Week 10 Final Assessment

Final Assessment:  It is hard to believe that Week 10 has arrived!  Although this is a milestone, it is not the end of this language-learning odyssey.  After taking some time off for summer travel, I will return and set some new goals.  I feel good about the progress I made over the past ten weeks in reaching the goals that I set at the beginning of this course.  My language-learning did slow down over the past two weeks due to entertaining guests and final school projects.  Perhaps, I subconsciously gave myself permission to make a little room for these other things because I knew that I had met most of my objectives.  Writing my own poem was the ‘big’ task still hanging over my head this week.  Here is my final assessment checklist:  

	Learning Goals Checklist for Isthmus Zapotec		Met by June 3, 2013
	Primary Objectives	yes	no/level attained
1	Recite 20 lines of poetry	X
2	Know and be able to orally produce all phonemes		pretty close
3	Recognize basic grammatical features (i.e., word order; identify verbs, nouns, objects, articles, preps)	X
4	Write one original poem	X
	Secondary Objectives	yes	no/level attained
1	Learn origins of Zapotec language and people	X
2	Learn history of IZ language and people	X
3	Learn origins of literary traditions and role of literature and poetry in IZ culture and society		Still have more questions
4	Learn about current IZ issues		Learned more about other Zapotec current issues
	Wishful-Thinking Objective	yes	no/level attained
1	Meet a native IZ speaker		Still looking; met goal of meeting Shook and other Zapotec speakers

Concerning Primary Objectives:  I apologize that I am not going to go into detail about the goals attained in this checklist at this time.  My blog posts since my midterm progress report reveal in more detail to what degree I have met these objectives.  In terms of furthering my primary objectives, I will continue to work through the Pickett and Black grammar book.  I am nearly halfway through now.  I think I will need to read the whole book two or three times to become very familiar with the grammatical concepts.  I believe the best way to practice newly learned grammar is through reading and writing in the language.   I plan to continue reading IZ poetry and literature for this practice, and write my own poems.  My speaking opportunities will be limited to reciting poetry for now. 

Concerning Secondary Objectives:  Because of the vast subject matter, my secondary objectives were ‘in general’ and not very specific.  I was looking to familiarize myself with these topics, rather than memorize large chunks of information.  There is still much that I want to learn about the Binnizá.

Further Research:  My interviews with native speakers of other Zapotec languages gave me privileged insight into the language issues of the indigenous people of Oaxaca.  I feel that these people need their voices heard, and as a staff member told me at the literacy center where I conducted some of the interviews, “They are ready to talk.”  I have interpreted this statement to mean that they no longer want to feel ashamed of their indigenous heritage and that they are ready to defend and preserve it, even while living outside of their homeland.  Speakers of indigenous languages in Mexico are discriminated against, and are oftentimes called “backwards.”  Because of this, when outside of their home community, indigenous people may deny their native tongue.  Join me in advocating for the respect and preservation of indigenous languages.    

Week 10 My Own Poem

Week 10

Word of the Week: dede ca ‘the end’

(Actually, it is just the beginning!)

My own poem:  I could not make my final assessment without first writing my own poem.  This was not easy.  I struggled with writing a personal poem, but found that I need a lot more study time before I can translate my personal thoughts into Isthmus Zapotec.  I was frustrated with my task to write a poem with my limited language skills, but was able to accomplish this when I just started to “play around” with it and not take it too seriously.  I am not sure if my verb conjugations are spelled correctly, but this is what I came up with. 

Ba’du’ ne Xtibe Bi’cu’                                               A Boy and His Dog

Neegue la, guziibe ba’du’ ca bi’cu’ yaase’.                Yesterday, the boy bought a black dog.

Laabe nadxiibe xtibe bi’cu nacubi                              He loves his new dog

ne laame nadxiime xtime ba’du’ nacubi.                    and the dog loves his new boy.

Yannadxí riguitecabe cue’ fuera.                                Today they played together outside.

Padxí rusidxagacabe la,                                              When they were tired,

rasicabe lu baca’nda’ ca xti yaga ngola.                      they slept in the shade of a big tree.

Padxí zacanda la,                                                        At sundown,

cue’ la,                                                                         together,

ribicabe                                                                        they went home

ne rugazecabe ne zoocabe.                                          and bathed and ate.

Guixí zazibe ba’du’ ca xtibe bi’cu’                             Tomorrow the boy will buy for his dog

yanni nacubi sicarú                                                      a beautiful new collar

ne zusiga’de’ lá laame.                                                and give him a name.

I would love some feedback from anyone familiar with this language.  Please, tell me if what I have written in IZ does not make sense or if there are spelling errors.  As I continue to study the language, I will revisit this poem and try to improve it as I learn more.

