SIL Academic Training
Academic training in SIL focuses on preparing people to do quality linguistic fieldwork, literacy, and translation.
Training for Roles in Language Work
Language Surveyor
The courses listed constitute the required training for language surveyors. Exceptions to these requirements may be approved by the International Language Assessment Coordinator.
It is our goal that all surveyors working with SIL will also participate in a six-month internship on the field. This on-the-job training is taken as a member of a survey team under a qualified (Language Survey Consultant) mentor before beginning independent survey work as part of the team. If a surveyor continues in survey beyond one field term, study toward an advanced degree in sociolinguistics is recommended after the first field term.
Language Surveyor (Initial)
(Involvement in linguistic and sociolinguistic field surveys under the supervision of a language survey team leader)
- Language and Society
- Phonetics
- Second Language/Culture Learning
- Principles of Language Survey
- Phonology
- Cultural Anthropology/Ethnography
Upon arrival on the field of assignment, the surveyor will successfully participate in
- The field orientation and language and culture learning required by the entity
- On-the job training as a member of a survey team. This internship lasts about half a year under the supervision of the team leader and includes use of an online resource called Procedures of Language Survey.
- Language assessment with the survey team, usually for a minimum of two years. The internship is the first part of this two year period.
Language Survey Specialist (Intermediate)
(After successful completion of the Language Surveyor (Initial) role)
The required training for this role includes successful completion of the Language Survey (Initial) role plus additional professional development in at least two of these following five areas:
- Studies in Language Contact
- Social Science Research Design
- Statistical Methods for Survey
- The Comparative Method
- Language Program Planning
Language Survey Consultant (Advanced)
(Survey Team Leader or Survey Consultant)
Qualifications:
- Mastery of the content of the training topics listed for Initial and Intermediate Language Surveyors
- Broad experience as a language surveyor
- An advanced degree, usually in sociolinguistics