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I've been working far more consistently on this website during the last couple of weeks, and due to a special request, I even got inspired to write down and/or post many of the games I've made up or adapted for reviewing Karuk. It's important to mix things up when reviewing vocabulary to really embed learning. These games help students move into the "Independent Practice" portion of language learning (following a five-step lesson plan). I'm happy to say that I was even able to export some digital "Jeopardy" Games I had created in the Apple program "KeyNote" so that the games can be used by anyone, whether a person has KeyNote or not. Check out all the new resources!
I feel accomplished! In the last couple of days, I’ve just uploaded 20+ more Karuk stories I had digitized some weeks ago. I created a Jeopardy Game to review or assess knowledge about emotions (as opposed to the one I created for an independent study student who I was assessing for emotions AND weather). I’ve fixed the Independent Study Lesson plans, including adding more of the worksheets and other resources right into the actual lessons rather than separately. I’ve worked on title pages for several items. I've fixed a bunch of missing links, and began changing docs into .pdf's so they open right up and don't download. I’ve found several more things that need more work and made a list…Does that count as an accomplishment? I have so many more resources that I’ve digitized that I’ll be uploading in the next week or so. Stay tuned!
Even if no one sees this blog, this will be a list for myself:
I've already repaired some links (two were audio) and redid the weather "Jeopardy Game" and added seasons to it. I also added a Karuk language websites page with links to all the other pages I I could find so far. I will: 1) make a "Jeopardy Game" also about emotions (emotions used to be with weather in a game just because it was used as a review for those two themes when I was teaching and that doesnt' make sense for general consumption). 2) I realized that often files download first before opening up. That would probably be frustrating to a user. So I will go back and make the files .pdfs which open right up the first time. 3) Continue to fix bad links. I've now added under "Resources" a list of Karuk Language websites that are known to me. If you have more to add, please add them to the comments below. AND anyone who sees this blog, please like it and share the website so that it gets more attention. I hope people will be aware of it for their own use.
 Well, I paid more to have the ability to upload bigger files so have been uploading the audio and video files I couldn’t upload before. Glad to have the freedom to get those up on the website. Nisha was just asking me for Karuk audio to listen to and it got me back into it. Besides, we are essentially snowed in. What better time to sit and upload?
Well, it’s coming together, slowly. I don’t even know if anyone is looking at this work…hard to tell if it’s all just me showing up in the data on visits, or if there’s anyone else out there interested.
I really do hope all of this language work can be helpful. Even if the lessons themselves aren’t used, I hope that the language contained within them is useful. I do know that we had a lot of fun teaching these lessons and the kids actually learned and remembered. The lessons were based on a researched teaching model which helps brains learn language best: the “CBI “or “Comprehension-Based Instruction” method. We also employed such strategies as TPR (Total Physical Response) and comprehension checks (asking questions in order as understanding grows: 1) first yes or no questions (early learning students can always just nod or shake their heads to confer understanding, if not say yes and no in the language) 2) then either/or questions (in which they hear both answers and choose which one to say between the two) and finally 3) open-ended questions (in which the students must come up with the language completely on their own). We also knew to only introduce 4-8 new words or concepts at a time because that’s the number of new bits of information that our brains can take in at once - also based on research. Consequently, the lessons have a lot backing up their effectiveness. I hope they work for you too! |
