. He has published a research paper about
the education levels of the Aboriginal population across Canada. His study concluded
that Aboriginal students are falling behind the rest of the student population, especially
on the Prairies. What do you think he and Terry will talk about?
I think they might talk about how to improve Aboriginal education.
Maybe they’ll talk about what his study found out.
Terry might ask him about …
I’m pretty certain they’ll talk about…
I wonder if they’ll talk about…
I have no idea what they’ll talk about.
5. Get ready to listen
In this podcast, you will hear three speakers. You will hear:
Marcy Markusa – host
Terry MacLeod – CBC interviewer
Michael Mendelson – Senior Scholar from the Caledon Institute of Social Policy
Play the podcast for the first time.
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6. Listen for main ideas and inference
Read the questions on the Worksheet below before you listen to the podcast again. That
will help you know what information you are listening for. Reading the questions in
advance may also give you clues which will help you better understand the interview.
Question
True or
False
T
1 Aboriginal students in Manitoba are falling behind.
2 Manitoba’s Aboriginal population is growing at about the same rate as the nonAboriginal population.
3 Michael Mendelson believes that the trends he identified in his research are
bad news for the Manitoba economy.
4 According to Michael Mendelson, fixing Aboriginal education is as important as
building roads and hydro lines.
5 The problems with Aboriginal education begin in the K – 12 system.
6 A lot of Aboriginal students go on to post-secondary studies as mature
students.
7 It is important to provide financial and other supports to Aboriginal students
who graduate from high school and want to go on to post-secondary studies.
Additional questions
1. Do you think Michael Mendelson is sympathetic to the challenges Aboriginal students
face? Give reasons for your answer.
2. Circle the adjectives which best describe Michael Mendelson’s tone of voice in the
podcast. Be prepared to explain your selections.
bored
concerned
thoughtful
worried
complacent
uncaring
3. Why do you think he describes the situation of Aboriginal education as a “slowly
accumulating massive disaster” instead of just as a “disaster”? What does he accomplish
by using the longer description?
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7. Listen for reductions
When you listened to the podcast did you notice how Michael Mendelson reduced two
very common expressions? Here are the reductions used:
Written English
How It Sounds
have to 
going to 
hafta
gonna
(line 34)
(lines 20, 33, 34)
Listen to the podcast again and use the transcript to help you. Can you hear the
reductions?
Reductions are pronunciation changes in words or sounds. They are common when
people are speaking quickly. Two words or three words may sound like one word. They
are used in spoken English but not in written English. Do you have reductions in your
language?
Reductions are used by everyone who speaks English, even academics. If you listen
for and understand reductions you will understand more of what you hear.
Here is a list of common reductions. Practise saying them out loud.
How It Sounds
hafta
gonna
whaddaya
wanna
gotta
donno
whacha
shoulda
coulda
woulda
How It’s Written
have to
going to
what do you
want to
got to
don’t know
what do you
should + have + past participle
could + have + past participle
would + have + past participle
After you listen
a) Review your pre-listening predictions
Quickly review your pre-listening predictions. Were you able to correctly predict what
was discussed?
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b) Use synonyms in context
Synonyms – words that have similar meanings – are common in the English language. Many
of the vocabulary words in the podcast have synonyms. You could substitute the vocabulary
word for its synonym and the sentence would still have the same meaning. Using synonyms
can be a good strategy. When someone doesn’t understand a word you are using, you can
replace it with a synonym. Hopefully your listener will understand the synonym.
Find the word which doesn’t work as a synonym for the word in bold in each of the sentences
below and circle it. The first example is completed for you. Pay attention to the context. You
can use an English language learners dictionary to help you.
1.
As the number of European settlers increased, some Aboriginal groups
signed treaties with government about the use of the land.
contracts
2.
failure
catastrophe
college
university
Every kid who does manage to get out of high school into post-secondary is a
precious resource.
expensive
6.
newcomer
You know they have to get out of school, out of high school in order to get
into post-secondary.
K-12
5.
