suggestions anyone?

Thu Nov 25 19:55:38 UTC 2010

Richard, just a little answer:  Start with 2nd p plural so they all do it.  Native speakers of Kumeyaay like to put the word for "all" with this.  Later, when you are sure some can do it, switch to 2nd p singular and use those students as models.  You could also use the dual with two students in between the sing and the pl since it's less threatening to do something with a partner; also, it's part of the language.  
Also, when they get ready to SAY where something is, they will.
Paula
  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Richard Zane Smith 
  To: ILAT at LISTSERV.ARIZONA.EDU 
  Sent: Thursday, November 25, 2010 9:10 AM
  Subject: Re: [ILAT] suggestions anyone?

  Paula (and ALL of you) thanks!

  I've been enjoying the youtube videos of TPR in action
  but i assure you I WILL get the book which sounds excellent.

  wandat (Wyandot) hasn't had fluent elders in a 100 years

  In order for me to implement TPR which in some forms i've accidently done already,
  (Though i get most of the kids singing some "vocabulary" from day one)
  I have to "create" the material first.    --from scratch. (((no elders to ask,of course)))
  I have to search from our "word lists" and "root/stem lists"
  attempt a construction, send it off via email to a busy linguist
  (who is not paid by our tribe for any work he volunteers) 
  wait for up to a week get an "ok" or "a correction" with excellent persuasive reasons.

  Imperatives have their unique status and problems. Not about rudeness...but...
  raise your hand !   ...ok....
  should i start with introducing   2p singular? ,   or 2p plural?  , definitely not   2p dual !

  or is it better to DROP imperatives all together and start with actions I can "join in" ?   
  1p plural inclusive:   
  now, we all raise our hand(s)    we stand  - we sit -  we walk

  as you can see there's no prepackaged language course for me to simply follow
  and its why I appreciate ALL the suggestions given.

  After the first day children know when i'm asking "where?" something is
  because I'm using gestures and pretending to look around puzzled.
  ( to get them to respond in wandat will take longer!)

  4 yr old pre-school numbers:  we work up to "twenty"   (they sing it)

  K- 5th the kids realize that all the other numbers are "easy"
  once they memorize the foundational "number song".
  they LOVE having me put   (ex)  5432  on the board for them to verbalize..
  but i'm rambling and using your time, have a great thanksgiving!

  much to be thankful for!

  Richard Zane Smith 
  Wyandotte Oklahoma,

  On Wed, Nov 24, 2010 at 7:54 PM, Paula Meyer <pmeyer8 at cox.net> wrote:

    Richard, I have used TPR for Kumeyaay, and it has gone over very well and people have learned a lot and liked it.  The lessons are very happy events.  It has to be adapted culturally, e.g. direct commands are considered rude in a lot of languages and the vocabulary is not always appropriate, but this is easily changed.  You have to teach and practice it with the teachers.  If you get Asher's basic book Learning another language through actions (www.tpr-world.com), you can adapt it, and the teachers can do it once they understand the concept.  We practice before each lesson.  You might want to look at TPR Storytelling too, another of Asher's books. .Since you are dealing with preschoolers, they probably don't need all of this; in my experience, they get bored with the structure and need a more natural situation.  However, it may give your teachers something to hold onto that's a language-teaching "method," and they might feel more secure.  If your teachers are into "research," there are tons of it to support not changing back and forth between languages, especially with the majority language.  I hate to keep beating this horse, but do you have any videos of language nests?  They could look at those if they can't visit one, because preschoolers are such little sponges in any language, and seeing it in action might help them get rid of the majority language in their interactions with the children.  Good luck.  Your efforts will be rewarded when you hear those little kids talking to each other in their heritage language.
    Paula
      ----- Original Message ----- 
      From: Richard Zane Smith 
      To: ILAT at LISTSERV.ARIZONA.EDU 
      Sent: Wednesday, November 24, 2010 4:29 PM
      Subject: Re: [ILAT] suggestions anyone?

      thanks Dorothy, 
      I have been hearing reference to TPR in some seminars I've attended
      but haven't seen anything indepth. I'll look into it
      I do use my body alot while i'm teaching and gestues,
      which is how we all learned our first language (without translations!)

       i also use puppets animals who "talk" ,so i can model conversations
      between myself and puppets...which ALSO means 
      there becomes more than one Language Speaker in the room!

      its nice to hear the advice
      and to simply be able to talk with people who know its value!

       tizhameh (thanks)
      Richard

      On Wed, Nov 24, 2010 at 1:18 PM, <Dmark916 at aol.com> wrote:

        Richard, what you are doing invites a special legacy for the people, and even though it may not seem to be valued, it lights a way for language to flourish. Many years ago (like the 1970's) Berty Seigle developed a technique call Total Physical Response (TPR). As you are exposing very young children to language, please consider using her approach, as it involves movement and action in language learning. Gradually the children anticipate the language and begin using it themselves, not in a word-by-word context, but actually in descriptive ways. There is no "translation" necessary. And the teachers, looking on or looking in, can become involved as well.
        While some teacher inservice workshops might be helpful, without administrative backing they might just be resented. Try the TPR approach (or some iteration of it) instead.
        In Spirit,
        Dorothy Martinez-K

        In a message dated 11/24/2010 6:41:34 A.M. Pacific Standard Time, rzs at WILDBLUE.NET writes:
          thanks Doug and Natasha,
          good way to explain it about not "giving away the answer" in class.

          the books (Natasha) sounds excellent...another project! for me to look into.
          (sounds like i need to have some meetings with these teachers)

          Its tough because ...sadly: I'm it. I'm our local language revitalization effort,
          which is foolish and even ridiculous. there is no language committee in our tribe
          and if anythings going to happen its because I'm insane enough to volunteer to
          attempt it on my own....and this is the 6th year of me  ..."doing it alone"

          You all who have healthy language/culture revitalization efforts
          Have something to thank the Creator for.
          Just don't forget about some of us foolish ones, winging it alone,
          carrying the whole weight but determined not to give up..even if it kills us.

          'preciate having some pros to bounce ideas upon here on ILAT!
          ske;noh
          Richard

          On Wed, Nov 24, 2010 at 2:17 AM, Natasha L Warner <nwarner at u.arizona.edu> wrote:

            I think Leanne Hinton's book that's actually a guide to the Master
            Apprentice program, _How to Keep your Language Alive_, has some good
            explanations of why immersion without translation is the way to go.  Maybe
            something in that would help you with how to explain it to the teachers.
            It's a challenging issue--even people who really know better about
            immersion so often want to just "help" by providing translation.  Good
            luck.

            Natasha

            *******************************************************************************
            Natasha Warner
            Associate Professor, Department of Linguistics
            University of Arizona
            PO Box 210028
            Tucson, AZ 85721-0028
            U.S.A.

          -- 

          "It is easier to build strong children than to repair broken men."

          - Frederick Douglass

      -- 

      "It is easier to build strong children than to repair broken men."

      - Frederick Douglass

  -- 

  "those who desire to give up freedom in order to gain security will not have,nor do they deserve,either one." Benjamin Franklin

  "its easier to build strong children than repair broken men" Frederick Douglas

  "It is easier to build strong children than to repair broken men"
  - Frederick Douglass

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