ULIMI The Bulletin of the National AfricanLanguage Resource Center (NALRC)

INSIDETHISISSUE

From theDirector

1

Our Projects:Stronger than Ever

2

National Council ofLess Commonly

Taught Languages6

African LanguageStandards

DevelopmentWorkshop

9

Summer 2006Institute

10

Summer CooperativeAfrican LanguageInstitute Instructor

Workshop14

Summer Camp forMaterial Development

14

The Nalrc ExpandsOutreach

15

Announcements16

From the DirectorDr. Antonia Folarin Schleicher

These are truly wonderful times for the NALRC. The 2005-2006academic year was the fourth and final year of a grant provided bythe U.S. Department of Education, International Education andGraduate Programs Service (IEGPS), and we are grateful to the IEGPSfor the past four years. The NALRC is proud to report that the IEGPShas chosen to renew its funding of our efforts for the 2006-2010cycle and we look forward to many more productive years at theNALRC.

The list of projects the NALRC has undertaken in the last four years islong and exciting. We have published nine “Let’s Speak” textbooksand seven learners’ reference grammars, a guide for African languageprogram development, a variety of multimedia language learners’tools, and six professional journals. More than a dozen other suchprojects are in the works. We have also continued our efforts to offerprofessional development opportunities for instructors of African

languages. This year we hosted the 9th Annual Conference of the National Council of LessCommonly Taught Languages, a workshop to develop standards for African language instruction, andour annual Summer Institute for African language instructors. We anticipate that our list ofpublications and professional development opportunities will continue to grow as our abilities andrelevance increase.

None of these accomplishments would have been possible without the dedicated service of Africanlanguage scholars and instructors around the world. I would like to take this opportunity to thankBen Elugbe, in Nigeria, and George Marquis, in Egypt, for helping to make the NALRC’s influence aglobal phenomenon. I was honored to have visited the National Institute for Nigerian Languages inAbia State, Nigeria and to have led a workshop for Foreign Language Teaching Assistants in Cairo. Iwould also like to thank the NALRC National and Local Advisory Board for helping to make ourmission vibrant here in the United States.

The many scholars who have participated in materials development for the NALRC are deserving ofthanks as well. This year, four new textbooks were written by Seth Ofori (Akan-Twi), AquilinaMawadza (Shona), Sheila Mmusi (Setswana), and Solomon Chaphole (Sesotho). Currently, LeonceRushubirwa and Alwiya Omar are working on an advanced level Kiswahili textbook. And very soon,we will begin the final stages for Sana Camara’s Wolof-English Dictionary and Omar Ka’s Let’s SpeakWolof textbook; Ibro Chekaraou’s Let’s Speak Hausa, Amadou Tidiane Fofana’s Let’s Speak Pulaar,Mazemba Nzwanga’s Let’s Speak Kikongo, Abdullahi Abdinoor’s Let’s Speak Somali and LeonardMuaka and Angaluki Muaka’s intermediate level Let’s Speak Swahili. The diligence and dedicationthat these scholars have shown is remarkable.

I also want to use this forum to thank the many other people who have dedicated their time toNALRC projects such as language brochures, workshops, and institutes. The hard work of languageinstructors, researchers, and native speakers in writing and reviewing materials, leading workshops,and sharing their insight make the myriad NALRC projects possible. Thank you, Steve Timm and JoeNosek, for another wonderful Summer Institute. Marjorie Tussing, thank you for an enlightening

NALRC Director Antonia FolarinSchleicher

Fall 2006Vol. 7

NALRCPERSONNELAntonia SchleicherDirector

Adedoyin AdenugaAssistant Director

Matthew H. BrownProject Assistant

Adekunle MofolasayoProject Assistant

Andrew GurstelleStudent Assistant

ULIMI is a publication of theNational African LanguageResource Center (NALRC). It ispublished annually todisseminate information issuingfrom the center.

Responses to and commentsabout this newsletter areencouraged. Please Contactthe editor, Matthew H. Brown,via e-mail atnalrc@mailplus.wisc.edu

National African LanguageResource Center4231 Humanities Building455 N. Park StreetMadison, WI 53706Tel: (608) 265-7905Fax: (608) 265-7904E-mail: nalrc@mailplus.wisc.eduWebsite:http://lang.nalrc.wisc.edu /nalrc

workshop on foreign language standards. Many thanks to Ray Clifford for the AfricanLanguage Teachers Association Pre-Conference Workshop and to Margaret Malone forthe National Council of Less Commonly Taught Languages Pre-Conference Workshop.

Finally, I would also like to thank the NALRC staff: Assistant Director AdedoyinAdenuga, Student Assistant Andrew Gurstelle, and Project Assistants Sookyung ParkCho, Bezza Tesfaw Ayalew, Adekunle Mofolasayo, and Matthew Brown. It is theirdedication and day-by-day efforts that keep the NALRC functioning at such a highlevel.

This, the seventh volume of ULIMI, provides detailed information about all of themajor NALRC projects of this past year. Please review this information and send anycomments to the NALRC. Your feedback will be a crucial part of making the NALRCsucceed during the years to come.

OUR PROJECTS,“Stronger Than Ever”The National African Language Resource Center was established in September 1999with a grant from the U.S. Department of Education to improve the accessibility ofAfrican languages in the United States by strengthening the field as a profession andby developing resources for the teaching, learning, and research of African languages.The Center's mission is to serve the entire community of African language educatorsand learners in the United States by sponsoring a wide range of educational andprofessional activities designed to improve the accessibility and quality of Africanlanguage instruction in the United States. The Center encourages a variety ofpedagogical approaches to accommodate learner diversity, and advocates theintegration of language and culture learning and the acquisition of fluency in theseareas. It facilitates dialogue among teachers, learners, and administrators from a widevariety of cultural and institutional perspectives, and promotes the profession ofAfrican language teaching.

