Sealaska Heritage Institute is adding another level to its Tlingit Language Asynchronous Course. The addition of an intermediate level marks the second step toward a planned three-part program.
The online course is free and self-paced, making it accessible to learners regardless of schedule. Jamie Shanley, director of language and primary education at SHI, said the format is a major draw.
“It’s free, it’s asynchronous, which means you can do it on your own time, and it’s a really nice, smart platform,” Shanley said.
The asynchronous curriculum was built by Anna Neelaatughaa Clock, originally designed to complement instruction in the Tlingit Culture, Language and Literacy program followed in Juneau schools. The goal was to give families and school staff a way to follow along with what students were learning in the classroom.
“There was a need that we heard from parents, that, for instance, family members, that students in the TCLL program are coming home and using the language, and parents want to be able to keep up with them and to learn and to be able to do at home what their students are doing in school all day,” Shanley said.
Clock developed the course with guidance from Shaaxʼsáani Kéekʼ (Shirley Kendall), a Tlingit language speaker and elder.
The course is hosted through 7000 Languages, a platform that provides Indigenous language communities with free access to online language-learning tools.
Shanley said learners have already given enthusiastic feedback, particularly for the course’s convenience.
“We received an email the other day that said that they were really excited because they’ve been looking for something like Duolingo in Tlingit, and this was better than Duolingo, and they’re really excited to make it a part of their daily routine,” Shanley said.
The fundingÁt Koowaháa: Expanding the Tlingit Culture, Language and Literacy Program’s Dual Language Pathway for Alaska Native Students, Grades K-8. That funding comes from the Alaska Native Education program of the U.S. Department of Education, through a $2.7-million award that covers the full cost of the initiative. About 400 people have signed up for the beginner-level course since it launched.
The asynchronous course is one of several free Tlingit language learning options currently available in the community. Through another grant, Sealaska Heritage Institute has been able to support free classes at the University of Alaska Southeast in all three Indigenous languages of the region. That open enrollment led to large increases in enrollment, Shanley said.
Shanley said the flexible format of the asynchronous course is especially useful for people who need flexibility and want to fit language learning into their daily lives.
The third course in the asynchronous series is expected to be available by early fall.
