Communities developing resources and competencies for using their languages
Foundational understanding for language development work of all kinds
Publications, fonts and computer tools for language development, translation and research
SIL offers training in disciplines relevant to sustainable language development.
7,105 languages are spoken or signed. CLICK for map of world languages & regional websites.
SIL's dedication to language development past and present
Certain life experiences along with prior education and various types of training are useful background for any person launching into training for potential international literacy fieldwork. Among them are:
SIL offers specialized and accredited training for people who wish to work in literacy and education, either with SIL or through another organization. For further information on training that is available see SIL Training.
SIL fieldworkers, as members of the organization, must meet certain qualifications and complete additional specific training. The minimum pre-field academic requirements include SIL courses in basic applied linguistics (or their equivalents) and literacy and multilingual education training.
SIL approved training for literacy and education is offered in various locations around the world:
Graduate Institute of Applied Linguistics (GIAL) in Dallas, TX, USA University of North Dakota (SIL-UND) in Grand Forks, ND, USA (summer courses only) Canada Institute of Linguistics (CanIL) in Vancouver, BC, Canada European Training Program (ETP-UK) in England EQUIP near Melbourne, Australia Payap University in Chiang Mai, Thailand iDELTA in Nairobi, Kenya; and in Yaounde, Cameroon and Oauagadougou, Burkina Faso (in French) CILTA in Lima, Peru (offered in Spanish)
All of these literacy training courses are open to potential literacy and education practitioners, but assume basic understanding of pertinent linguistic principles.
For further information including course schedules, click on the individual links provided above or see SIL Training.
The Literacy Megacourse, taught by SIL International Literacy personnel, integrates the domains of language, culture, and literacy, preparing participants to serve in literacy efforts with SIL or with other organizations. The course package is especially designed to train literacy personnel for fieldwork among peoples where there is little or no tradition of literacy, no literature, and no one trained to organize a literacy program.
The Megacourse is a graduate-level cluster of three integrated classes or nine hours of graduate work:
The course work provides hands-on experience in how to design materials for local language and multilingual literacy, how to plan a literacy program, and how to examine selective case studies of mother tongue literacy from a variety of counties worldwide.
The Literacy Megacourse is offered in the spring at GIAL in Dallas and in the summer at NDSIL in North Dakota. (For details about pre-requisites, course content and dates see the GIAL and NDSIL websites.)
Topics in the Megacourse include the following:
(See also the NDSIL course - Ling 530: Intro. to Writing Systems)