Grammar Book versus Online Learning

Grammar book versus online course:  Pickett and Black’s Gramática Popular del Zapoteco del Istmo (http://www-01.sil.org/mexico/zapoteca/istmo/G023b-GramaticaZapIstmo-zai.pdf) has become my primary language-learning resource since completing the Memrise course.  I regret that I did not use this resource much earlier on.  (As I mentioned earlier, I delayed using this source because I wanted a printed version of the 135 page electronic book, but did not want to print that many pages.  One might say to just print what you need, but I felt that I would need all of it and wanted to be able to make notes on the pages and use tags to mark the material that I thought I might reference frequently.)  Memrise inadvertently became my daily language-learning source.  It was easy to be drawn in to because it is fun, visual and auditory, and gives instant feedback and learning gratification.  It was also easy to develop a habit of doing daily because it did not require any preparation and I never had to be in the ‘mood’ to do it.  In fact, I often used it to get me in the mood for language study.  The grammar book, however, (obviously) has a much more thorough description of the grammar, also in an easy to follow way.  The book has a lot of IZ vocabulary that I can add to my word bank, and I can observe many of these words used in example sentences.  Some of the grammar examples use colloquial expressions that expose the reader to everyday spoken language.  I am not going to go into all the details of what I have learned through this resource now, but one of the most interesting language features I learned was the number system.  After 1 through 10, numbers are added or multiplied to equate the desired amount.  This method of expressing numbers seems to me like verbalizing large numbers in this language developed in later times.  In summary, I believe I would be further along in my language learning today if I had incorporated reading this book in addition to using Memrise.  I am already comparing grammatical features that I have learned in both for consistency, which is another great way to learn through verification.  Sometimes I think that I have found a mistake in the grammar book based on what I learned in Memrise; but after consulting my notes, I have found that there are subtle differences in use that make the difference.  Compared with a grammar book, Memrise might seem like it was just fun and games, and perhaps not serious language learning.  On the contrary, the online course was able to offer what a book cannot, which is audio samples of the language, songs, and recited poetry.  The online learning is more interactive and engaging than a book.  But I would not say one is better than the other, just different.       

After thought:  I was just thinking that it may seem to the reader of this blog that it is a contradiction that I will not use an electronic grammar book but will use an online language course daily with no apprehension.  These learning tools in my mind are in different categories of use.  And actually, I may not have mentioned that I have written everything I have learned from Memrise into my notebook so that I can reference it at will.  Typically, I am a book learner and like the tactile control I have over materials on paper.  Materials that I plan to reference while engaged in other learning activities are more convenient for me in print. 

Week 9 Memory strategy

Creating ‘mems’ for difficult to remember words:  Although I have completed the Memrise course, I still try to spend a few minutes a day reviewing the vocabulary and grammar I learned by ‘watering my plants.’  I have created pictures or “mems” for some of the words that I still have trouble remembering.  I was pleasantly surprised at how well this technique helps to create a “memory” of difficult words.  A ‘difficult’ word for me is one that I cannot create my own mnemonic device for.  The process of selecting an image from the Internet and adding a catchy text helps me to ‘own’ the vocabulary.  I just created a ‘mem’ today to help me remember the present tense, 3^rd person verb rizíˈ ‘buy’ and its past tense, 1^st person form guzieeˈ.  To create a mem, I try to think of what the word sounds like in English and if there is an image to portray that.  I also try to think of a way to incorporate the “sounds like” tool with the actual meaning of the IZ word. So, rizíˈ sounds like ‘ritzy’ and guzieeˈ sounds a little like ‘Gucci.’  (It’s not always a perfect match, but better than nothing.)  Since the verb means ‘buy,’ I can imagine shopping at a ‘Gucci’ store in the ‘ritzy’ part of town.  I looked up images of Gucci stores and selected the one below and added a text that reads, “Tourists buy Gucci in the ritzy part of town.”  This ‘mem’ will now be shown on the course site to help others learn the word as well.

   

Tourists buy Gucci in the ritzy part of town.

Week 9 Speaking and Writing

Week 9

Word of the Week: nuuni gande ca ‘it’s perfect’

(I finally discovered some colloquial expressions in my should-have-read-sooner grammar book.  This expression literally means ‘this thing is the twenty,’ like saying it’s ‘swell’ or ‘the bomb.’) 

Speaking:  The chapters in Achieving Success in Second Language Acquisition (Leaver et al, 2005) and Lessons from Good Language Learners (Griffiths, 2008) on “Speaking” address strategies that are important for most language-learning endeavors.  However, as I stated in my ISP in Week 1, I do not expect to have developed conversational skills in Isthmus Zapotec through my learning strategy.  I knew when I embarked upon learning this language that my chances of engaging in a conversion with a native IZ speaker would be slim.  However, as I have spent considerable time learning to read the language and recite IZ poetry, I have felt a little guilty about not knowing some of the most basic expressions and exchanges in this language.  I was curious how to say “thank you” in IZ one day, but could not find any form of the word ‘thanks’ in my IZ dictionary.  (I can say “I love you,” Naa nadxie’ lii!)  A little embarrassing, I do not even know how to say “hello” and “goodbye.”  In case someone asks me for something ‘basic,’ I memorized counting to ten.  I have been relying on my memorized poetry as my ‘rehearsed material’ needed for a potential interaction with a native speaker, but a “hello” would be a nice opener. 

