Thanks to long-time Cree language warrior Chelsea Vowel for sharing news of her latest project in support of language reclamation. Here’s how she described it on her blog, âpihtawikosisân, just last week:
tânisi nitôtêmitik! A while ago, I wrote about my dream to make nêhiyawêwin/Cree language learning more accessible. In short, we need a free-to-access online, asynchronous course for absolute beginners that blends instructional videos with exercises, answer keys, and listening exercises. The goal? Learners who get beyond memorizing word lists and isolated phrases to achieve high-beginner to low-intermediate fluency.
At that time, I’d successfully applied for a grant to work on the project for three months. My original goal was to create a twelve-module course in a similar format as what I’d developed at the University of Alberta, but once I began it quickly became clear that I wanted something better. Also, I’d vastly overestimated just how far the funding could take me, and underestimated just how much work it takes to build a course up from nothing.
(Before I get into my spiel about how the project has morphed into something I’m much happier with, feel free to go take a peek! Right now, mâci-nêhiyawêtân is the only course offered at courses.apihtawikosisan.com.)
A no-cost, online course that language learners can pursue at their own pace and on their own timetable, also offered by an experienced teacher, sounds like a great addition to the language learner’s toolkit. Here’s wishing great success to both Chelsea and her students. âhkamêyimok, kahkiyaw!
