April 29, 2024
ESK Immersion school held a L’nuisultiek showcase on Thursday April 25, 2024. The students worked hard for months to prepare for the showcase and did songs, speeches and skits in Mi’kmaq. Parents were invited and really enjoyed watching all of the students perform.
The reason for the event was that the educators at the school are noticing that the students speak a lot of English in the school. They spend 6 hrs a day in the Immersion school, where teachers and all staff make sure that Mi’kmaq is spoken. We as a staff work together to encourage that our Mi’kmaq language is spoken. We as a staff at ESK Immersion will repeat what was said in English by
the child in Mi’kmaq, and we encourage the child to repeat what was said in Mi’kmaq. The other times spent at home, ESK Immersion has no control over
what language is spoken at home. It was the best opportunity to let the parents know of the struggle we have to ENCOURAGE our students to speak Mi’kmaq at home.
The Principal at ESK, Elaine Denny, shared her concern and got very emotional while addressing the parents, and told them that the children are speaking a lot of English in the school and are not speaking the Mi’kmaq language. "We are not losing our language, it is still there," Elaine told the parents in attendance. "It is up to you the parents to make sure to speak Mi’kmaq at home to your children so that they can speak it to their future children."
After the showcase, participation certificates were awarded to all the students. There was also a hidden judge in the audience and winners were picked and were awarded 1st, 2nd and 3rd place medals that were presented the following day.
