In this panel presentation, authors of new, innovative instructional materials development projects in three languages–Indonesian, Russian, and Yorùbá–that can serve as models for projects in other LCTLs.
About the presenters
Adeola Agoke, author of the Proficiency-Based Dictionary of Yorùbá Languag, is Teaching Assistant Professor and Director of the African Languages Program in the Department of African Cultural Studies at the University of Wisconsin–Madison. Her research interests are language use and practices, language pedagogy, and educational linguistics. She holds a PhD in African Cultural Studies fron UW–Madison.
Sapta Abimanyu, co-author of Intermediate Indonesian, is an Indonesian language instructor in the Department of Asian Languages and Cultures at the University of Wisconsin–Madison. He has also taught Indonesian for the Southeast Asian Studies Summer Institute, and at Ohio University and the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa. He holds an MA in Asian Studies from Ohio University.
Hany Noviya, co-author of Intermediate Indonesian, is an Indonesian language lecturer in the Department of Asian Languages and Cultures at the University of Wisconsin–Madison. She has also taught Indonesian for the Southeast Asian Studies Summer Institute at UW–Madison and at the Universitas Negeri Malang. She holds an MA in English Language Education from the Universitas Negeri Malang.
Shannon Donnally Quinn, co-authorof Diverse Russian: A Multicultural Exploration, is Associate Professor of Russian at Michigan State University. She has a PhD from the University of Wisconsin–Madison in Slavic languages and literature and a master’s degree in instructional design from the University of Massachusetts.
Anna Tumarkin, co-author of Diverse Russian: A Multicultural Exploration, is a Teaching Professor at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, where she directs the Russian Language Program and serves as Associate Director of the Russian Flagship Program. She holds a PhD in Slavic Languages and Literature from UW–Madison.
About the projects
Proficiency-Based Dictionary of Yorùbá Language by Adeola Agoke
Existing LCTL dictionaries have been instrumental in supporting the linguistic needs of language users who are either proficient in the language or have the tools to navigate the language. There has not, however, been much attention in the design of such dictionaries to the pedagogical needs of language learners in terms of their developing language proficiency. An innovative project in Yorùbá, the Proficiency-Based Dictionary of Yorùbá Language, provides contextualized language learning for learners Yorùbá by using the American Council of Teachers of Foreign Language (ACTFL) Proficiency Guidelines as a core organizing principle for the presentation of lexical items in a dictionary. The vocabulary in the Proficiency-Based Dictionary of Yorùbá Language is supplemented with interactive learning activities, recordings of lexical items, and contextualized sample sentences that reflect the ordinary, everyday linguistic creativity of speakers of Yorùbá. The online dictionary, which constructs digital technology as a critical tool and space for methodic documentation of Yoruba vocabulary and representation of the attending cultures of the language in the global space, can serve as a template for learning materials tailored to the proficiency levels of LCTL learners. The project was generously funded by the University of Wisconsin–Madison Language Institute, Department of African Cultural Studies, and African Studies Program, through its Title VI National Resource Center grant.
Diverse Russian: A Multicultural Exploration by Anna Tumarkin and Shannon Donnally Quinn
Diverse Russian: A Multicultural Exploration, an online OER textbook for ACTFL Intermediate-level learners of Russian to explore the diverse Russian-speaking communities across Eastern Europe, Central Asia, and North America. It highlights the rich cultures and histories of Ukraine, Kazakhstan, Indigenous populations of Russia, the Baltic states, Georgia (Sakartvelo), and Russian-speaking communities in the United States. Supported by the Less Commonly Taught and Indigenous Languages Partnership and funded by the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, the textbook provides a unique, immersive experience that seamlessly integrates cultural understanding with practical language skills.
Intermediate Indonesian
Intermediate Indonesian is an interactive, theme-based online textbook designed for intermediate-level students. The book explores the rich diversity of Indonesia, with each chapter focusing on different cultures and customs. Spanning eight chapters, it covers all language skills, with a primary emphasis on reading and communication. Interactive activities in the book, created using H5P, provide immediate feedback to reinforce learning. The textbook aims to help learners achieve an intermediate-high proficiency level, as defined by the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL) standards. Funded by Michigan State University, the project integrates diverse pedagogical approaches to engage students and deepen their understanding of both the Indonesian language and its unique cultural context.
The project is funded by an International Research and Studies Program grant from the International and Foreign Language Education (IFLE) office, U.S. Department of Education, under the project title: “LCTLs OER Collaborative: Enhancing Language Teaching through OER Language Textbook Development and Partnerships” (U.S. Department of Education, 2023). It is directed by Dr. Rajiv Rajan and Dr. Siddharth Chandra, in collaboration with the Asian Studies Center at Michigan State University.
Sponsored by:
- University of Wisconsin-Madison Language Institute (main sponsor)
- University of Wisconsin-Madison Department of African Cultural Studies
- University of Wisconsin-Madison African Studies Program
- Less Commonly Taught and Indigenous Languages Partnership, Michigan State University
- National LCTL Resource Center, Michigan State University