As individuals and collectives you can express identity through language; your identity may also reflect the values and ideas you hold as important. You may have ideas about religion, spirituality, beliefs, and the connection to the land that you share with your family and community. Your role models may have an impact on whom you are or want to be. Explore the role of these ideas in how collectives and individuals express their identities. Afterward, examine the impact that increased global contact between these diverse values and ideas may or may not have on your identity.

How does my language reflect who I am? Throughout this lesson, think if language is used to reflect your identity, both individual and collective. Does it connect you to your community and your world? Will increased global contact change your language and who you are?

Assignment

Open How does my Language Reflect Who I Am? assignment. 

Extension

Reflection

I Lost My Talk by Rita Joe 

Lesson Summary

Identities can express many things. As in the lesson on the relationship between language and identity, your choice of words can reflect where you are from. Your beliefs can reflect who you are. You can observe values, beliefs, and connection to the land in the identities of those around you. Some of these ideas and beliefs are passed down by your family over generations. You may choose more values and beliefs from other peoples and communities as communication and transportation technologies allow you to observe and exchange diverse values, beliefs, traditions, and ideas. This can result in both unique and shared expressions of identity for both individuals and collectives. This may also challenge which values and ideas will shape identities in the future.