Learning to speak the local language shows respect and recognition. It opens doors. It opens minds. We are designing ways to learn an oral language, not from books, but by interacting with people.
A sweet spot for language learning is the context of ‘working together’. We don’t have formal language classes or book learning, but we get on with the day’s tasks. We pay attention to the key words and phrases we need to know in order to work together effectively. See our recent publication, Centering the Speech Community.
Locals are confident in the oral language, and are experts in pronunciations and meanings. They teach the language by sharing stories and practices. They observe how newcomers benefit from writing things down, and they learn literacy in the course of teaching orality.
Newcomers are confident in reading and writing, and are experts in encoding and decoding sounds using symbols. As they learn to speak the language, they indirectly teach the writing system.