Release of 2015 SIL Annual Update

This year’s online edition features a responsive electronic format usable for both tablets and mobile devices.

(January 2015) SIL announces the publication of the 2015 SIL Annual Update, available in both English and French. This year’s online edition features a responsive electronic format usable for both tablets and mobile devices.

The Update includes highlights from activities conducted in partnership with language communities around the world.

In Bangladesh, young people are learning how to impact their communities.

I used to dream of doing something for society. This training has enabled me to spread my wings and begin working in a new way with ethnolinguistic communities. Not only have I learnt how to facilitate sessions, but I have also realized my own responsibilities towards my nation. I am very grateful to have such a great opportunity.

Shanta Maria D’Costa

In Venezuela, teachers, university professors, administration, pastors and translators learned how to create local-language materials.

Between the first and second workshops, the participants tested the materials that they had drafted during and after the first workshop.

Dancers at a Solomon Islands dictionary making and cultural documentation workshop; and children showing their Bloom-created books.

In various countries, development practitioners collaborated and learned to better serve language communities by refining their skills in advocacy for mother-tongue education.

It was exciting to see organisations coming together, sharing experiences and thinking about local languages in ways they had never imagined possible…We are already receiving exciting news as delegates begin to advocate for the role of local languages, presenting language as the missing link in their programme approaches.

Susan Nyaga Anzuruni, conference organizer

Dictionary making workshops were conducted in seven countries.

I am very happy to participate in this workshop to gather words for entering into a dictionary. A language that has a dictionary will not die. I want to work on entering the remaining words with the help of SIL.

Workshop participant in Ethiopia

Introducing New Tech Tools:

  • Scripture App Builder: With SAB, the user uploads content and chooses from customizable settings.
  • Bloom: Growing local libraries—is a new user-friendly software for creating mother-tongue reading materials.
  • Keyman: is a new software solution for non Roman fonts.
  • Transparent Language, a leader in computer-assisted language learning, is partnering with SIL on a method for developing digital learning tools for lesser-known and under-resourced languages.

 

Check out the 2015 Annual Update for these stories and more.

 

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