First Nations, Métis and Inuit
Our next guest says that the state of Aboriginal education for Aboriginal
people is, as he puts it, nothing but a slowly accumulating massive disaster.
accident
4.
leases
Manitoba’s Aboriginal population is growing six times faster than the nonAboriginal population.
Indigenous
3.
agreements
valued
cherished
In my view they should be given better and adequate support to make sure
they get through.
enough
sufficient
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c) Compare experiences using a Venn diagram
The interview you listened to in this lesson was part of a weeklong series CBC
Information Radio did this fall called “Hard Lessons.” .” (If you want to listen to other
stories in the series go to the CBC Manitoba link which is listed in the Want to Know
More section of this lesson.)
One of the other stories was about CBC reporter, Sheila North Wilson. She talked about
the culture shock she experienced when she moved from a reserve in Northern
Manitoba to Winnipeg to pursue her education.
Here are some of the things Sheila had to say about her experiences and feelings when
she first came to Winnipeg.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
She came here to have a better life.
She was hundreds of miles away from her family.
She was only 15 years old.
The sirens of ambulances and fire trucks made her jump.
Some days in class she didn’t say one word even though she knew English.
She missed her family a lot.
It was hard to find a good place to live.
She felt pressure to succeed and to set an example for others.
She often felt unwelcome in her new city.
People laughed at her because she didn’t know how a bus pass worked.
She didn’t know a single person in Winnipeg when she first came here.
It was hard to make friends.
She quit school at 17 to have a baby.
How do you think Sheila’s experience of culture shock compares to most newcomers’
experiences? What is similar and what is different? One way to compare experiences
is to use a Venn diagram which is made of overlapping circles. Take a look at the
Venn diagram and the example given. Follow these steps to get started:
 Read the list of Sheila North Wilson’s experiences. If her experience is
similar to what you think newcomers experience, then write the
experience in the area called Similarities, where the two circles
overlap.
 Are there experiences Sheila had which are different to those of
newcomers? Write these under Differences: Aboriginal Experience
in the circle on the left.
 Are there experiences newcomers have which Sheila did not have?
Write those experiences under Differences: Newcomer Experience
in the circle on the right.
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d) Talking about similarities and differences
Now take a look at the Venn diagram you have completed. Think of sentences you
could use to talk about the similarities and differences you see between the two
experiences. Here are some ways you could start your sentences.
Some of the similarities between the culture shock experienced by Sheila
North Wilson and by newcomers are…
One similarity is…
Another similarity is…
Some of the differences are…
One difference is…
Another difference is…
e) What makes a good apology?
Think about the following questions:
 What are examples of common situations where people apologize to someone
else?
 What makes a good apology? What tone of voice should you use? What words
should you use?
 Why are apologies important?
f) Read and answer questions about an apology made by the Government of Canada
On June 11, 2008, the Government of Canada formally apologized to Canada’s
Aboriginal peoples about the experiences their children had in residential schools which
were run by the federal government. Children left home to attend residential schools
and many had terrible experiences while at school. A whole generation of Aboriginal
people across the country were affected by the residential school experiences.
If you want to learn more about residential schools, you can go to the Where Are the
Children website at: http://www.wherearethechildren.ca/en/htmltour.html
This website provides a sense of what the school experience was like and has a lot of
useful information.
Before the Government of Canada apologized for what happened at residential schools,
some of Canada’s Aboriginal peoples told reporters what they were hoping the apology
would include. Here is what they were looking for:





They wanted the government to take responsibility for what happened.
They wanted to hear the words “I’m sorry.”
They wanted the apology to be genuine and heart-felt.
They wanted the apology to be honest.
They wanted the apology to talk about the harm which the community experienced
because of residential schools.
Now read some of the apology made by Prime Minister Stephen Harper which you will find in
Appendix 2. Then answer the following questions.
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1. Do you think that the Prime Minister’s apology met some of the expectations of the
Aboriginal community which are listed above? Give two or three examples of things he
said which you think would have met their expectations.
