Tunica: Revitalizing Louisiana’s Sleeping Language (Summer 2022)
For the past two years, the Tulane Linguistics department has been collaborating with the Tunica tribe of Louisiana—whose last speaker, Sesostrie Youchigant, died in 1949—to bring back their native language. This dynamic course addresses the processes of language death and the methods and initiatives for language revitalization through a combination of classroom learning and immersive service-learning on tribal land in Marksville, Louisiana.
- Class will be held on Tulane's campus for the first week, meeting MTWRF from 9a-12p.
- Class will be held on the Tunica reservation in Marksville for the second week, where students serve as Tunica summer camp counselors MTWRF from 8:30a-4:30p.
- Housing and food for Language Summer Camp week are provided by the Tunica-Biloxi Nation.
Course:
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LING 3000 Tunica: Revitalizing Louisiana’s Sleeping Language (4 credits)
Instructor: Judith Maxwell
Mandatory: 40-hour service-learning component (LING 3890)
Course DescriptionThis course addresses the processes of language death and the methods and initiatives for language revitalization. Students will learn effective second language teaching methods, as well as elementary Tunica. They will then apply what they have learned while serving as teaching assistants during the tribe's Language Summer Camp. The Tunica tribe will host the course in Marksville, LA, for the week of the Summer Camp.
This course fulfills the NTC Tier-2 Service Learning core curriculum requirement.
Summer 2022 Academic Calendar: https://summerschool.tulane.edu/summer-school/calendar
Registration for current Tulane students: https://classschedule.tulane.edu/Search.aspx
For any questions or additional information about School of Liberal Arts Summer Programs, please email kpaige@tulane.edu.