Summer Language Learning Tips

Hello Maa language learners! As we wind down this Maa chapter to a close, it is helpful for us to spend some time learning about various tips and strategies one can use when trying to teach oneself a language in a rather short amount of time. I will base this feedback on my own experiences participating in a Multilanguage Summer Seminar course. This eight week long course involved learning second language acquisition theories and building an individualized study plan that dictated the goals, objectives, resources, activities, and assessments of my Maa language learning.

In this section, I will break the information into two sections. The first section will include my goals and objectives derived from my individualized study plan to give you a sense of the kinds of learning goals that are possible, feasible, and SMART in a short course like this. The second section will delineate the strategies I have found useful and why. I hope you find this page helpful as you think through your own particular language learning style, plans, and strategies.

Ready?!

Okay, let’s begin!!

GOALS AND OBJECTIVES:

By the end of one semester of language study, I will be able to:

1. Converse comfortably and appropriately in basic introductory Maa in home/private/boma settings and market/public settings.
   1. (This includes greetings, numbers, phrases, idiomatic expressions, asking for directions, apologizing etc.).
2. Converse comfortably and appropriately in basic introductory Maa about topics related to menstruation, women’s health, blood, NGO work etc.
3. Converse comfortably and appropriately in basic introductory Maa about peoples, places, and things.
4. (Hopeful Goal): Read and write introductory Maa (as needed and applicable to my research)

PART 1:

By the end of week 1, I will be able to:

1. Use numbers in Maa.
   1. E.g., 1 – 1000 ? (or whatever number is determined to be the most helpful by my tutor). For example, I will want to know numbers, so I can count as well as barter with money in the market. For bartering in TZ shillings, I expect to need to know numbers at least through 100,000.
   2. Practice Maa number signs in preparation for practicing navigating market spaces in week four
2. Understand the alphabet and sounds used in Maa/ how to read Maa when it is written phonetically.
3. SUCCESS

 By the end of week 2, I will be able to:

1. effectively greet people and respond to the greetings of people in Maa.
   1. E.g., Hello (response) [both formally and informally]
2. effectively bid people farewell and respond to farewells in Maa.
   1. E.g., Goodbye (response) [ both formally and informally]
3. start learning basic grammatical structures, targeted vocabulary (marketplace items, homestead items, animals, people, places, feelings, body parts,), and pronunciation for Maa.
4. start learning how to read simple Maa sentences
5. SUCCESS

 By the end of week 3, I will be able to:

1. continue learning basic grammatical structures, targeted vocabulary (marketplace items, homestead items, animals, people, places, feelings, body parts), and pronunciation for Maa.
2. ask for simple directions in Maa.
   1. There are no directional words in Maa. People point and describe places based on other people’s homesteads, schools, marketplaces etc. There are no North, South, East, and West directions. Instead, I learned how to describe and point based on directional language that makes sense to Maasai people in context.
3. ask basic questions about how a person is doing, how their family is, how their life is etc.
4. navigate market spaces, asking for various types of food, clothes, shoes etc. in Maa.
5. SUCCESS

By the end of week 4, I will be able to:

1. continue learning basic grammatical structures, mastered targeted vocabulary of part 1 (marketplace items, homestead items, animals, people, places), and pronunciation for Maa.
2. navigate homestead spaces, discussing chai, food, animals, homes
3. read and comprehend the above items as written in Maa
4. Start learning how to apologize in Maa.
5. Start learning how to talk about the weather in Maa.
6. read vocab and simple sentences that include vocabulary about the weather and apologies in Maa. 
7. SUCCESS

 PART 2:

By the end of week 5, I will be able to:

1. continue learning basic grammatical structures, targeted vocabulary (menstruation, blood, women’s reproductive health, NGOs etc.), and pronunciation for Maa.
2. start learning how to ask basic questions about menstruation, well-being, women’s reproductive health, blood, NGO work etc. in Maa.
   1. E.g., What is menstruation?
      1. What is blood? What does it mean? What does it do? What is it like?

*practice other “what” questions pulling from vocabulary previously learned in weeks 1-4

    3. focus some tutor attention on culturally appropriate expression

    4. read and comprehend the above items as written in Maa

    5. apologize in Maa.

   6. talk about the weather in Maa.

   7. read vocab and simple sentences that include vocabulary about the weather and apologies in Maa. 

