The 22nd Annual CILLDI Language Revitalization Summer School is fully online for 2021.

The Summer School will run from July 5 to August 13.

Schedule of Courses

Block I: July 5 - July 23

EDEL 306: Introduction to Indigenous Literacy and Language Development

Instructor: Andrea Custer

Live class sessions: Monday July 5 (1:00-2:00), Friday July 9, 16, 23 (9:00-12:00)

EDEL 460/595: Sustaining Language and Culture Through Traditional Knowledge and Practices

Instructor: Linda Pelly

Live class sessions: July 5, 9, 12, 16, 19, 23 (1:00-2:00)

EDEL 461/595: Second Language Acquisition: Teaching Indigenous Languages in an Immersion Context

Instructor: Norine Buffalo

Live class sessions: July 5, 8, 12, 15, 19, 22 (10:00-11:00)

LING 111: Introduction to Linguistic Analysis for Language Revitalization (CLC)

Instructor: Darin Flynn

Live class sessions: Daily (10:00-11:30 Required, 2:00-3:30 Optional)

LING 212: Morphosyntax of Indigenous Languages (CLC)

Instructor: Nik Toler and Craig Kopris

Live class sessions: Daily (1:00-3:00)

INTD 318: Technologies for Endangered Language Documentation (CLC)

Instructor: Atticus Harrigan

Live class sessions: To be determined

NS 103: Cree Immersion for Adult Beginners Level 1

Instructor: Dorothy Thunder

Live class sessions: Daily (10:00-11:00)

Block II: July 26 - August 13

EDEL 463/595: Assessment in Indigenous Language Classrooms

Instructor: Velvalee Georges

Live class sessions: Monday through Friday (11:00-12:00)

EDEL 496/595: Leadership in Language and Culture Education

Instructor: Heather Blair

Live class sessions: July 27, August 3, 10 (1:00-2:30)

LING 211: Phonetics of Indigenous Languages (CLC)

Instructor: To be determined

Live class sessions: To be determined

LING 213: Sentence and Discourse Patterns of Indigenous Languages (CLC)

Instructor: Nik Toler and Craig Kopris

Live class sessions: Daily (1:00-3:00)

INTD 311: Language Policy and Planning for Indigenous Language Communities (CLC)

Instructor: To be determined

Live class sessions: To be determined

NS 103: Cree Immersion for Adult Beginners Level 2

Instructor: Dorothy Thunder

Live class sessions: Daily (10:00-11:00)

Courses marked (CLC) are part of the Community Linguist Certificate program.

Who is the CILLDI Summer School for?

Our Summer School is designed for speakers and learners of Indigenous languages who are engaged in supporting the maintenance and revitalization of their languages in their communities. Our courses will provide you with knowledge, skills and experience that you can use as you work to keep your languages strong for current and future generations.

Is the Summer School just for people who speak a certain language?

No, our Summer School is open to speakers and learners of all Indigenous languages. Over the years, we have had students who were speakers or learners of more than 30 different Indigenous languages.

How does it work?

Students apply to the University of Alberta through Open Studies. Then, students can sign up for the courses they want. You can take a maximum of one course per block. You can take a maximum of two courses during the Summer School (one in Block I and one in Block II). All of our courses are fully-accredited 3-credit courses through the University of Alberta.

What are the courses like?

The courses are all online this year. They will be taught with a mix of live (synchronous) and recorded (asynchronous) material. All of our courses are taught by experienced CILLDI instructors. Your fellow students will be other Indigenous language speakers and learners from a wide variety of communities across the Prairies, the North, and beyond. Our students range in age from teenagers to elders and everyone in between.

In all of our courses, students will have opportunities to share their personal experiences with language revitalization, to make connections with students from other communities doing similar work, and to learn new skills that can help with their own teaching and learning.

You will have access to your instructor, as well as several volunteers who can assist you with questions on any of your assignments.

I've never take a university course. Can I still attend the Summer School?

Yes. CILLDI students who are new to the University of Alberta come in through the Open Studies program. No previous university experience is required.

I've never done an online course. Will I be able to take these courses?

Yes. So long as you have fairly reliable internet access and are able to dedicate a couple of hours a day to your coursework, you should be in good shape to take these courses. Online courses can be a challenge, and it is not everyone's favorite method of teaching or learning. But, doing courses online means that you can save a lot of time and money that would otherwise be spent on travel and accommodation, and you can meet and work with a wider range of students from across Canada and beyond, all while still being home with your family and community.

What is the Community Linguist Certificate?

The Community Linguist Certificate (CLC) is a six-course program. It will provide you with the basic skills you need to support language revitalization in your community. This includes learning how to do basic linguistic analysis in your language, how to use technology to improve the documentation of your language, and how to make successful community language plans. Students can begin their CLC program by taking LING 111 in Block I, and LING 211 in Block II.

How Much Does It Cost?

For Canadian students:

The cost for one course, including tuition and all fees is $1019.15.

The cost for two courses, including tuition and all fees is $1588.43.

For International students:

The cost for one course, including tuition and all fees is $2765.51

The cost for two courses, including tuition and all fees is $5081.15

All prices are in Canadian dollars.

Are There Bursaries Available?

Yes! Click here to fill out the online bursary application form. The application deadline is May 28.

How can I find out more information?

Contact the CILLDI office: cilldi@ualberta.ca