During the seventh year of funding, the Center continues its activities and services inthe following areas:

1. National African Language Program Coordination2. African Language Materials Development and Dissemination3. Research in African Language Pedagogy4. African Language Program Development and Evaluation5. Professional Development for African Language Educators

1. National African Language Program Coordinationi. African Language Program Inventory ListThe NALRC continues to upgrade the African language program inventory on a regularbasis so that information about programs in African languages can be available tovarious universities and colleges that are planning to start African language programs.This list also helps individual language learners who are interested in learning Africanlanguages and who look for local institutions offering those language courses. In orderto maintain the most accurate list of African language programs in the U.S., theNALRC welcomes your suggestions about program changes not indicated on the list.Please visit our website http://lang.nalrc.wisc.edu/nalrc to view the latest list.

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ii. African Language Pedagogy Evaluators’ ListThe NALRC continues to make available a list ofscholars who are willing to serve as consultants fornew or existing African language programs. Theseexperienced African language pedagogists assist theCenter’s mission by evaluating existing Africanlanguage programs and by helping to start newprograms. These evaluators, and the programdevelopers themselves, are provided with access toAfrican Language Program Development andAdministration: A History and Guidelines for FuturePrograms. This NALRC-published text is a product ofthe life-long teaching and coordinating experience ofAfrican language pedagogist Prof. Eyamba Bokamba.

iii. African Language Coordinators’ TrainingProgramsThe NALRC trains African language coordinatorsthrough various types of workshops. Theseworkshops aim to promote African languagecoordinators’ effectiveness in working with a widevariety of African language instructors. Usuallylanguage coordinators are requested to work withother African language instructors, whose languagethey may not speak or understand. These workshopsteach the coordinators to work with instructors betterand to mentor them more successfully. If you or yourlanguage coordinator needs such training, pleasecontact the NALRC office.

iv. African Language Resource ListThe NALRC maintains a list of African languageinstructors, native speakers, and scholars who areinterested in working as translators, interpreters, andtesters for government and non-governmentagencies. This list is updated whenever the Centerreceives information about new resource people. Ifyou are interested in providing this kind of service,please call or email the NALRC office.

v. African Language Material and Workshop ListIn order to satisfy the Center’s mission to provide theentire community of African language educators withteaching resources, the NALRC assesses the need formaterials across the field of African languagepedagogy. The Center has reviewed African languagematerials needs annually since its initial needsassessment in 1999. Part of this process includesgathering information about existing materials andworkshops for African language instructors. Thesematerials range from textbooks to audio and videotapes, web-based materials, and role-play cards. Thecatalog of existing materials and requests for newmaterials is critical to the material development andpublication process at the NALRC. So far, all of theNALRC publications originated from these annualneeds assessments. The NALRC urges scholars andinstructors, who may be interested in developing suchmaterials, to contact the NALRC office. We alsoencourage them to inform us of any material and

workshop needs to which the NALRC should attend.

2. African Language MaterialsDevelopment and DisseminationThe NALRC has placed a high priority on developingand disseminating African language materialsbecause, in the field of African language teaching,the need for teaching materials is so great. Throughthe tremendous efforts of diverse scholars and Africanlanguage teachers, the NALRC has contributed to thedevelopment and dissemination of language teachingmaterials ranging from commonly taught Africanlanguages, such as Swahili, to less-commonly taughtAfrican languages such as Amharic. This year, theNALRC published four Let’s Speak Series textbooks,two journals, and an audio CD-ROM. In addition, theNALRC has completed five new language brochuresand, as a result, the number of language brochuresincreased from 30 to 35. The following is the list ofall the African language materials that have beendeveloped and published by the NALRC since the year2000. The list also indicates forthcoming publications.

i. Textbooks published by the NALRCLearners’ Reference Grammars• Swahili Learners’ Reference Grammar

(Katrina Daly Thompson & Antonia Schleicher,University of Wisconsin-Madison, 2001)

• Pulaar Learners’ Reference Grammar(Antonia Schleicher & Amadou Tidiane Fofana,University of Wisconsin-Madison, 2002)

• Bamanankan Learners’ Reference Grammar(Amadou Tidiane Fofana, University of Wisconsin-Madison & Mamery Traoré, University of Graz,Austria, 2003)

• Asante-Twi Learners’ Reference Grammar(David Adu-Amankwah, University of Florida, 2003)

• Amharic Learners’ Reference Grammar(Bezza Tesfaw Ayalew, Addis Ababa University,Ethiopia, 2005)

• Shona Learners’ Reference Grammar(Peter Jamali & Aquilina Mawadza, 2005)

• Zulu Learners’ Reference Grammar(Audrey N. Mbeje, University of Pennsylvania, 2005)

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Let’s Speak Series• Let’s Speak Swahili: Tuseme Kiswahili (F.E.M.K.

