Translations

At White Fox Learning, our original mission was to create and provide Indigenous language learning materials. More than ten years later, that mission remains at the heart of everything we do. However, we can't create these language resources on our own—we need the knowledge and expertise of language speakers, educators, and Elders to make them possible.

One of the first things I learned when developing materials is that Indigenous languages are incredibly diverse. Even communities that share the same language or dialect may spell words differently or use different terms altogether. These differences are important, and we honour them by creating custom products specifically for your community.

When you provide translations, those translations are used only for your products. We do not sell, share, or distribute your translations to other customers. Your language belongs to your community, and we respect that.

Supporting Language Teachers

Over the years, I have worked with many language teachers and have seen firsthand how much work goes into creating language resources. In many schools, there is only one language teacher. Unlike classroom teachers, they often cannot simply order materials that already exist in their language. Instead, they spend evenings, weekends, and countless extra hours creating bulletin board displays, lesson materials, games, and learning resources from scratch.

White Fox Learning aims to make that process a little easier.

Although our products are displayed with English text, our goal is to encourage language speakers to adapt them into their own languages. Many teachers find it helpful to sit down with Elders or fluent speakers and work through the translation lists together. These conversations often become valuable opportunities to discuss vocabulary, spelling choices, and language preservation.

How the Translation Process Works

Translation lists are available for all thematic materials that contain text. These lists can be downloaded as Word documents, or I can email them to you upon request.

Once your translations are complete, simply email them back to me, and I will create your customized materials.

We accept typed or hand-written syllabics or Roman Orthography.

If you submit hand-written syllabics, please be prepared for a little back-and-forth communication during the editing process. This helps ensure that the final product is accurate and reflects your intentions. Typed syllabics can usually be copied and pasted directly into the design, which helps improve accuracy and reduces the chance of errors.

A Few Translation Tips

Don't worry if your language doesn't have a direct word for every picture card or concept. If there is no suitable word, simply leave that item blank on the translation list, and the corresponding space on the card will be left blank as well.

When translating, don't feel that you need to match the English word for word. The English text is provided only as a guide. Use the words, phrases, or expressions that feel natural in your language and best communicate the intended meaning.

The same applies to sentences and paragraphs. Rather than translating the English text literally, write the message in the way that sounds right to you and your community. The goal is not a perfect word-for-word translation—the goal is meaningful, authentic language that reflects how your community speaks.

Working Together

Every translation project is a partnership. By combining your language knowledge with our educational materials, we can create resources that are meaningful, culturally relevant, and useful for learners in your community.

Thank you for helping keep Indigenous languages strong, visible, and thriving for future generations.