2. Underline some of the phrases or words he used which made the apology emotional and
effective.
3. Why do you think this apology was so important to Aboriginal peoples? What do you think
it may accomplish that will help Aboriginal peoples in the future?
4. Why do you think the Prime Minister said “I’m sorry” in more than one language? Did this
make his apology more genuine or heart-felt? Why or why not?
5. Can you recall a time or event in your country where a major apology was made to a group
of people who had been wronged? What was the situation? Do you think the apology was
helpful?
d) Problem solving step by step
Employers consider the ability to problem solve an essential workplace skill. The best way to
learn how to problem solve is to practise the skill. Here are some basic steps to follow:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Identify the problem
Identify what could be the cause of the problem.
Consider possible solutions.
Choose a solution.
Decide how the solution could be implemented.
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Choose one of the problems from the table below. Think about what could possibly be done
about the problem. Can you come up with ideas which would help more Aboriginal young
people complete their high school education and go on to post-secondary education? Use the
chart on the next page to help you.
Reasons Why Aboriginal Students
Don’t Finish High School2
Wanted to work
Had to work
Bored with school
Problems at home or had to help out
at home
Pregnancy or taking care of children
Percent
21%
20%
14%
12%
11%
Note: Some of those surveyed gave more than one reason.
Here is a chart for you to use to write down your thoughts. There is also an example of how
you could approach one problem.
What is the problem?
The problem is…
(e.g. School is boring)
What are some things that may be
causing the problem?
(e.g. Classes are not interesting)
What are some possible
solutions?
(e.g. Survey students to see what
could be done to make them more
interesting)
What solution do you think would
be the best?
(e.g. Find a way to involve the
students so they are interested)
How could the solution be
implemented?
(e.g. Have students work on a
project on what they’d change to
make school more interesting)
From page 46 of the 2001 Statistics Canada Aboriginal People’s Survey: Provincial and Territorial Reports: Off-reserve
Aboriginal Population: http://www.statcan.ca/english/freepub/89-618-XIE/89-618-XIE2006001.pdf.
2
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e) Finish the Know-Want to Know-Learned Chart
Return to the chart at the beginning of the lesson and complete the final column. If you
want to know more about Canada’s Aboriginal peoples, you can look at resources in the
Want to know more section of this lesson.
Want to know more…
The Ka Ni Kanichihk website is:
http://www.kanikanichihk.ca/
The United Against Racism website is:
http://unitedagainstracism.ca/index.php?action=about
To hear all of the CBC Information Radio stories on Aboriginal education or to listen to the
complete interviews with Michael Mendelson and Sheila North Wilson, go to:
http://www.cbc.ca/manitoba/features/hardlessons/
Where are the Children is an amazing virtual site with lots of accessible information about
residential schools. Its purpose is to promote awareness about residential schools and to try
to help Canadians understand the ripple effect residential schools have had on Aboriginal life.
The organization which sponsored the site also aims to bring about reconciliation between
generations of Aboriginal people, and between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal people.
http://www.wherearethechildren.ca/en/home.html
For a profile of Manitoba’s Aboriginal population, go to:
http://www1.servicecanada.gc.ca/en/mb/aboriginal-profile/aboriginals.pdf
Michael Mendelson’s full report on the state of Aboriginal post-secondary education in Canada
can be found at:
http://www.caledoninst.org/Publications/PDF/595ENG%2Epdf
If you enjoyed this lesson you might also be interested in Learning English with CBC Lesson 2,
Newcomers Take a Road Trip to Rolling River Reserve. It’s under Past Lessons on the
website.
(Note: CBC does not endorse and is not responsible for the content of external websites)
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Appendix 1: Transcript
Nov 6, 2008
Speaker
Podcast
Line
Marcy
Hi I'm Marcy Markusa and you're listening to Learning English
with CBC. Manitoba’s Aboriginal population is growing six times
faster than the non-Aboriginal population, but when it comes to
education, Aboriginal students are falling behind. Today’s guest
tells Terry MacLeod why everyone in Manitoba should be
5
concerned about this trend.
