Elementary Level Yoruba Syllabus
AF 371

TIME: 12:05 – 12:55 a.m., MTWRF
PLACE: 2251 Humanities Building

Instructor
Required texts
Course Description
Grading Policy
Course Outline

COURSE INFORMATION

 

INSTRUCTOR: Antonia Fælárìn Schleicher
TA: Obadele Kambon :: Office Hours: 11:00 – 12:00p.m. (WR)

Offices: 1402 Van Hise
4231 Humanities Bldg.
Telephone:
265-7905 (4231 Humanities Bldg. office)
262-6537 (Van Hise office)
262-2487 (ALL Dept. office)

Email: ayschlei@wisc.edu

Website: http://lang.nalrc.wisc.edu/nalrc/yoruba/

Office Hours:
1:00 – 2:00 p.m., M (4231 Humanities Building)
10:50-11:30 a.m. T. (1402 Van Hise)

Other times by appointments only.

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REQUIRED TEXTS:

1) Jê K'Á Sæ Yorùbá by Antonia Y. Fælárìn Schleicher ( Yale University Press, 1993)

2) Ìwé Kìíní - Alawiye by J.F. Odunjo (1970)

3) Ìwé Kejì - Alawiye by J.F. Odunjo (1971)

4) Dictionary of Yoruba by United Press Ltd

5) Jê KÁ Sæ Yoruba Companion CD-ROM by Antonia Y. Folarin Schleicher (1998)

6) Yoruba Newspaper Reader by Antonia Y. Folarin Schleicher (1998)

7) Yoruba Newspaper Reader Audio CD-ROM by Antonia Y. Folarin Schleicher. 2004

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COURSE DESCRIPTION:

Yoruba is one of the three main languages of Nigeria. There are about 20 million speakers of the language in the South Western part of Nigeria. It has about twenty dialects, which show phonological and lexical differences. Some of these dialects are spoken around the border of Nigeria and the Republic of Benin and some parts of Togo. The language has also survived in Cuba (where it is called Lukumi) and in Brazil (where it is called Nago).

Aside from these various dialects, there is Standard Yoruba, which is used for educational purposes, (e.g., in the newspapers, on the radio, and in schools). The Standard Yoruba is understood by speakers of the various dialects.

This course provides an introduction to the Standard Yoruba language and culture. The primary goal of the course is to provide the students with the spoken knowledge of the language. However, by the end of the course, students should have also acquired some knowledge of reading and writing in the language.

SPEAKING AND WRITING GOALS :  

• Students use appropriate Yorùbá expressions and gestures to greet and take leave of teachers and classmates.
• Students give and follow simple instructions in Yorùbá in order to participate in classroom activities. Students share their likes and dislikes in Yorùbá with each other or with students on other schools via notes, letters or e-mail.
• Students play role in Yorùbá everyday situations, such as buying wares in the market or ordering food at a restaurant.
• Students talk about and describe aspects of the Yorùbá world, such as food, clothing, type of dwellings, modes of transportation, buildings, and monuments.
• Students ask and answer questions in Yorùbá about topics such as family, school, animals, familiar objects, and possessions. These exchanges may be done in person or via notes, e-mail, audiocassettes or videotapes.
• Students dramatize Yorùbá-language songs and poems.
• Students prepare and present in Yorùbá short illustrated personal descriptions of topics, like their home or their family.
• Students prepare and present and/or record in Yorùbá puppet shows, short skits, and simple plays based on familiar folktales and stories, such as ¿ni Ælôrun Kò pa, Æba kan Kò Lè Pa á (Who ever is not killed by God, no king can kill him/her).
• Students retell stories in oral and written Yorùbá.
• Students prepare and contribute information in Yorùbá for an audio or video exchange or for web page on topics, such as school and hobbies. .
• Students perform songs, poetry, stories, skits or plays in Yorùbá for a classroom, school or community event.
• Students retell familiar stories or create and illustrate stories in Yorùbá to present to others.
• Students communicate in Yorùbá through letter, e-mail, audio cassettes, and videotapes with elementary school students in other Yorùbá classes or in schools in Yorùbá regions of the world.
• Students perform in Yorùbá for a school or community cultural event.
• Students teach Yorùbá language songs and simple conversational expressions to students at a local elementary school.

LISTENING and READING GOALS:

• Students follow oral instructions in Yorùbá related to daily classroom activities.
• Students understand oral and/or written statements in Yorùbá on familiar topics, such as numbers, time of day, and weather.
• Students read and/or listen in Yorùbá to descriptions and identify the corresponding pictures or illustrations, such as people, animals, objects, places, common activities, weather and time of day.
• Students understand familiar songs, poems in Yorùbá such as Ení Bí Ení (One by One), videos, stories and fairy tales in Yorùbá
• Students understand brief spoken or written Yorùbá messages on familiar topics, such as personal preferences, family, school, and celebrations.
• Students understand the content of simple Yorùbá-language realia, such as picture books, menus, posters or advertisements.

