Camosun College has launched an initiative to decolonize English placement assessments for Indigenous students and institutions across the country have been joining to support the effort. A committee based out of the college has begun work on a standardized tool that will place Indigenous students in the appropriate level of postsecondary English while reflecting Indigenous worldviews and cultures. “When I looked at assessments from previous Indigenous students, such as an essay that received a low score but had profound wisdom, reflection and insights, I realized that we were using the wrong tool,” said Camosun English Placement Counsellor Maureen Niwa. Camosun says that the committee developing the assessment tool has grown into a national Indigenizing English Placement Assessment (IEPA) Steering Committee, which involves eight Canadian institutions and is welcoming new members.
