News Mar 25, 2020 – 1:30 pm EDT

Inuktut book titles available online for free during COVID-19 school closures

NTI, Inhabit Media partner to build online resources

Nanarluk, an Inuktut-language story about a giant bear, is one of the titles from Inhabit Media now available online, thanks to a partnership with Nunavut Tunngavik Inc. (Image courtesy of Inhabit Media)

By Jane George

Nunavut Tunngavik Inc. and Inhabit Media Inc. say that they have teamed up to make Inuktut books available without charge online.

NTI called the need for Inuktut learning materials “urgent,” due to the current COVID-19 pandemic and the closure of schools across Nunavut.

“NTI is proud to contribute to Inuktut learning, connecting families and enabling all of us to stay at home as much as possible,” said NTI President Aluki Kotierk in a news release on Tuesday, March 24.

The goal is to ensure that Inuit children and youth have access to Inuktut books and educational resources to support language learning from home, the release said.

“We want to support learning from home, and to encourage people to use this time to come together and strengthen our language,” said Louise Flaherty of Inhabit Media.

NTI said it is also working with Inhabit Media and Inuit educators to create new educational resource packages to support Inuktut literacy from home.

Nunavut’s chief public health officer has ordered the closure of the territory’s schools and daycares, effective March 17, for at least three weeks.

“Each week that this crisis continues, new books and resources will be added to support Nunavummiut and ensuring our language remains strong,” NTI said.

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(5) Comments:

Posted by Piitaqanngi on Mar 25, 2020

This at a time when we’re being asked to limit our data usage. Especially for us satellite-served communities. NTI had better give financial support to Qiniq if it want our children to use these resources online. Otherwise, this goes against social solidarity.