Senkoro, University of Dar es Salaam, Tanzania,2003)

• Let’s Speak Egyptian Arabic: Dardasha EgyptianArabic (Mustafa Mughazy, Western MichiganUniversity, 2004)

• Let’s Speak Lingala: Tosolola Na Lingala (EyambaBokamba, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign,2004)

• Let’s Speak Amharic (Bezza Tesfaw Ayalew, AddisAbaba University, 2005)

• Let’s Speak Setswana: A Re Bueng Setswana (SheilaOnkaetse Mmusi, University of the North, SouthAfrica, 2005)

• Let’s Speak Zulu: Masikhulume Isizulu (ThandiwaNxumalo, Witwatersrand, South Africa & DumisileMkhize, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign,2005)

• Let’s Speak Akan (Twi): Ma Yenka Akan (Twi) (SethOfori, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 2006)

• Let’s Speak Sesotho: Bua Sesotho (RampasaneSolomon Chaphole, Vista University, South Africa,2006)

• Let’s Speak Shona: Ngatitaure Shona (AquilinaMawadza, 2006)

Others• African Languages in U.S. Colleges and Universities:

Program Development and AdministrationGuidelines (2002)

• Role Play Cards (2002)

Journals• Journal of African Language

Learning and Teaching (2001)• Journal of the African Language

Teachers Association, Volume 3(2003)

• Journal of the African LanguageTeachers Association, Volume 6(Spring 2005)

• Journal of the African LanguageTeachers Association, Volume 7 (Fall2005)

• Journal of the National Council ofLess Commonly Taught Languages,Volume 2 (2005)

• Journal of the National Council ofLess Commonly Taught Languages,Volume 3 (2006)

ii. Texts in progressLearners’ Reference Grammars• Yoruba Learners’ Reference Grammar (Antonia

Schleicher, University of Wisconsin-Madison)• Swahili Learners’ Reference Grammar, Second

Edition (Katrina Thompson, UCLA & AntoniaSchleicher, University of Wisconsin-Madison)

Let’s Speak Series• Second-Year (Intermediate) Let’s Speak Swahili

(Leonard Muaka, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign & Angaluki Muaka, Stanford University)

• Third-Year (Advanced) Let’s Speak Swahili (AlwiyaOmar, Indiana University & Leonce Rushubirwa,University of Kansas)

• Let’s Speak Wolof (Omar Ka, University ofMaryland-Baltimore County)

• Let’s Speak Hausa (Ibro Chekaraou, Michigan StateUniversity)

• Let’s Speak Somali (Abdullahi Abdinoor, OhioUniversity)

• Let’s Speak Kikongo (Mazemba Nzwanga)• Let’s Speak Pulaar (Amadou Tidiane Fofana)

iii. Multimedia Projects• First and Second Year Yoruba Online Course

Visit http://lang.nalrc.wisc.edu/level 1 andhttp://lang.nalrc.wisc.edu/level 2

• Advanced level (3rd Year) Yoruba CD ROM• Vocabulary Flash Cards CD ROM in 15 African

Languages• Online bulletin board for African language learners

and teachers Visithttp://lang.nalrc.wisc.edu/board/ubbthreads/ubbthreads.php

• Let’s Speak Swahili: Tuseme Kiswahili Audio CD• Let’s Speak Amharic: Amharic Audio CD• Let’s Speak Egyptian Arabic: Dardasha Audio CD

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vi. Multimedia projects in progress• Je K’A Ko Yoruba CD-ROM

v. Brochures

vi. Brochures in progress• Acholi• Afrikaans• Mbundu• Ndebele• Swati

vii. Other Materials• Wolof-English Dictionary• Swahili PreK-5• Yoruba PreK-5

3. Research in African LanguagePedagogy

In an effort to increase the cooperation between thefield of African language pedagogy and that of otherless-commonly taught languages (LCTLs), the NALRCnow puts more emphasis on developing the Journalof the National Council of Less Commonly TaughtLanguages (JNCOLCTL) than the Journal of AfricanLanguage Learning and Teaching (JALLT). The NALRCrecently published Volume Three of JNCOLCTL. Thisvolume features “Why students in the U.S. arelearning Arabic: A study of motivation at the collegelevel” by Paula M. Winke and Heather D. Weger-

Guntharp; “College Heritage Language Speakers’Perceptions of Heritage Languages and Identity” byJingjing Qin; and “Models of Integrating Content andLanguage Learning” by Jiaying Howard. This newvolume was distributed to nearly 300 people at the9th National Council of Less Commonly TaughtLanguages Conference. It is the NALRC’s hope thatinstructors of LCTLs, including African languages, willcontinue to engage in quantitative and qualitativeresearch on less commonly taught languagepedagogy.

4. African Language ProgramDevelopment and EvaluationThe NALRC not only helps to strengthen existingAfrican language programs, but also encourages thecreation of new African language programs. One ofthe activities in which the Center engages is thedevelopment of African language program evaluationguidelines, which meet both national guidelines forprogram assessment and the goals of Africanlanguage program coordinators in the United States.Another activity engaged in is Program Evaluationand Mentoring. This is simply the process by whichthe Center offers support and consultation, on an as-need basis, for African language programadministrators.

5. Professional Development forAfrican Language EducatorsThe NALRC supports African language educators inthe United States by sponsoring a wide variety ofeducational and professional activities designed toimprove the accessibility and quality of Africanlanguage instruction in the United States. Thefollowing activities have been carried out in order toprovide this kind of support:

i. National Council of Less Commonly TaughtLanguages (NCOLCTL) Conference

ii. African Language Standards DevelopmentWorkshop

iii. Annual Summer Institute for African LanguageInstructors

iv. Pre-Summer Cooperative African LanguageInstitute (SCALI) Instructors’ Workshop (2005)

v. The evaluation of SCALI 2006

The following pages are devoted to extensive reportson each of the above activities.

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AmharicArabicBamanaBembaChichewaHausaIgboIsixhosaKikongoKikuyuKinyarwandaKpelleKrioLingalaLuganda

MalagasyMendePulaarOromoSetswanaSesothoShonaSomaliSwahiliTemneTigrinyaTwiWolofYorubaZulu

National Council of LessCommonly Taught Languages(NCOLCTL)April 27th-30th, 2006

The 9th Annual International Conference of theNational Council of Less Commonly TaughtLanguages was held at the Concourse Hotel inMadison, WI, April 27 – 30, 2006. The theme of thisyear’s conference was “Expanding the LCTLCapacities in the United States.” The conference wasorganized by the NCOLCTL Secretariat, which ishoused in the offices of the NALRC. Nearly 200 LCTLprofessionals from around the United States, theUnited Kingdom, and China participated in this year’sconference.

