WAYK Summer Team Introduction: Mary Leighton

Hi! I’m from Vancouver, British Columbia, and I have worked in language education for about ten years, with a focus on English for newcomers to Canada and one-to-one language exchange programs. Just over a year ago, I heard the poet Lee Maracle joke about the absence of a good naturalization process to teach non-indigenous folks… Read more »

WAYK Summer Team Introduction: Myles Creed

Hi! My name is Myles Creed and I am really excited to be involved with the WAYK Language Intensive on St. Paul Island (Tanax̂ Amix̂ in Unangam Tunuu) this summer. My ancestry is Irish, English and French, and my parents are John Creed and Susan Andrews, who grew up in Massachusetts, but moved to Alaska… Read more »

Meet WAYK’s 2017 Summer Team

This year, we are delighted to expand the WAYK team for the 2017 Summer Intensive on St. Paul Island! Thanks to the support of the Aleutian Pribilof Islands Association, the Aleut Foundation, the Aleut Community of St. Paul Island, and the Central Bering Sea Fishermen’s Association we’ve been able to include sponsored positions for six… Read more »

Guest Post: Nate’s Summer Language Intensive Experience

Aang! Amilaayam Tunuu ilan Nathaniel asax̂takuq. Unangam Tunuu ilan Tanĝaaĝix̂ asax̂takuq. I am from Anchorage, Alaska but I live in Atka, Alaska. I go to Yakov E. Netsvetov School. I have always wanted to talk with my elders in Unangax̂. I was told about the Atka Summer Intensive by my Godmother, Crystal Dushkin. She has… Read more »

Guest Post: Timothy’s Summer Language Intensive Experience

My name is Timothy and I am 15 years old. I was born in Anchorage, Alaska and I was raised in Atka. I go to Yakov Netsvetov School and I am in 10th grade. When I heard about the 2016 Summer Intensive, I was interested in joining because I hear elders in our village speak… Read more »

Guest Post: Junior’s Summer Language Intensive Experience

Aang! My name is Junior and I’m from Atka, Alaska. I go to school at Yakov E. Netsvetov School. The reason why I was interested in this Summer Language Intensive is because my language (Niiĝuĝim Tunuu) is dying and I want to keep it going. The activities I liked from this summer were the icebreakers… Read more »

WAYK Summer Schedule (Updated!)

It can be hard to imagine what a language revitalization summer looks like, but working to strengthen a language is a full-time endeavor. Here’s an updated look at what to expect from the WAYK Summer Intensive Schedule in 2017. As with any program centered around language learning, it’s essential that we have daily contact with… Read more »

Call for WAYK 2017 Interns!

This summer, we are very lucky to again be able to offer at least three WAYK internship opportunities. These positions are sponsored by our host community (St. Paul Island) in partnership with ACSPI, APIA, and a number of other regional organizations. Participating in a WAYK summer project is one of the best ways to be… Read more »

WAYK Summer Intern Expectations: 2017 Update

What you can expect as an intern: You will learn how to use WAYK. One of the main purposes of the WAYK Summer Intensive is to provide a comprehensive training in WAYK skills, something that is difficult to demonstrate or even explain in a week-long workshop or a few language lessons. WAYK interns will learn all… Read more »

Announcing WAYK’s 2017 Summer Intensive: St. Paul Island, Alaska!

After months of preliminary planning with our host community and organizations, WAYK is excited to announce the details of our 2017 Summer Intensive. This summer, the WAYK team will be returning to St. Paul Island, Alaska! In 2017, we’ll continue to work with Unangam Tunuu (also known as Aleut), an Eskimo-Aleut language with a small… Read more »

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Latest

  • WAYK Podcast, Episode 11: Choosing Your Signed Bridge Language

    [direct download] As prompted by Stefan, a WAYK player from Germany, Evan Gardner and Willem Larsen discuss choosing the ideal signed language for using as a bridge language, in relation to your target spoken language. 1. Technique: “Bridge Language“ Stefan asks: which is more effective, using the WAYK ASL/Pidgin Signed English (PSE), or a local… Read more »

