Course Description:
A linguistic understanding of Mandan is essential to teaching the language knowledgably and being effective in the classroom. Proper teaching of Mandan is dependent on a firm foundation in the sound system and rules of a language. This course is the primary linguistic introduction to the Mandan phonetic system– its sounds and writing system. The week-long course will be devoted to an overview of the Mandan phonetic system and will focus on training consistency in writing the language. Special emphasis will be on developing a basic, technical linguistic understanding of Mandan phonology, the issues and difficulties associated with English speakers learning these sounds, and developing a professional approach on teaching these concepts. The use of the specialized Mandan font and keyboard software will also be covered.
Course Objectives:
To introduce teachers in the effective use of Mandan phonology, so that they are adept at preparing lesson plans and teaching classes using Mandan sounds.
Course Textbooks:
“Speak Mandan! – Level 2 Mandan Textbook”, MHA Language Project, MHA Dept. of Education, 2016.