Strategies for speaking:  When learning a language in which one anticipates contact with native speakers, it is important to prepare in advance for face-to-face interactions (Griffiths, 2008).  One should learn useful vocabulary and expressions commonly used in communicative situations, including word families or categories of vocabulary (i.e. travel, sports, shopping).  It is also important to have strategies for learning and using functional grammar in order to ask question, make a request, and provide information.  The most common types of oral communication are functional transactions, informal conversations, interviews (formal conversations), and formal presentations (Leaver et al, 2005).  As a beginning level speaker, functional transactions may be the easiest to learn since they are the most predictable form of communication.  This could include knowing how to order food in a restaurant, make a purchase in a market, or use a taxi service.  Greetings could be a part of any transaction, or a part of any form of communication for that matter.  A beginner language-learner should seek out interactions with native speakers, so planning for an informal conversation would lessen the anxiety of making a fool of one’s self or of having nothing to say.  Important strategies would include learning to simplify the language, memorizing something that you can anticipate talking about (i.e. school, family, work), learning how to ask questions to keep a conversation going and the other person talking, and learning how to ignore mistakes that do not appear to interfere with meaning (Leaver et al, 2005).  The strategies recommended for formal conversations and presentations are for the more advanced learner; although advice such as prepare in advance, be ready, and over practice is good for all speakers in any language.             

Writing:  A beginning language learner may have the opportunity to interact with a native speaker through informal written communication.  In such a case, writing strategies should be utilized.  If the learner is using handwritten correspondence, it is important to learn the stylistic differences between his own writing and that of the native writer (Leaver et al, 2005).  Penmanship can affect meaning and legibility for the reader.  (For me, a European ‘1’ looks like the number ‘7.’  When I address mail to friends in Europe, I try to write the number ‘1’ their way so their postman can read it.) A pen-pal or ‘e-pal’ can be a great resource for a learner to observe the colloquial use of the language.  Written communication could also provide the learner with more opportunity to receive corrective feedback from the native speaker.  A learner may find examples of casual writing as a model through diary-like novels.  Reading weblogs in the target language may be another good source of authentic casual written language.  For language learners who plan on continuing their studies in the target language, it would be important for them to strengthen their formal or academic writing skills.  Typically, communicative language-learning courses do not teach writing for the sake of writing.  A good strategy for learning how to use formal writing without the help of a teacher is to look at authentic text.  Even native speakers use this strategy for themselves.  I have done this when new on a job in the situation of having to produce a professional correspondence.  I have referenced files for letters or notices written by more experience employees and used these as a model for my own writing.  As a college student, I observe the structure of academic journals and the style of writing as examples of what a research paper should look like.   According to Griffiths (2008), the most important writing strategy is reading; we learn to write by reading.  When reading in the target language, learners can pick up new vocabulary and see it used in context.  They can observe the use of grammar and form, and notice the structure of certain genres of writing.  Reading about a relevant topic before writing can also help provide the learner with ideas to write about.

A Self-Directed Learner

A self-directed learner:  This learning experience has shown me that I can be a much more effective self-directed learner.  My Hebrew learning has involved a half-hazard attempt of self-directed or autonomous learning over the past five years.  (I have had a wonderful tutor, but little accountability nor sense of urgency, and no set goals.)  I have also made attempts at teaching myself Portuguese with some success many years ago.  I have also used independent study for learning Spanish at times when I was not engaged in formal instruction.  I know, however, that I would have had much greater success in these endeavors if I had used an Independent Study Plan as I have done with Isthmus Zapotec.  Goal setting and planning combined with personal accountability is the recipe for greater language-learning success.  This experience has led me to believe that it may be possible for me to reach at least a low level of fluency in any language without having to take classes if I dedicated the time and implement a study plan.  I intend to test this theory with Spanish, since this is the language that I have the most opportunity to use with native speakers and holds the most benefit to me, therefore worth the considerable time investment.  Perhaps I will even blog about it.          

  

Future Plans for Language Learning

Future plans for language learning:  I did not know how I would feel about continuing with Isthmus Zapotec at the end of this ‘language-learning odyssey’ when I first began.  I feel now that I have an investment in the language and do not want to stop at “Week 10.”  My investment is not just the time and effort put into learning the language, but it is in the Zapotec people that I have spoken with and in the IZ poetry that I have developed affection for.  My investment is in meeting David Shook and being drawn into a community of poets.  I don’t want to let go of this.  Studying Isthmus Zapotec has also reignited my interest in continuing to learn Spanish.  Much of my IZ learning has been in Spanish, therefore continuing to learn IZ would be made easier with increased Spanish skills.  Furthermore, improving my Spanish skills will help me to communicate with the Zapotec community in Los Angeles, since most of them speak Spanish as well.  Ultimately, Spanish will help me as an ESL teacher working with the Hispanic and indigenous communities in Los Angeles.