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Expectations and a Brief Introduction to YALI
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YALI’s programming aims to get your oral language skills off the ground so that you can hit the ground running when you land abroad and continue to learn! YALI’s programs are designed with attention to the latest findings in the field of second language acquisition and thus they demonstrate realistic, accomplishable tasks for language learners of all types. What you should expect in this course: You should expect to have three parts to this course. There is the preview portion, the in-‐class portion, and the review portion. These parts of the class help you to have multiple encounters with new vocabulary and grammar in and out of class so that you can strengthen your new language skills.
All of the work you do asynchronously, outside of class will be done orally through voice and video recordings on VoiceThread. The YALI program recognizes that participants actively seek to develop a basic level of oral production and aural comprehension in an African language, often for use in the field. This emphasis on speaking is designed to support our learners’ objectives.
You will have approximately one and a half hours of asynchronous homework to accompany each of your one and a half hour synchronous classes. The asynchronous homework can be broken up as you see fit over the days between classes. Your instructor will comment on your progress in different exercises by the day prior to the next class. The instructor might not comment on all of your exercises. What is expected of you in this course: In addition to the work you will do synchronously with your instructor and classmates in class via Zoom, you will have work to do asynchronously. This homework is divided into two parts, one that reviews the material you saw in class and one that previews the next class’ material. In both parts you will be presented with phonemes, vocabulary, and practice exercises. It is extremely important that you complete these practice exercises and that you practice using your vocabulary before class. This type of preparation can and should be done in smaller chunks, that is, not all at once (more on that below). In class, your instructor will expect that you will be able to employ the vocabulary and structures from previous lessons and begin to employ the new vocabulary and grammar for that day. Preparing before class will ensure that you stay on track and maximize your speaking time during class by allowing you to spend more time using the language and less time trying to learn new concepts.
Language Learning Tips for Success During YALI and After!
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1. Study often and in manageable chunks • Work on small sections of material or individual exercises. Working in short,
focused blocks of time with more frequency will help you to retain more material than infrequent, long study sessions.
2. Break down vocabulary lists • We have broken the lists into smaller related groups of words. These are useful
guides to work through your vocabulary. Work on one small section at a time. You should revisit vocabulary each time you study and then add on to what you know. Research shows that you will learn and retain more vocabulary this way than through long “cramming” study sessions.
3. Try and do as much as you can with the language • Try to actively use as much of the language as you have learned. Your instructor will
help you to know what you are doing correctly and how to improve.
4. Languages have lots of patterns, pay attention to them and apply them • All languages have patterns. Your instructor and your grammar notes will help make
some of these patterns obvious to facilitate the speed at which you learn the language. Be on the look out for other patterns too and apply them when speaking.
5. You have time between classes, don’t put off your work • Do exercises as you have time. Try an exercise early so that your instructor can give
you feedback. You can return to any exercise to continue practicing, to listen to peers, and/or to reflect on how you can improve
6. You don’t have to understand every word • Sometimes trying to understand every word in a sentence can actually hinder your
comprehension because, while trying to figure out that mystery word, you have missed those that came afterward. Try listening for keywords and overall meaning. You may have understood more than you think. Sometimes it takes a second for what you heard to sink in. This is called processing time, everyone’s is different and yours will get faster with experience.
7. Don’t be afraid to ask your instructor or others to repeat themselves • We are all here to learn. It is important that you give yourself the chance to
understand your new language and hearing something again may also be beneficial to more students than just you!
8. Listen to as many recordings as possible • Your instructor will leave recordings and feedback, listen and reflect on this to help
improve your pronunciation and speaking skills. You can also listen to your peers. This gives you ample exposure to the ways other people may pronounce similar words and help you to better understand one another and the African language you are all studying.
Language Learning Tips for Success During YALI and After!
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9. There’s no rush • Take your time! This is true for studying and in-‐class work.
10. Embrace mistakes and have fun!
• We often learn more from the mistakes we make. Everyone will make a mistake at some point and that’s alright! Don’t be afraid to make mistakes and reflect on what went wrong.
Getting to Know Our Host Family
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Introducing the Makhanyas Throughout the course we will interact with the Makhanya family. The Makhanyas will guide us through a number of social interactions and will be our gateway to a variety
of social settings we are likely to encounter in everyday life.
Grandmother/ugogo
Mary’s mother lives with the Makhanya family in Umlazi. She is an artist by trade making decorative beaded sculptures that
she sells locally. She is originally from Ixopo.
Mr. Mandla Makhanya Mrs. Mary Makhanya
Mr. Makhanya is a businessman. He works in finance in Durban. He works for a bank.
He is originally from Mthubathuba.
Mrs. Makhanya is a nurse at a hospital in Durban. She has a diverse number of roles at the hospital, working with all patients from newborns to the elderly. She is originally
from Ixopo.
Themba Mbali
Themba is a student at the University of KwaZulu-‐Natal. He is studying engineering.
Mbali is a student at the local high school. She hopes to become a schoolteacher.