  • WAYK Podcast, Episode 10: Gamestorm and Fiercely Holding Space

    [direct download here] In this episode, Evan and Willem speak about Willem’s session of “Where Are Your Keys?” he ran for story-gamers at ‘Gamestorm 12‘ in Portland, OR. WAYK is a highly designed game environment for community-driven language revitalization. This conversation about Willem’s game gets highly technical and into some of the minutiae that we… Read more »

  • Training “Language Hunters” in San Francisco – Less than 2 weeks to go

    Here’s another reminder concerning our San Francisco workshop coming up in just under two weeks. We still have spots available! We as yet have no other public workshops on the schedule for the rest of this year. Last time we did a workshop in San Francisco (actually in Pleasanton, a nearby suburb) we had a… Read more »

  • Dustin brings Justin to “Want/Have/Give/Take” in Squamish

    [vodpod id=Video.3312342&w=425&h=350&fv=] This video marks the end of the second session, where Dustin Rivers (Squamish Nation WAYK instructor) brings Justin Robinson (Chinook Nation WAYK instructor) all the way to the goal conversation, “Do you want my black car? I give you my black car.” Every game they play sets a new speed record for learning… Read more »

  • WAYK Podcast, Episode 9: Chinuk Wawa Night 3

    [direct download here] [Note: This podcast isn’t designed to teach Chinuk Wawa. It is a demonstration of how to apply the WAYK method to an endangered language. By listening to it, you will improve your understanding of WAYK techniques, but you won’t receive any instruction in Chinuk specifically.] In this episode we debrief our most… Read more »

  • Dustin leads Justin’s second WAYK Squamish session

    [vodpod id=Video.3312271&w=425&h=350&fv=] This marks the beginning of Justin Robinson’s (a Chinook Nation WAYK instructor, who runs WAYK games with us in Chinuk Wawa) second session of WAYK Squamish, as led by Dustin Rivers (Squamish Nation). Dustin begins session two by “starting at the beginning” with “what’s that?“.

  • Estonian Universal Speed Curriculum

    Now we’re talking! WAYK community member Priit emailed us from his home country of Estonia recently, announcing he’s finished an Estonian Universal Speed Curriculum. This brings us to four USC, one in Estonian, one in Chinuk Wawa, one in Squamish Language, and the one Billy James Ulibarri and Walter Duran made in Spanish. Honestly folks:… Read more »

  • WAYK Squamish #6: “Craig’s List: Mine/Yours”

    [vodpod id=Video.3289634&w=425&h=350&fv=] Squamish Nation WAYK instructor Dustin, now begins adding more and more complex language structure into the game, taking Justin (Chinook Nation WAYK instructor) all the way to “Is that my snake? No, that is not your snake, that is my snake”, using all the techniques he can to continue to stretch Justin’s fluent… Read more »

  • WAYK Podcast, Episode 8: “the Language Hunter”

    WAYK Podcast, Episode 8: “Hunting the Hunter”. 57 minutes and 35 seconds. [direct download here] In this episode, Evan and I debrief a session of WAYK Squamish language, where Dustin Rivers, a Squamish nation WAYK instructor led Justin Robinson, a Chinook Nation WAYK instructor (Chinuk Wawa). 1. Technique “Hunt the Hunter“ Dustin takes Justin farther,… Read more »

  • Experience WAYK in San Francisco, April 12th, 13th

    Looks like a game of WAYK to me! I’m sending out a reminder concerning our San Francisco workshop coming up in just a few weeks. We still have spots available! Last time we did a workshop in San Francisco (actually in Pleasanton, a nearby suburb) we had a fantastic time being hosted by Elisabeth Hendrickson’s… Read more »

  • WAYK Squamish #5: “Craig’s List”, “No, not, don’t”

    [vodpod id=Video.3289465&w=425&h=350&fv=] In this video Squamish nation WAYK instructor Dustin continues leading Chinook Nation WAYK instructor Justin in a game of Squamish language WAYK. Dustin has now begun to add to the complexity of the language structure, by moving to using negation with “No, not, don’t”, as in “No, that is not a snake, that… Read more »

