NILI Summer Institute 2008

[Christopher Doty]

Please join us for the 11th annual NILI Summer Institute at the
University of Oregon July 7th - 18th, 2008. Courses will cover a range
of topics, including Northwest Native languages, linguistics,
materials and technology, and teaching methods.  This year, we will
explore ways that parents, programs and language teachers can
encourage language use outside the classroom.

Courses offered:

Teaching Methods for Indian Languages:  Language in the Home (1 credit)

	Instructor:  Lindsay Marean

Classroom Materials and Technology  (1 credit)

	Instructors:  Chris Doty, Judith Fernandes

Introduction to Linguistics (1 credit)

	Instructor: Janne Underriner

 Introduction to Sahaptin Linguistics (1 credit)

	Instructor: Joana Jansen

Advanced Linguistics for NW Indian Languages (1 credit)

	Instructor: TBA

Chinuk Wawa (1 credit)

	Instructor: Tony Johnson

Sahaptin (1 credit)

	Instructor: Virginia Beavert

Lushootseed - A Total Immersion language Class  (1 credit)

	Instructor: Zalmai (Zeke) Zahir

For complete course descriptions and costs, please see
http://www.uoregon.edu/~nwili/institute.html



Weekend Workshop: July 11-13, 2008

…>>><<<… A Basket Story and Mapping Language to Land: Language in the
Home …>>><<<…

It is vital for communities, teachers and language programs to develop
strategies to bring language home to the families, and encourage
families to participate within the classroom. This workshop will
develop curriculum and materials that connect the classroom with the
home.

Mnemonic devices are objects that cause us to remember a topic.  For
example, a picture of a "cat" can help remind a student of the word
for cat, or even a story about their own pet.  Different objects
create different memories for all of us. The curriculum and lesson
plans we will be covering during the weekend workshop involve
developing two different mnemonic devices to get language used in the
home.  They are as follows:

A Basket Story: Baskets are an integral part to indigenous culture.
They  "weave" our lives into connections with nature, materials,
elders, stories, history, and much, much more.  Each individual's
basket story is different, though everyone's is significant.  Some
stories are straight forward, going in a straight line with a clear
beginning and end.  Other stories are tightly woven and cover several
themes.  They can cover current events, as well as, traditional
history.  Such is the diversity of basketry.  Some baskets are only
one material, woven under, over, under, over…  Others are tightly
twisted, involving several resources and have intricate designs.  Some
baskets are only woven with traditional materials, while others
incorporate contemporary materials, meshing new with old.

Each language program will be selecting a tribal basket story for this
workshop.  If you can, bring a basket, or photo of a weaver or basket
that you would like to use to tell your story.  This object will be
the center piece for your lesson plan development and mnemonic device.

Mapping Language to Land:  Everyone has stories when traveling.  They
usually begin with, "This is where I locked my keys in the car when…"
or, "This is where my grandfather use to take me hunting…"  or,  "My
tribe picks berries on that hill, because…. and that is why it is
called…." As in basket stories, each of these stories are unique.
This is not literally language in the home, but what is meant by
language in the home is language used by families, and we are usually
with our families (at least close friends) when we are traveling in a
vehicle.

Each language group will be coming up with their own story that is
tied to the land.  Hence: they will be creating curriculum around the
idea of Mapping Language to Land.  The actual location will serve as
the mnemonic device.  Please try to have some story ideas that will
tie your language to the land.

Zalmai (Zeke) Zahir will lead the workshop. He is a scholar and
instructor of the Lushootseed language and culture. For over thirty
years he has studied with elderly speakers, researching, transcribing
and translating Lushootseed. He has authored and co-authored a number
of Lushootseed language publications

The workshop follows the theme of Language in the Home, and will run a
half day Friday, all day Saturday, and Sunday morning. It will be a
required part of the curriculum for full summer institute
participants, but also available for those of you who can't make it
for the full institute.

--

For more information on the Summer Institute, please see
http://www.uoregon.edu/~nwili/institute.html

Priority registration deadline: June 2, 2008.  Registration forms are
available at http://www.uoregon.edu/~nwili/institute.html  After June
2, 2008, registration will be on a space-available basis.

We hope to see you in Eugene this summer!

Northwest Indian Language Institute

University of Oregon
1629 Moss Street
Eugene, OR  97403
nwili at uoregon.edu
phone 541.346.0730
fax 541.346.6086