Vocabulary List
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Day 1 Yebo Yes úthisha a/the teacher
thisha teacher (when addressing him or her)* mfo brother (when addressing him)* dade sister (when addressing her)* *These are terms of address known as ‘honorifics’
sawubona. Hello (Literally: We have seen you) unjaní? How are you? ngikhona. I'm OK. ngiyaphila. I'm well. wená as for you… (this is used to emphasize that you are addressing a
question back at the speaker) namí Me too ungubaní? Who are you? nginguSam. I'm Sam. kuhle. It's good. Useful Phrases for Class: Aké uphínde. Please repeat. Angázi. I don't know. Angízwi. I don't understand. Uyezwá? Do you hear/understand me?
Vocabulary List
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Day 2 loná this úthisha teacher isitshudeni student udokotela doctor unesi nurse usomabhizinisi businessman iNew Haven New Haven iNew York New York iBoston Boston e-‐ from/in/to/at
eNew Haven from/in/to/at New Haven* *If you just want to say the city, in isiZulu you would say
iNewHaven -‐hlála live, stay -‐velá come from -‐fúndísa teach -‐fúnda study, read -‐sebénza work -‐énza do, make -‐úbani? who?/whom? (This can also be used on its own)
Ungúbani? Who are you? Úngúbani? Who is he/she?
-‐phí? where? -‐ní? what? Hamba! Go! (as in setting off or traveling away, stated as an imperative) Sala! Stay! (Imperative) Kahle well
Vocabulary List
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Day 3 Modes of Transportation: Compare with their noun forms: ngekhumbi by (means of) taxivan ikhumbi a/the taxivan ngebhasi by (means of) bus ibhasi a/the bus ngemoto by (means of) car imoto a/the car ngezinyawo by (means of) feet izinyawo a/the feet ngebhayisikili by (means of) bicycle ibhayisikili a/the bicycle Destinations: Compare with their noun forms: ekhaya to/from/at home ikhaya home esibhedlela to/from/in hospital isibhedlela hospital enyuvesi to/from/at university inyuvesi university esitolo to/from/at the store isitolo store emsebenzini* to/from/at work umsebenzi* work esikoleni** to/from/at school iskole** school Wenzaní? What do you do? / What are you doing? (U-‐énza-‐ní) Uyaphí? Where do you go? ekuseni in the morning -‐vuka wake up -‐geza wash -‐gqoka izingubo get dressed -‐xubha amazinyo brush teeth -‐phuza drink -‐dla eat -‐ya go to (must say where) iziPhuzo: itiye tea ikhofi coffee Ukudla: ama-‐Cheerios Cheerios ama-‐Fruit Loops Fruit Loops nini? when?
Vocabulary List
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Day 4 isibongo surname Subject Markers: wakwa-‐{isibongo} of the {surname} ngi-‐ I u-‐ you (singular) umntwana child ú-‐ he/she/it abantwana children si-‐ we ugogo grandmother ni-‐ you (plural) ubabamkhulu grandfather ba-‐ they umama [my] mother ubaba [my] father udade [my] sister umfo [my] brother indodana son indodakazi daughter nkósikázi ma'am intombazana girl, young woman mnúmzana sir insizwa young man Cha no Hhayi no/not (This is often used to introduce an unenthusiastic
affirmative and an emotive response, meaning will vary) ka-‐ possessive prefix iziPhuzo: ubisi milk
Remember: itiye tea ikhofi coffee
Ukudla: isinkwa bread iphalishi porridge/oatmeal (made of corn)
Remember: ama-‐Cheerios Cheerios ama-‐Fruit Loops Fruit Loops
Vocabulary List
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Day 5 namuhla today manje now Sobonana kusasa. See you tomorrow. -‐ya to go to (must say where after) esinema at/to/in the cinema ezitolo at/to/in the mall emakethe at/to/in the market olwandle at/to/in the ocean -‐thanda to like/love ukucula singing ukudansa dancing ukupheka cooking ukuhamba travelling ukubuka amamuvi watching movies Imidlalo (sports): ukudlala ithenisi playing tennis ukudlala igalofu playing golf ukudlala ibhola playing soccer amakati cats izinja dogs kakhulu a lot kancane a little iziPhuzo: amanzi water ujusi juice isoda soda
Remember: itiye tea ikhofi coffee ubisi milk
Ukudla: amaqanda eggs
Remember: isinkwa bread iphalishi porridge/oatmeal (made of corn) ama-‐Cheerios Cheerios ama-‐Fruit Loops Fruit Loops
Vocabulary List
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Day 6 e-‐gym to the gym esupamakethe to the supermarket ebholeni to a soccer match esontweni to church ekilabhu to a club kwaMakhanya to the Makhanya’s kwabangane to where my friends are endlini yokudlela to a restaurant Ukudla: inyama meat amazambane potatoes imifino vegetables iziPhuzo: ubhiya beer iwayini wine -‐lala sleep in -‐phumula relax -‐hlangana na-‐ meet with -‐xoxana na-‐ chat with ekuseni (in) the morning emini midday (during the day) entambama afternoon kusihlwa evening ebusuku sleeping hours ngempelasonto during the weekend