Report from the Language Coordinator

by Jane Irungu

Spring Conference April 10-13

The African Language Teachers Association yearly conference was held at Indiana University in April. The theme was Integrating Culture in the African Language Classroom. About 60 to 70 African language instructors were in attendance. Some of the Universities represented were: Boston Univ., UPENN, Yale, UC Berkely, Illinois-Urbana-Champaign, MSU, Univ. of Georgia, Ohio State, Ohio Univ., UCLA, Univ. of Florida, and many others . There was also the famous Kiswahili author Euphrase Kezilahabi from Tanzania, but currently teaching at the University of Botswana.

I had an opportunity of meeting African Language teachers and coordinators from different parts of the country. I learned a lot from the presentations and through interacting with individuals who have some of the strongest African Studies Centers and language programs in the country. Presenters noted the fact that in light of matters relating to national defense and security, foreign languages have a place in our education system. There is need therefore to strengthen our programs and take advantage of the growing interest.

The following were discussed in lengthen as to how they would affect language programs in the institutions:

Instructors: are they full time, part time or GTA and how does this help or weaken the programs?
Enrollmemts: What can be done to help boast enrollment in the African languages?

It was suggested that:

Title VI Centers should help by offering additional funding to support staff salaries and to buy language resources. Strong language programs are a plus when the centers seek funding from the Federal government.
Institutional support: Departments and Centers need to rally for institutional commitment for the African languages, they need to show their place in the Universities' mission.
Start Certificate or Masters in African Studies. Students in such courses may be required to take some language courses. This helps boast enrollment.Seek FLAS, both summer and academic to increase graduate student enrolment.
Start linkages with African Universities in regions that cover languages offered. Students can attend study abroad and this may improve their language proficiency.

Language Outreach

Most of this was done through classroom visits. African Language instructors in collaboration with AAA&S faculty, visited classes offering African based content. The goal was to make the students aware of the languages offered and why it was important to make an African Language their choice of a foreign language.

Dinner

The Kiswahili students had an all African dinner on May 7, the last day of Spring classes. This was intended to expose the students to African food, and to learn as they taste. Students did some advertising by bringing in their friends in other classes who may want to learn Kiswahili or simply to have them enjoy a taste of Africa!

Language and Culture

Notable quotes from ALTA 03

"the grammatical knowledge of a language without any foundation in the culture of the people is a sham"

- Akintunde Akinyemi, University of Florida.

"using culture in the foreign language class in not thought of as being a question of "choice." Language should be taught in the context of culture because all language and behavior is culturally bound and culture under-grids everything we say and do in /with the foreign language.

- Zoliswa O. Mali, University of Iowa

"To learn a new language, the learner must be interested in the people of the target language, their country, and their language-i.e. , the learner must want to learn it!"

- Lupenga Mphande, Ohio State University.

Swahili Proverbs

Panapo nia, pana njia.

- Where there is a will, there is a way.

Kupotea njia, ndiko kujua njia.

- To lose the way is to learn the way.

Jiwe moja, haliinjiki chungu.

- One stone will not support a cooking pot.