By the end of week 6, I will be able to:

1. continue learning basic grammatical structures, targeted vocabulary (menstruation, blood, women’s reproductive health, NGOs etc.), and pronunciation for Maa.
   1. Build vocabulary lists to be able to accomplish this
2. continue learning how to ask basic questions about menstruation, well-being, women’s reproductive health, blood, NGO work etc. in Maa.
   1. How do you menstruate?
   2. Do you have children? How was childbirth?
   3. How do you care for your menstruation?
   4. How do you make sense of menstruation?
   5. How have people cared for menstruation historically

*practice other “how” questions pulling from vocabulary previously learned in weeks 1-4

    3. focus some tutor attention on culturally appropriate expressions

    4. read and comprehend the above items as written in Maa

By the end of week 7, I will be able to:

1. start to confidently understand basic grammatical structures, targeted vocabulary (menstruation, blood, women’s reproductive health, NGOs etc.), and pronunciation for Maa.
   1. Build vocabulary to accomplish this
2. continue learning how to ask basic questions about menstruation, well-being, women’s reproductive health, blood, NGO work etc. in Maa.
   1. E.g., Who menstruates? When do people menstruate?
   2. Who works with NGOs? When do people work with NGOs?
   3. Why do people work with NGOs? What is that experience like?
   4. E.g., Tell me more….

*practice other “who/when/why” questions pulling from vocabulary previously learned in weeks 1-4

3. focus some tutor attention on culturally appropriate expressions
4. read and comprehend the above items as written in Maa

By the end of week 8, I will be able to:

1. confidently understand basic grammatical structures, targeted vocabulary (menstruation, blood, women’s reproductive health, NGOs etc.), and pronunciation for Maa.
2. REVISION!! Practice all the questions learned in weeks 5-7.
3. confidently ask basic questions about menstruation, well-being, women’s reproductive health, blood, NGO work etc. in Maa.
   1. E.g., What is menstruation?
      1. What is blood? What does it mean? What does it do?
      2. How do you menstruate? What is it like?
      3. Do you have children? How was childbirth?

1. Have you worked with NGOs? What was that experience like?
   1. E.g., Tell me more….

STRATEGIES AND TIPS:

With these goals in mind, let’s pivot to talk through some of the tips and strategies I can share based on my experiences language learning this summer.

1. spend time self-reflecting on your language learning plan early and often – this will help you make sure that you have a good sense of your language learning aims so that you can maximize the time you have to learn.
2. take care to complete all the readings and reflect on the metacognitive skills – this will help you make sure that you understand yourself and your particular language learning styles. Without this information, self-teaching language learning will be challenging.
3. don’t be afraid to ask your mentor and your instructor lots of questions – this will ensure that your questions are answered and that you continue to learn in stride.
4. make sure to nurture your mentoring relationship – this relationship is the most important relationship of your language learning. It is essential to make sure the relationship is well-intact, safe, strong, and productive for language learning.
5. tap into the resources provided by the other students in your class – even though you are all studying different languages, the tools your fellow students find and strategies they possess can be invaluable when thinking about your own language learning plan.
6. stay on pace – if you fall behind, it is difficult to catch up in a shorter course.
7. make sure the goals in your ISP are RICH (repeatable, interesting, comprehendable, and high-frequency) and SMART (specific, measureable, attainable, relevant, and time-bound) – this will ensure that you are actually able to achieve the goals and objectives you set for yourself in the allotted time-limit of the course.
8. make sure your goals relate to your own interests so you are sure to maintain your motivation even when it feels like it might begin to wain.
9. reach out for help if you need it – language learning can be hard and self-teaching can be even harder. If you have questions, concerns, challenges etc. do not hesitate to reach out to your instructor or mentor or colleagues.
10. practice daily – make sure you practice vocabulary, grammar, and other pieces of your ISP daily. This repetition will ensure maximum retention and acquisition.
11. self-reflect frequently – take the time to check in with yourself often to see how you are doing. This will help you make sure you are on track and working well to reach your aims. Take stock of what is working and what is not and do not be afraid to pivot if things are not going as you had hoped they would.
12. fill your “dead-time” with passive listening activities – It can be so fun to turn on music, listen to a podcast, listen to the news etc. in the language you are learning. Even if you do not understand what is being said, the exposure you are getting (especially when in an ex-situ space) cannot be overstated.
13. plan your weeks and days out – this will help you be as productive as possible in your time management and successful language acquisition.
14. don’t forget to practice small self- assessments throughout – ask yourself “how am I doing?” Spend some time checking your progress and adjusting where things need to be tailored.
15. HAVE FUN!! – If you are not having fun, you will begin to lose motivation. Work hard and have fun doing it!

I hope some of these tips and strategies will help you think through your own language learning plans and processes!

Best of luck in your learning! ☺️