Sponsors of this year’s conference included theUniversity of Wisconsin-Madison InternationalStudies; the International Institute; the Center forEast Asian Studies; the Center for South AsianStudies; the Center for South East Asian Studies; theDepartment of African Languages and Literature;African Studies Program; the Department of Hebrewand Semitic Studies—with the generous support ofthe Ettinger Family Foundation; Global Studies; LatinAmerican, Caribbean, and Iberian Studies; theNational African Language Resource Center;NCOLCTL; the UW-Madison College of Letters andScience; and the UW Lectures Committee.

On Thursday, April 27, NCOLCTL held a Pre-Conference workshop, sponsored by the UW-Lectures Committee, open to all UW-Madison LessCommonly Taught Language professionals andconference participants. Dr. Margaret Malone, of theCenter for Applied Linguistics, delivered this year’spre-conference workshop on “Assessment in Less-Commonly Taught Languages.” The workshopconsisted of four modules on the vocabulary ofassessment, individual classroom needs assessments,

assessment resources, and the differences andchallenges of assessment facing LCTL classrooms andprograms.

That evening, April 27, NCOLCTL held a jointreception with the Wisconsin International OutreachConsortium (WIOC), who were hosting the Title VIand Fulbright-Hays National Outreach Conference.With many members of both conferences inattendance at the reception, the total number ofparticipants neared 300. The attendees were treatedto a multimedia performance of skits, music, anddancing by UW-Madison less-commonly taughtlanguage classes. The languages represented in theperformance included Yoruba, Hindi, Urdu, Telugu,Tibetan, Tagalog, and Indonesian.

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The pre-conference workshop led by Dr. Margaret Malone

Yoruba students perform at NCOLCTL/Title VI Reception

Hindi students perform at the Reception

Professor Schleicher delivers welcome remarks at the NCOLCTL conference.

The next morning, April 28, General WelcomeRemarks were delivered by Antonia Schleicher, GillesBousquet, Magdalena Hauner, and Michael Everson.Immediately following, Gail McGinn, the Departmentof Defense’s Senior Language Authority, delivered thekeynote address of the conference, titled, “ExpandingLCTL Capabilities in the Department of Defense.”Mrs. McGinn also presented NCOLCTL ExecutiveDirector, and Immediate Past President, AntoniaSchleicher with the Gold Level Presidential VolunteerService Award in recognition of all of Dr. Schleicher’sefforts in the interests of less-commonly taughtlanguages and cultures.

Five other plenary presentations were also deliveredover the course of the conference. Speakers at these

sessions included Carl Falsgraf of the Center forApplied Second Language Studies, Robert Slater ofthe National Security Education Program, Ralph Hinesof the International Education Programs Service(Department of Education), Richard Brecht of theCenter for Advanced Study of Language, PaulSandrock of the American Council on the Teaching ofForeign Language, and Elizabeth Bernhardt ofStanford University. The topics of these sessionsranged from discussions of the role of federal highereducation partnerships, to Title VI/Fulbright-Hays andLCTLs, global literacy for all students, LCTL survival inhigher education, and measuring proficiency in criticallanguages.

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Gail McGinn delivers the Keynote Address at the NCOLCTLconference.

Tibetan students perform at the Reception

Backstage at the NCOLCTL Reception

Professor Schleicher accepts the President’s Volunteer Service Awardfrom Gail McGinn.

Robert Slater and Carl Falsgraf take questions following the secondplenary session.

Ralph Hines addresses NCOLCTL and Title VI conference attendees.

Forty-three (43) papers were presented at this year’sconference on topics such as curriculum, materials,research, technology, and professional development.Ten (10) colloquia were presented and thirteen (13)exhibitors set up booths representing developers ofLCTL materials, resource centers, or various agencies.Additionally, two member organizations of NCOLCTL,the Consortium for the Teaching of Indonesian andMalay (COTIM) and the South Asian LanguageTeachers Association (SALTA), held their annualmeetings during the conference

On Friday, April 28, a banquet was held in honor ofRay T. Clifford and Leonard Polakiewicz, winners ofthis year’s A. Ronald Walton Award, which recognizesdistinguished service in the field of LCTLs. Bothrecipients delivered acceptance speeches in which

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they illuminated the processes by which they hadserved the LCTL community in the past and in whatdirection they see the LCTL community moving in thefuture.

The NCOLCTL conference remains a substantial forumfor the sharing of successes and problems in the fieldof LCTLs. Many attendees expressed enthusiasm forbeing able to derive collective solutions to commonproblems in the teaching of such languages.

The staff of the NCOLCTL Secretariat are grateful tothe many people who contributed so much of theirtime and energy into making this year’s conference asuccess. We would especially like to thank thevolunteers who gave their time at the registrationtable, as session chairs, as performers, etc. We lookforward to seeing everyone again next year for the10th annual conference.

Elizabeth Bernhardt speaks at the NCOLCTL conference

NCOLCTL President, Michael Everson, presents Ray Clifford with theWalton Award

Leonard Polakiewicz receives the Walton Award.

Richard Brecht speaks to NCOLCTL and Title VI conference attendees

Paul Sandrock delivers a talk to LCTL professionals

African Language StandardsDevelopment WorkshopMay 22-26, 2006Only days after classes ended for a number of Africanlanguage teachers across the U.S., the NALRCconvened a workshop on the campus of theUniversity of Wisconsin-Madison to develop standardsfor three major African languages: Swahili, Yoruba,and Zulu.