  • WAYK Squamish #4: “Is that your…?”, “Start at the Beginning”, “Contract Sign”

    [vodpod id=Video.3288955&w=425&h=350&fv=] In this video Squamish nation WAYK instructor Dustin continues leading Chinook Nation WAYK instructor Justin in a game of Squamish language WAYK. Dustin has now begun to add to the complexity of the language structure, by moving to the question “Is that your [object]…? Is that my [object]?”, using techniques “Contract Sign” and… Read more »

  • WAYK Podcast, Episode 7: Technique “Money Talks”

    WAYK Episode 7: Technique “Money Talks”. 58 minutes and 28 seconds. [direct download here] It’s tempting to dismiss the more mundane reasons for using, learning, and teaching language, but at the heart of language acquisition, you’ll find the hunger to grow up, to get the necessities of life, and start a family. [UPDATE: Here’s a… Read more »

  • WAYK Instructor Vetting: Use of the WAYK Name/Logo

    When can you use the WAYK name and logo? What do we think about you accepting money for running games of WAYK? We encourage everyone to organize free community games and play WAYK as often as possible, using the WAYK logo and name. We encourage you to organize these kinds of events in a “feast-style”,… Read more »

  • WAYK Squamish, Video #3: “Slow/Fast”, “Craig’s List: Positives”

    [vodpod id=Video.3285762&w=425&h=350&fv=] In this video Squamish nation WAYK instructor Dustin continues leading Chinook Nation WAYK instructor Justin in a game of Squamish language WAYK. To accelerate the acquisition of fluency, before making their conversation more complex, Dustin begins throwing more “techniques”, what we consider “the rules of the game”; in this case, techniques “Slow/Fast” and… Read more »

  • WAYK Squamish, Video #2: “Pull me through it!”

    [vodpod id=Video.3286281&w=425&h=350&fv=] In this video Squamish nation WAYK instructor Dustin continues leading Chinook Nation WAYK instructor Justin in a game of Squamish language WAYK. To accelerate the acquisition of fluency, before making their conversation more complex, Dustin begins throwing more “techniques”, what we consider “the rules of the game”; in this case, techniques “Pull me… Read more »

  • WAYK Squamish language: “What’s that?”

    [vodpod id=Video.3278615&w=425&h=350&fv=] more about “WAYK Squamish language: “What’s that?””, posted with vodpod   Squamish language is a very endangered indigenous language, native to Vancouver, B.C., with about only 10 fluent speakers left, all over the age of 65. “Where Are Your Keys?” is a community language revitalization method, that uses a viral, collaborative game for… Read more »

  • WAYK Podcast, Episode 6: Dustin Starts the Squamish Language Night

    WAYK Podcast, Episode 6: Dustin Starts the Squamish Language Night. 52 minutes and 25 seconds. [direct download here] Dustin Rivers (@dustinrivers) talks about the first WAYK Squamish language night that he hosted at his house, following up from our visit there in North Vancouver, B.C. a week ago. This night is the first of a… Read more »

  • WAYK Podcast, Episode 5: Revitalizing Chinuk Wawa, Part 2

    WAYK Podcast, Episode 5: Revitalizing Chinuk Wawa, Part 2. 32 minutes and 18 seconds. [direct download] [Note: Chinuk Wawa is a very endangered indigenous language native to the Pacific Northwest. Please keep in mind that we make no attempt to teach anyone to speak Chinuk Wawa by podcasting about our Chinuk nights, and during the… Read more »

  • Conversations with Remarkable Grandmothers: Want/Have/Give/Take in Arabic

    More amazing work from Jay and his grandmother, a speaker of a Palestinian dialect of arabic. If you haven’t yet, please start with his 1st video, “What is that?”, and his second video, “Craigs List Me/Mine You/Yours”. [vodpod id=Video.3264055&w=425&h=350&fv=%26rel%3D0%26border%3D0%26]