Learn Pertame!

The Pertame Ngketja Untja (Language Nest) is a immersion playgroup for Pertame infants and their parents to be immersed within their language, culture and community to create bilingual, culturally resilient, and community-connected children. We leave English at the front door, and create the one place in the world where Pertame language will be the dominant language. We want to raise our children as first language Pertame speakers once again, as our Elders were raised. 

The Nest is structured like a playgroup, where all activities, routines, songs, games and instructions are given in Pertame only.  Our Nest is led by Pertame educators and guided by fluent Elders.

What: a total Pertame immersion playgroup for Pertame babes and their caregivers

When: four days a week from Tuesday-Friday, 10am-2pm 

Who: parents/caregivers of Pertame babies from birth-5 years old. We will also accept expecting mothers. 

Where: our Language Nest is located at the Desert Knowledge Precinct, in the Cfat office building 

Transport: we have bus pick ups starting at 9:30am for babies and caregivers. Our buses are fitted with appropriate baby seats. 

We run after school and school holiday programs for the school aged children of Pertame heritage. This ensures that we are planting the seeds for language passion in all generations of Pertame children, and supporting whole households to speak Pertame.  

When: After school from 3pm-5pm every Wednesday during the school term, and during the four school holidays of the year. 

What: Learning language, culture and kinship through engaging activities, games, arts and crafts, songs and on-country trips. Children will get the chance to connect with Pertame Elders, build close family ties and perform their language in the community. We provide a healthy lunch and lots of physical activities and sports. 

Who: All school-aged Pertame children who have family involved in our Language Nest or Adult's class

Where: Our Pertame School building is located at the Desert Knowledge Precinct in the Cfat office building. 

Transport: We have school buses that can pick children straight up from school or their residence and drop them home each Wednesday. Parents can also drop off or pick up children if they prefer. 

We are excited to announce Pertame evening classes for adults starting in 2025. 

Where: Pertame Language Nest, Desert Knowledge Precinct

When: Every Wednesday evening from 5:30 - 7:00pm

Transport: We will offer bus pick ups for any enrolled adults that need transport out to DKA

Dinner: We will provide a communal dinner at 5pm, starting the lesson by 5:30pm. Baby sitting will be provided.

Our adult educators will be running classes and home study of an immersion curriculum called the Fluency Transfer System. This system, developed by the Salish Immersion School in Spokane USA, is a comprehensively sequenced curriculum designed to help learners become fluent in their Indigenous Language. It is composed of six textbooks divided into three levels, as well as instructional techniques for full immersion teaching. At each level of the fluency system, there is a language book and a literature book accompanied by audio recordings and additional materials to aid in learning and teaching.