The goal of the workshop was for leaders in the fieldof language pedagogy, representing three majorAfrican languages, to contribute standards for theteaching and learning of these particular Africanlanguages to the Standards for Foreign LanguageLearning in the 21st Century. According to theAmerican Council on the Teaching of ForeignLanguages (ACTFL) Website, the Standards were firstpublished in 1996 following “an unprecedentedconsensus among educators, business leaders,government, and the community on the definitionand role of foreign language instruction in Americaneducation.” Since that time, the standards have beenrevised and expanded to include a number of less-commonly taught languages such as Russian, Arabic,Chinese, Japanese, Portuguese, Italian, and Classicallanguages, beyond the commonly taught languages:Spanish, French, and German. These standards areused in educational settings ranging fromKindergarten to post-secondary institutions across theU.S. The contributions by teachers of Swahili, Yoruba,and Zulu represent the first contributions to theStandards concerning African languages.

Prior to the workshop, the participating languageteachers wrote drafts based upon the model used byother languages. During the workshop, the teacherslearned more about the philosophies andmethodologies used to develop those models andapplied that knowledge to the standards for theirrespective languages. Each African language wasrepresented by three to four experienced scholars

who workedcollaboratively in thisprocess. Dr. MarjorieTussing, professor ofGerman at CaliforniaState University,Fullerton, joined theworkshop on its thirdday. Her experience withthe development ofstandards and scenariosfor German and manyother languages wasinvaluable as theworkshop participantswrote those for Africanlanguages.

The product of the workshop’s labor, preliminarydrafts of the standards for Swahili, Yoruba, and Zululanguage education in the 21st Century, have beencompleted and sent to other scholars for review.When finished, the standards for Swahili, Yoruba, andZulu will comprise the first languages in Volume II ofthe Standards.

Participating in the Workshop were:

SwahiliAlwiya Omar – Indiana UniversityLeonce Rushubirwa – University of KansasKatrina Thompson – UCLACharles Bwenge – University of Florida-Gainesville

YorubaAkintunde Akinyemi – University of Florida-GainesvilleAkinloye Ojo – University of Georgia-AthensAntonia Folarin Schleicher – University of Wisconsin-Madison

ZuluAudrey Mbeje – University of PennsylvaniaSandra Sanneh – Yale UniversityZoliswa Mali – University of Iowa

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Participants in the NALRC Standards Development Workshop

Standards for Foreign LanguageLearning in the 21st Century

Marjorie Tussing leads the Standards Development Workshop

NALRC SUMMER2006 INSTITUTEMay 30 – June 9, 2006

For the 7th year, the NALRC has hosted a SummerInstitute in Madison, WI for professional developmentin the teaching of African languages. Through theseyearly institutes, the NALRC has trained 102 teachingassistants, lecturers, instructors, and professors ofAfrican languages in some of the most current,research-supported practices for language education.For new teachers, the Institute helps define the lookand feel of a modern language-learning classroom.For experienced teachers, the Institute offers a chanceto learn and apply new techniques and strategies.

This year’s Institute began on Tuesday, May 30th, andran until Friday, June 9. Eleven teachers of Africanlanguages, from such diverse locations as theUniversity of Oregon, Indiana University, theUniversity of Illinois, the University of Wisconsin-Madison, Cornell University, Stanford University, YaleUniversity, the University of Pennsylvania, and theUniversity of Florida, attended this year’s institute. Thelanguages represented were Swahili, Yoruba, Akan-Twi, Wolof, and Chichewa.

The 2006 Instructors were Steve Timm and JoeNosek, UW-Madison ESL teachers and practitioners ofdiverse pedagogical theories for the languageclassroom. During the first week of the Institute, Mr.Timm taught and modeled best practices forinstruction in speaking, listening, reading, and writingskills. Mr. Nosek led the second week, presenting avariety of strategies for realizing vocabulary retentionand providing meaningful assessment. The structureof the Institute focused on introducing participants tocurrent theory and research-supported approaches,and then allowing the participants to plan andimplement lessons using such approaches. Eachlesson integrated speaking, listening, reading, andwriting activities and the participants gainedexperience in formal and informal assessment ofthese skills.

This year’s group was highly energetic and motivated.The teaching styles of Mr. Timm and Mr. Nosek, aswell as the classroom atmosphere they cultivated,engendered a spirit of camaraderie and inventiveness.Participants were free to attempt lesson plans thatincorporated new or experimental teaching methodsin a critical, yet receptive environment.

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NALRC Assistant Director, Adedoyin Adenuga, explains ongoingNALRC projects to the Summer Institute participants.

Joe Nosek and Steve Timm lead a session during the SummerInstitute.

Peter Muhati delivers a sample Swahili lesson.

Participants in the 2006 Summer Institute

On the final day of the Institute, a closing ceremonywas held at Buraka Restaurant, near downtownMadison. Antonia Schleicher presented each of theparticipants with certificates and delivered a fewremarks about the great promise shown in the newgeneration of African language instructors. Thefollowing teachers received certificates of completionfor the NALRC Summer Institute:

Joscelyn Essegbey (Akan-Twi)University of Florida, Gainesville

Hannah Essien (Akan-Twi)Indiana University

Abdulwahid Mazrui (Swahili)Indiana University

Ammina Kothari (Swahili)University of Oregon, Eugene

Beatrice Bolger (Swahili)University of Pennsylvania

Peter Muhati (Swahili)University of Illinois, Urbana

Adeolu Ademoyo (Yoruba)Cornell University, Ithaca

Olubunmi Ashaolu (Yoruba)Stanford University, California

Oluseye Adesola (Yoruba)Yale University

Bala Saho (Wolof)University of Illinois, Urbana

Lucy Mkandawire-Valhmu (Chichewa)University of Wisconsin-Madison

Joscelyn Essegbey and Beatrice Bolger deliveredreflections on their experiences in the Institute.Speeches were also delivered by Adeolu Ademoyo,Steve Timm, and Joe Nosek.

