Learners

The Rainy River District School Board and Seven Generations Education Institute have partnered to support Anishinaabemowin programming in schools. Along with programming within the elementary and secondary schools, we are fortunate to be partnered with preschool settings in the district where Anishinaabemowin is encouraged and supported.

Land based pedagogy increases experiential learning and emphasizes the interconnectedness of Anishinaabe language, culture, and land which is highly valued in the classroom. The use of technology in the Anishinaabemowin program enriches students’ 21st Century skills and allows them to explore further language learning.

This programming is supported by language speakers, knowledge keepers, and elders who come into the classrooms and offer learning experiences. This supports students, teachers, and families in their journey of learning and speaking Anishinaabemowin which is the goal of the Anishinaabemodaa initiative. 

Additionally we are able to offer virtual learning opportunities for the public which focus on Anishinaabe language, teachings, and culture. These sessions are recorded and offered to the public. Some session recordings are not offered on this public platform, but can be accessed if requested. Please contact us if you would like to access these recordings. 

Niigaanendadaa – 2026 Ziigwan Session

Niigaanendadaa has changed! It is now a cycle of seasonal language learning opportunities for our youth, grounded by our language speakers, and followed by lessons with our instructors.

Learners in grades 8-12 in Rainy River District schools & alternative programming can apply. Lessons will be in person Wednesday & Thursday from 4:30pm to 6:30pm at SGEI Rainy Lake Campus. Learners will also use the online Anishinaabemodaa learning platform to gain understanding of basic grammar and conventions. Leaners are also invited to bring 1 or 2 family members or peers with them on Wednesdays to learn with them! A light meal will be served each night.

Start date for 2026 Ziigwan Session: April 08, 2026

Application Deadline: March 16, 2026

Rate of pay: $17.00/hour

Time: 6-8 hours per week

Location: Seven Generations Education Institute – Rainy Lake Campus

Selection: 12 learners will be selected through a review of their completed applications. Applications are rated through a review process. Returning learners are selected based on their previous attendance, attitude, and work ethic, as well as their application. New learners are selected based on their application and short online conversation with the instructor and a fluent speaker. 

Please contact Niigaanigaabawiik Carissa Copenace for more information: carissac@7generations.org

Anishinaabemowini-ogichitaag is a three-year adult language program that blends incremental immersion and conversational skills with a number of unique features such as opportunities to learn teaching methodologies, history, protocols, linguistics, and cultural identity. This unique program includes both international revitalization methods, contemporary education support, and interdisciplinary learning to construct opportunities for learners to learn how to speak, understand, read, and write Anishinaabemowin.

While learning from fluent speakers and advanced language learners in person cannot be replicated with these resources,
these are some of our favourites to help you get started.

Anishinaabemowin Sounds & Alphabet

• Anishinaabemowin Part 1: Gaa inweng & vii
  • This is the first in a virtual series hosted by Anishinaabemodaa during the pandemic to help learners continue their journey while remaining safe. It reviews the sounds of Anishinaabemowin.
• Anishinaabemowin Gaa-inweng & Ozhibii’iganensan
  • This language kit was created by Anishinaabemodaa for families and educators to begin learning the sounds and spelling of Anishinaabemowin. All the resources are free and editable.

Virtual Language Learning

• Anishinaabemodaa.app
  • This platform was created for Anishinaabemodaa and is focused on teaching new learners how the language works. With over 100 modules and more on the way, the platform is an excellent starting point for learning Anishinaabemowin.
• MICEC: Our Language is Who We Are Workbook and Audio Accompaniment
  • This workbook is based on Gidinwewin: Your Language, an Anishinaabemowin resource workbook was written and voiced by Roger Roulette for the Manitoba Indigenous Cultural Education Centre (MICEC).
• Ojibwe Rosetta Stone – Aanjibimaadizing Cultural Resources
  • Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe partnered with Rosetta Stone to create an Ojibwemowin program.

Books

• Books from Anishinaabemodaa Waking Up Ojibwe, written, translated, and illustrated by Treaty 3 community members. Also available in hard copy upon request.
• Daga Anishinaabemodaa by Pebaamibines Dennis Jones with audio
• A Concise Dictionary of Minnesota Ojibwe
• Pocket Ojibwe: A Phrasebook for Nearly All Occasions by Patrcia M. Ningewance
• Pocket Anishinaabemowin for Kids and Parents by Trevor Greyeyes & Mae’engan Linklater Translations by Patricia Ningewance

Websites

• wakingupojibwe.ca
  • Our website hosts all our free and editable resources, provides information on our programming, and offers learning opportunities.
• miinojibwe.org
  • Anishinaabemodaa is a member of the Midwest Indigenous Immersion Network (MIIN). MIIN’s website hosts a vast number of free resources for educators and learners of all ages.
• glifwc-inwe.com
  • The Great Lakes Indian Fish and Wildlife Commission created these interactive resources for young learners. The subjects follow the seasons.
• ojibwemotaadidaa.weebly.com
  • Ojibwemotaadidaa Omaa Gidakiiminaang is based in Fond du Lac, MN where they host adult immersion camps and have a pre-K immersion program.
• ojibwe.lib.umn.edu
  • The Ojibwe People’s Dictionary is the most used and dependable online dictionary to date.

Stories

• Dibaajimowinan: Anishinaabe Stories of Culture and Respect
  • This project brought this collection of stories from the physical book & CD into an online space. Elders share their stories, and each one is transcribed, translated, and plays with highlighted wording to make it easy to follow along.

Classes

• Online classes with Memengwesi through CLAN in Minneapolis, find dates and registration on Facebook
• Language tables with Ricky Dafoe and Dene Sinclair through AICHO, find dates and registration on Facebook

Seven Generations Education Institute & Sault College have partnered to create an online learning experience which centers Anishinaabe Gikendaasowin – Anishinaabe Knowledge – by utilizing Anishinaabe songs and stories to assist learners in their journey of understanding fundamental concepts in relation to language revitalization and resurgence. The course begins by inquiring into the history of Anishinaabemowin (the Ojibwe language) and forming a beginner’s comprehension of introductory language skills in Anishinaabemowin. Learners will explore their role in maintaining the Anishinaabe stories and songs shared throughout the course. Learners will also build the capacity to engage with knowledge keepers and elders to support the ongoing resurgence of Anishinaabemowin within their respective fields.

This is a beginner-level Anishinaabemowin course consisting of 120 modules. Each module takes approximately 1 hour to complete. You will learn how to use various types of vocabulary and basic sentences (grammatical patterns). This course is designed to help learners attain a basic understanding of the dialect after completing the first 40 modules. Learners at this point should be able to provide one word responses. After completion of the entire course (120 modules), learners should find themselves with the ability to respond with 2 or more sentences.

This course has been designed to give you more vocabulary and grammar patterns than you can learn immediately. Students who have gone through this course have found that after Module 20, comprehension and retention gets easier. Keep in mind that developing any new skill, such as language learning, takes time, effort, dedication and practice – it will not “click” right away, and that is okay!

To see more videos visit our YouTube Channel

These conjugation charts have been created based on many years of learning and teaching in local environments. They can be edited for your community speech patterns, and are colour and shape coded for easier referencing while teaching. There is also an Anishinaabemowin Quick Reference Sheet included for rules and information at a glance when needed. To see more paradigms we encourage you to visit Rand Valentine’s work online.