Time for some “new” videos! Back in 2015, Sky Hopinka made a terrific series of videos for Where Are Your Keys. This series was designed to be both an overview of the method and an entry point for anyone who was newly interested and wanted to learn more about WAYK.
We’ve been slow in publishing these videos, but we are hopeful that they will still serve as a good starting place for anyone who is interested in knowing more. Each video is short (between 5 and 12 minutes), and designed to give an overview of one of WAYK’s key concepts. Taken as a whole, the series is by no means an exhaustive explanation of the method but is a thorough introduction.
A quick note of caution: the best way to learn WAYK is not from a video (or even from this website!) but from people who are practiced in the method. These videos are not meant to “teach someone Where Are Your Keys.” If these videos pique your interest, we recommend checking for workshops in your area, applying to join the WAYK team for a Summer Language Intensive, or contacting us to bring an authorized WAYK presenter to your community.
WAYK Video Series
- Introduction (3:34) An overview of the videos in this series
- Part 1: Travels with Charlie (10:19) A look at systems for assessing fluency and the importance of having a common understanding of what “fluent” means
- Part 2: Techniques (7:45) An introduction to WAYK Techniques, tools for making language transfer (both learning and teaching) faster and easier
- Part 3: The Perfect Path (5:50) An explanation of WAYK’s ideas about lessons and curriculum development
- Part 4: Translation (7:33) An overview of WAYK Techniques that can be used to avoid translation and improve immersion
- Part 5: Writing (7:05) A look at WAYK’s approach for when to introduce writing system and how to effectively incorporate writing into lessons
- Part 6: Sign Language (11:19) An explanation of how and why WAYK utilizes sign language and gestures for learning and teaching languages
- Part 7: Language Teaching (7:37) An introduction to several types of WAYK lessons including The Walk, Same Conversation, Bucket Brigade, Sage on a Stage, or a Goal Conversation
- Part 8: Language Hunting (11:42) An explanation of Techniques that are used in “language hunting,” or pulling language out of fluent speakers
- Part 9: Language Communities (6:58) A look at the benefits of establishing a group or community whose sole purpose is to get together and practice language
- Conclusion (1:14) Evan wraps up the video series
Even in the short time since we made these videos, there have been a lot of changes. Our video about Travels with Charlie was made before harassment accusations were brought against Charlie Rose (you can hear more conversation about this in episode 3 of the WAYKcast) and when the North American Free Trade Agreement was just NAFTA. We’ve also changed some of our WAYK terminologies; for example, we’re now calling the “Perfect Path” the “Fluency Freeway.”
Thanks, as always, to Sky Hopinka for lending his time and talent to this project.