Joscelyn Essegbey,University of Florida-GainesvilleIt is with great pleasurethat I share somereflections about myexperiences following theNARLC 2006 SummerProfessionalDevelopment Institute inAfrican Languages.

The past two weeks have been very educative andrichly rewarding. We arrived here in Madison,Wisconsin on Monday, the 29th of May, 2006, andfor many of us, it was the first time we were meetingeach other. Yet by the end of our first day, thanks tothe hospitality of our hosts and hostesses and thecamaraderie of our instructors and the other fellows,we were already feeling very much at home. Ourinstructors, Steve Timm and Joe Nosek, created thekind of atmosphere that made it very easy forparticipants to offer candid comments of each other’slessons without hesitation, because we wereconfident nothing would be taken personal. As forSteve’s humor, we could not bring ourselves to stoplaughing although our cheeks were sore fromconstant laughter!!!

The result of this is that we saw remarkableimprovements in our subsequent lessons in terms ofcontent and execution. Joe Nosek put it so aptlywhen he said: “A teacher has to say very little for hisstudents to learn a lot.”

Steve and Joe have taught us a wide variety oflistening, speaking, writing and reading techniquesthat will enable us to better address almost all thepossible scenarios we may encounter in teaching thetarget language in the classroom. Our testing andassessing skills have also been reinforced.

We have been able to improve upon our variedteaching styles as well. This will serve as a richrepertoire to fall back on anytime, since there is noone way of teaching a class. The various teachingaids, both complimentary and the ones we bought,will also come in very handy. The knowledge that theNARLC is always ready to assist us in our teachingneeds is invaluable.

At the University of Florida, I would like to thankProf. Ann Wehemeyer, Chair of the African and AsianLanguages and Literatures, Prof. Leonardo Villalon,Head of the Center for African Studies and Dr.Charles Bwenge, African Languages, for sponsoringme to participate in the program. They committedthe money to send me there because of their beliefthat the Institute is very useful.

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Steve Timm assists Yoruba teachers in lesson planning.

Joscelyn Essegbey speaks at theawards ceremony.

At the NARLC, I would like to thank Prof. Schleicherin particular for the foresight in organizing suchSummer Institutes. Our meetings with her haveyielded lots of ideas. Messrs. Adedoyin Adenuga,Matthew Brown and Adekunle Mofolasayo, were alsovery helpful both inside and outside the classroom.We leave this Institute full of conviction in our abilityto use the target language in our classrooms andwith no doubt that we will recommend the NARLCSummer Institute anytime, anywhere.

Betty Bolger, Universityof PennsylvaniaGood evening Prof.Schleicher, our InstructorsSteve Timm and JoeNosek, staff of NARLC,fellow participants, ladiesand gentlemen.

We are very grateful forbeing part of the NARLC

2006 Summer Institute. The professionalism andmethodology of our instructors allowed us to noticethe importance of the mechanics used to make theteaching of a foreign language effective. As we sithere today, we can confidently say that we are readyto teach with ease.

The instructors and participants were both involved ineducating each other about the ideal way ofincorporating new methods of teaching, which wouldhelp to enhance the communication and oraltransmission using the target language in an Africanlanguage classroom.

Participants were encouraged by the instructors toexperiment with their lesson plans and emphasis wasplaced on inclusion of activities which would help toengage students’ attention and keep them interestedin learning the language. Today as we reflect back onour in-class discussions, we as participants have toagree that the instructors have equipped us withenough skills that we should be able to make anylanguage lesson exciting for our students.

The summer institute gave us an opportunity to be inthe place of our students, which helped to clarifysome of the challenges our students would face inour African language class. The teaching/learningsessions allowed us to learn about American cultureand appreciate the nuances of a teacher-studentrelationship.

In our collective opinion, we feel the NALRC shouldpublicize their programs widely, so that languageteachers can take advantage of this opportunity andbecome better teachers in the process.

We all agree that the Summer Institute’s experiencewas illuminating and challenging, which allowed usto become better teachers, especially with the amplefeedback from our peers, who constantly challengedus to think outside the box. We have now formedlasting friendships with each other, which we all hopewe will continue to foster.

Steve Timm and Joe Nosek, University ofWisconsin-MadisonMaking the “Case” for African Languages—Times Eleven!

What happens when you take one Gambian, twoGhanaians, two Kenyans, one Malawian, threeNigerians, and two Tanzanians, bring them from allover the U.S. to Madison, Wisconsin, in a room onthe top floor of a building with a view of LakeMendota, and set them to teaching each other theirlanguages? This was the question posed by theNALRC for the 2006 Summer Institute for theteaching of African languages. It was our great honorand pleasure to witness the answer unfold over thenine days of the Institute, and we would like to shareit with you.

It begins with the simple fact that these eleventeachers are also eleven of the most amazing peopleanyone would ever want to meet. Through theiropenness, their willingness to learn, their diligenceand determination, and their generous hearts, theyquickly established an atmosphere that allowed forfree and frank discussion of the teaching that tookplace, and they consistently discussed what they sawand experienced in a constructive and caring manner.They came with a range of experience, from none toyears of teaching. By the end, that did not matter atall. These eleven people made the Institute acollaboration, in the truest sense of the word, withthe result that the world is now blessed with elevenfantastic African language teachers—eleven “cases”for the study of an African language.

