THE PROJECT
While apps for Indigenous languages can be a valuable learning support, they are primarily dictionaries and don’t teach the users how to actually form phrases and sentences. Recognizing the need to fill this gap in Indigenous language teaching tools, a free mobile app, Nêhiyawê Instructional Syntax Online for Teaching and Knowledge (Nisotak), was developed for learners of the Cree language.
COMMUNITY IMPACT
Nisotak allows users to do a deeper dive into learning Cree with activities like reading and listening to a story, practicing phrases, and trying multiple choice questions. The design of the system has an interface that can be adapted for any language by allowing language experts to easily add to the language database, supporting learners of the Cree language and beyond and preserving the Cree language.
RELATED LINKS
- University of Saskatchewan’s Department of Education website
- CTV News article: U of S researchers develop Indigenous languages app
- Conference report on the project
IMAGES