Terry
Our next guest says that the state of Aboriginal education for
Aboriginal people is, as he puts it, nothing but a slowly
accumulating massive disaster for the Prairies. Michael
Mendelson is with the Caledon Institute of Social Policy. He’s
10
here now. Good morning.
Michael
Morning.
Terry
A slowly accumulating massive disaster for the Prairies. That
sounds extreme. What do you mean by that?
Michael
Well if ah greater and greater percentage of your ah labour force
15
is ah not able to compete in the modern ah economy, not able to
get good jobs and not able to supply ah a highly skilled labour
force, Manitoba will not be a prosperous province. The other side
of it is that people who can’t keep steady employment and who
can’t get a decent wage and can’t buy a house ah are not gonna
20
be, are unlikely to be highly contributing citizens and are more
likely to have social requirements and demands.
Terry
I understand you said as well that if we don’t fix Aboriginal
education, it is more important than highways, more important
than building a new hydro line…
25
Michael
Even more important than hydro, that’s right.
Terry
If you could offer a kind of general observation, what is preventing
First Nations people from getting a post-secondary education?
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Michael
The main problem with post-secondary education is K-12. You
know they have to get out of school, out of high school in order to
30
get into post-secondary education. There’s a few who manage to
you know go as mature students, and that’s great, but ah the
reality is that if we’re gonna get equity for First Nations ah
peoples, than ah, they’re gonna hafta graduate from high school
in normal time at about the same rate as everybody else. So it’s
35
really K-12 in my view where where everything starts. I don’t
mean by that that we can forget about post-secondary. We hafta,
every kid who does manage to get out of high school into postsecondary is a precious resource and in my view they should be
given better and adequate support to make sure they get through,
help them get through.
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40
Appendix 2: Excerpts from the Prime Minister’s Apology on Residential Schools
Stephen Harper stood in the House of Commons on Wednesday to say sorry to former
students of native residential schools — in the first formal apology from a Canadian
prime minister over the federally financed program.
"Mr. Speaker, I stand before you today to offer an apology to former students of Indian
residential schools," Harper said in Ottawa, surrounded by a small group of Aboriginal
leaders and former students, some of whom wept as he spoke.
"The treatment of children in Indian residential schools is a sad chapter in our history.”
"Today, we recognize that this policy of assimilation was wrong, has caused great harm,
and has no place in our country," he said to applause.
"The government now recognizes that the consequences of the Indian residential schools
policy were profoundly negative and that this policy has had a lasting and damaging impact
on Aboriginal culture, heritage and language," Harper said.
"While some former students have spoken positively about their experiences at
residential schools, these stories are far overshadowed by tragic accounts of the
emotional, physical and sexual abuse and neglect of helpless children, and their separation
from powerless families and communities."
"We now recognize that, in separating children from their families, we undermined the
ability of many to adequately parent their own children and sowed the seeds for
generations to follow," he said. "Not only did you suffer these abuses as children, but as
you became parents, you were powerless to protect your own children from suffering the
same experience, and for this we are sorry."
"You have been working on recovering from this experience for a long time and in a very
real sense, we are now joining you on this journey," Mr. Harper concluded. "The
government of Canada sincerely apologizes and asks the forgiveness of Aboriginal peoples
for failing them so badly."
Nous le regrettons.
We are sorry.
Nimitataynan.
Niminchinowesamin.
Mamiattugut.
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Links for more of the Prime Minister’s apology:
http://www.cbc.ca/canada/story/2008/06/11/Aboriginal-apology.html
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20080611.wapologymain0611/BNStory/
National/home
http://pm.gc.ca/includes/send_friend_eMail_print.asp?URL=/eng/media.asp&id=2149&langFlg
=e
Answers to Worksheets
Listening for Main Ideas and Inference
1–T
2–F
3–T
4 – F (it’s more important)
5–T
6–F
7–T
Synonyms
The words which do not belong are:
1 – lease
2 – newcomer
3 – accident
4 – K-12
5 – expensive
6 – minimal
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