We learned so much of each language in such ashort time (and we heard virtually no English spoken

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Steve Timm and Joe Nosek address the Institute fellows at theawards ceremony.

Betty Bolger delivers a speechat the awards ceremony.

during any of the lessons!—hmm, perhaps these twopoints are related?)—we can greet, we can count, wecan express our aches and pains, we can buy a planeor train ticket, we can name the objects in aclassroom, we can talk about our families—we caneven say if we are fat! We also learned much about(say it with me, everyone) methodology. Perhapsmost of all, however, we learned about the art ofteaching, and so it may be that we have mis-titledour piece, and should instead call it “The Art ofLanguage Teaching,” for the eleven participants inthis year’s Institute are truly masters in the art ofteaching language.

Although there is so much more to tell, we hope wehave answered the question with which we began.They were nine of the most exhilarating days we haveever experienced in our teaching. For this, we wantto thank the NALRC: Professor Schleicher, for thewisdom and foresight to create and host the Institute,and for inviting us to work in it; Doyin, for hisuntiring efforts in helping to make the myriadarrangements necessary for the Institute’s success;and Matthew, for his touch with a camera, hisschlepping of treats, his unexpected but mostwelcome contributions to the discussions that tookplace, and for his way with the blues on a guitar.Most of all, to Abdulwahid, Ade, Ammina, Adua,Bala, Betty, Bunmi, Hannah, Lucy, Peter, and Seye, wewant to say “asante”; “o se”; “medasi”; “jere-jef”’;and “zikomo.” And please join us in this finalevaluation of our time together: “Mwakodza!Mwakodza! Shua!”

Adeolu Ademoyo, Cornell University

My colleagues and I in the 2006 NALRC Africanlanguage summer program express our appreciationand thanks for the professional gains we have madeduring the period of the Institute. Given the academicnature of our positions, in our different institutions,we came to the Institute with great expectations—which were basically about revitalizing ourselves inthe teaching of African and other languages assecond languages. My colleagues and I are therefore

saying that these professional and pedagogicalexpectations were adequately and profoundly met asa result of the excellent, competent, and professionaldissemination of lectures and instructions by ourinstructors and with adequate administrative supportfrom the NALRC and the ESL department. Theinstructional and pedagogical materials during ourtraining were professionally packaged and excellentlydelivered. The total package was adequately andhumanely supported by the administrative staff of theNALRC and ESL, thereby creating a friendly, humaneand productive classroom experience conducive forour learning.

Though we came from different institutions, giventhe welcoming environment here at University ofWisconsin-Madison, created by the NALRC, ESL, andthe Institute, we as participants in no time came toperceive our engagement with the Institute as acollective one. We thus saw the NALRC and ESL inthis program as a team working for the success ofour training. Without affecting this collective sense,we are saying thank you on an individual note toMatthew Brown who in no time situated us into theMadison area on a genial note; we are grateful toAdedoyin Adenuga who made sure that we lackednothing administratively which helped to ensure aproductive learning experience and process; weappreciate Adekunle Mofolasayo for hisadministrative intervention, we immensely thank JoeNosek for his professional presentation of ourInstructional materials, we are grateful and thankfrom the bottom of our hearts Steve Timm, who is afine, professional instructor to the core and who hasa fine and creative approach in presenting seeminglycomplex issues; and what? the big masquerade oftenrounds off a successful outing, so goes an Africanphilosophical claim; hence from our hearts and mindswe are thanking Professor Yetunde Schleicher for herforesight and long intellectual vision in establishingan Institute such as this; for her effective coordinationlong before the commencement of our Institute; forher kindness and for being just a good human being.

We are appreciative of the ESL staff on the 5th and7th floors of the Helen C White Hall--where weworked for the duration of our training—and forcoping with our often positive and expressiveboisteriousness as we learnt from one another in theclassroom.

Once again we thank you all. We will meet again andat that point our meeting will be laden by natural,human and intellectual honey. We are living withfondness and good memories—freshly revitalized andequipped with the tools and skills to be betterlanguage teachers.

Thank you and God Bless.

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Ammina Kothari listens as Adeolu Ademoyo gives a vote of thanks atthe awards ceremony.

SummerCooperative AfricanLanguage Institute(SCALI) Workshopfor InstructorsJune 15th and 16th

On June 15 and 16, Antonia Schleicher led aworkshop for instructors at the Summer CooperativeAfrican Language Institute (SCALI). The 2006 SCALIinstructors convened on the campus of IndianaUniversity, Bloomington, two working days before thebeginning of SCALI, to engage in professionaldevelopment and prepare for the institute. Dr.Schleicher’s workshop, entitled “Workshop onStandards and the Implications for the Classroom”sought to inform practicing instructors of variousAfrican languages about the efforts to developstandards for African languages, as well as put thosestandards to use in actual classroom situations.

On Thursday, June 15, Dr. Schleicher presented thekey concepts of foreign language standards: whatthey are and are not, and discussed the ways thatstandards can be brought to life in the classroom. OnFriday, June 16, the instructors began the day bygiving demo lessons which taught to specificstandards. The workshop concluded with discussionand development of classroom scenarios that couldbe used to address other standards.

This year’s SCALI Workshop for Instructors wasadvantageous for ongoing NALRC projects. Havingjust finished the first drafts of standards for Yoruba,Swahili, and Zulu, the African language teachingcommunity was given the chance to put thosestandards to the test. Also, by spreading the word of

the effort to develop standards for African languages,and by encouraging instructors to develop classroomscenarios for addressing those standards, a greaternumber of minds were brought into the process ofstandards development.

NALRC MaterialsDevelopmentSummer CampMay 18th – June 9th, 2006The NALRC has been hosting a materialsdevelopment summer camp every year in order tomake materials available for the teaching andlearning of different African languages. The campwas first started in 2002, as an effort to narrow thegap between African languages and other commonlytaught languages such as Spanish, French, andGerman in terms of the availability of teaching andlearning resources. Since then, the Summer camp hasproduced six textbooks based on the communicative

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Pre-SCALI Workshop participants engaged in a lesson

Antonia Schleicher with the 2006 SCALI teachers.

Professor Schleicher gives a lecture to SCALI teachers.

approach: Tuseme Kiswahili, Tosolola Na Lingala, Let’sSpeak Amharic, Masikhulume isiZulu, Ma Yenka Akan(Twi), and Ngatitaure Shona.

This year’s summer camp put into motion thedevelopment of a manuscript for an advanced levelKiswahili textbook. Professors Alwiya Omar andLeonce Rushubirwa are the authors, both of whomalso attended the Standards Development Workshopthis summer. The experience they had in thatworkshop was a great influence on the experiencethey had writing this textbook.

According to Professor Omar, “Participating in theStandards workshop has helped us a lot in thedevelopment of Tuwasiliane Kwa Kiswahili, theKiswahili textbook for advanced learners. We tookinto consideration the goals of the 5 Cs(Communication, Cultures, Connections, Comparison,and Communities) while developing exercises to gowith the first three main sections presented in thebook: texts, dialogues, and cultural notes. Knowingthe standards for each of the goals enabled us tobetter formulate the questions that came before,during, and after the reading phases of thesesections. The standards have also helped us indeveloping context-based exercises to reinforcegrammar and vocabulary.”

Professor Omar currently teaches Kiswahili at IndianaUniversity. She is the past President of the AfricanLanguage Teachers Association and past executiveboard member of the National Council of LessCommonly Taught Languages. Professor LeonceRushubirwa teaches Kiswahili at the University ofKansas. He is the current Vice President of the AfricanLanguage Teachers Association.

The NALRC expandsits outreach:The National Institute of NigerianLanguages and the Fulbright ForeignLanguage Teaching Assistant orientation inCairo, Egypt

As the work of the NALRC becomes more widelyrecognized, the Center, and its Director, are beingasked to participate in a greater variety of Africanlanguage projects. In March, Professor Schleicher wasinvited to the National Institute of Nigerian Languages(NINLAN) in Aba, Abia State, Nigeria. There shepresented a lecture about the “Status of AfricanLanguage Pedagogy in the United States.” The hopeof NINLAN’s Director, Ben Elugbe, (and that of theNALRC) is that a greater collaborative relationship candevelop between his organization and the NALRC,whereby the status of African language pedagogy inthe United States can have a stronger relationship withAfrican language pedagogy in Africa.

More recently, Professor Schleicher was invited to givea workshop at the Fulbright Foreign LanguageTeaching Assistant (FLTA) orientation in Cairo, Egypt,July 16-20, 2006. The purpose of the FLTA orientationin Cairo is to bring together and prepare Fulbrightteachers, from Africa and the Middle East, who arebound for U.S institutions where they will teach theirnative languages and cultures to American students.Professor Schleicher shared with these new teachersher years of experience, training, and research inteaching African languages to American students. Shedelivered a series of lectures on achieving desirableoutcomes in teaching African languages and helpedthese new teachers to understand and appreciate theroles they were about to assume.

The NALRC hopes that more of these kinds ofexperiences await the Center in the future.Establishing a relationship between African language

fall 2006 /15

Alwiya Omar, Antonia Schleicher, and Leonce Rushubirwa discuss theadvanced level Kiswahili textbook.

Professor Schleicher with a group of FLTAs in Cairo.

pedagogy in the U.S. and in Africa will be vital to thefield. Furthermore, it will be crucial to make an effortto meet teachers of African languages on their “turf”and prepare them for the important jobs they do inAmerican institutions

ANNOUNCEMENTS1. Translations/InterpretationsThe NALRC has been providing quality services in thearea of translation and interpretation of variousAfrican languages. If you need these services, pleasecontact us. We have a resource list of translators andinterpreters. The list is not restricted to Africanlanguages, and it is also open to anyone who speaksa less commonly taught language. If you want to beincluded in the list, please let us know.

2. Job Opportunities AdvertisementsMany scholars, instructors, and students in the fieldof less commonly taught languages visit the NALRCwebsite. Please inform us of any African languagerelated vacancies that you want to fill in yourprograms. We will be willing to advertise them at nocost.

3. Upcoming ConferencesWe urge our readers to take note of the followingdates for upcoming conferences so that you can plan

ahead and attend these very important conferences inthe upcoming academic year 2006-2007.

i. African Studies Association (ASA)Date: November 16-19, 2006Venue: San Francisco, CaliforniaTheme: (Re)Thinking Africa and the World: InternalReflections, External Responses

ii. American Council on the Teaching of ForeignLanguages (ACTFL)Date: November 16-19, 2006Venue: Nashville, TennesseeTheme: Discover the Future . . . Discover Languages

iii. African Language Teachers Association (ALTA)Date: March 22-25, 2007Venue: University of Florida, GainesvilleTheme: African Language Pedagogy and Media:Striving for a Successful Learning Experience

iv. Association of African Studies Program (AASP)Date: April 12-14, 2007Venue: Washington D.C.

v. National Council of Less Commonly TaughtLanguages (NCOLCTL)Date: April 26-29, 2007Venue: Madison, WisconsinTheme: Professional Horizons in LCTLs: Reality andPromise

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For any questions about dates and locations of conferences,please contact:National African Language Resource Center (NALRC)4231 Humanities Building455 North Park StreetMadison, WI 53706Tel: 608-265-7905Fax: 608-265-7904