CULTURAL GOALS:

• Students use appropriate gestures and Yorùbá expressions for greetings, leave takings and common classroom interaction.
• Students participate in age-appropriate cultural activities such as games, songs, dances, celebrations, story telling, or dramatizations.
• Students identify social customs that are of interest to either children or adults, topics, may include traditional foods, aspects of family life, and typical holidays in various Yorùbá regions.
• Students identify the similarities and differences between school life in their own region and in Yorùbá regions.
• Students identify and recognize products and symbols of the Yorùbá world, such as foods, clothing, type of dwellings, modes of transportation, and famous monuments.
• Students identify and learn about products reflecting the lifestyle of people in various Yorùbá communities, such as household items, clothing, and foods. Students recognize and experience or interact with the products of Yorùbá cultures, such as children’s songs (Ení Bí Ení “One By One”; Kí Ni N Ó F’olè “What Will I Do With Stealing”), children’s videos, and selections from children’s literature (Odunjo Series 1-2).
• Students identify age-appropriate folk art and crafts typical of Yorùbá cultures, and, where appropriate, produce similar pieces, such as Yorùbá masks, sculptures, tie-dye materials, and beaded materials.
• Students identify the general characters and themes of the Yorùbá-language comic books and youth magazines.

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GRADING POLICY:

10% Attendance and class participation
20% Quizzes
20% Written Assignments
20% Midterm Exam
30% Final Exam

GRADING POLICY:

A = 96-100
AB = 91-95
B = 86-90
BC = 81-85
C = 70 – 80
D = 60 - 69
F = below 60

CLASS PARTICIPATION :

Students are expected to attend class regularly and to have done the assignments for that day. The class participation grade will be based on whether the student is prepared for class or not. Students are encouraged to ask questions, participate in drills and discussions, and volunteer answers. More than THREE absences will lower the class participation grade. Coming late to class will also affect your class participation grade

YORUBA LANGUAGE TABLE:

Everyone is required to attend the Yoruba language table once a week. This is a time when you can interact with other Yoruba learners and have the opportunity to practice your Yoruba. Attendance at this table is compulsory. The time and place will be arranged after classes have started.

QUIZZES :

There will be a short quiz on every Monday of the week apart from the first Monday of the semester. Ten of these quizzes will count towards the 20% of the total grade. There will be no make‑up quizzes except for unavoidable circumstances.  

WRITTEN ASSIGNMENTS :

Written assignments will be graded. These essays will be written in class. FIVE of such graded assignments will count towards 20% of the total grade.

MIDTERM EXAM :

Your midterm exam includes an Oral Proficiency Interview (20%) to assess your oral proficiency level. It also includes an essay (20%) that you will write from home. It will include listening comprehension (20%) and reading comprehension activities (20%). The midterm is 20% of your total grade.  

FINAL EXAM:

The final exam includes an OPI, reading, listening, a final essay and a short play that will be performed by the whole class. Your final paper will be based on a topic related to your academic interest or research. You should start thinking about what aspect of your research interest you want to base this essay on from first week of classes. Please discuss your topic with me before you begin your research. You will write between 3-4 pages in Yoruba on whatever topic you choose. Your topic could also be based on a particular aspect of Yoruba culture that you are interested in. You are expected to give an oral presentation of your final paper before you turn in your final draft. The final OPI, the reading and writing activities, the final paper and the play will be 30% of your total grade. The final paper is due on the final day of classes.

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TENTATIVE COURSE OUTLINE

Date	Preparation Before Class	In Class
Weeks 1-2	Role Play :   You meet your friend on the way to class. Greet him or her. You meet your teacher on the way to the library. Greet him or her. Vary the time of the greeting as you wish. You are the teacher, and one of your students meets you and greets you. Respond to his or her greetings and find out about his work, family, and any other information you like to know from the student.   Numbers: Learn numbers 1-10. Use your JKSY CD-ROM.   Reading:   YorubaNewspaper Reader 1, 2, 3, 4.     Tone Drills : Pages 7 and 18 JKSY Preliminary Lesson and the CD-ROM ******************************	-Go over the syllabus. -Introduce the Course and state your expectations clearly. -Get to know each other and find out what the students plan to use their knowledge of Yoruba for. -Find out what other languages they have learned. -Students perform the role plays. -Discuss the structure of the weekly essay and the final paper. - Do tone drills. - Talk about how to write good essays. - Do different activities with numbers. - Review classroom expressions with students. -
Weeks 3-4	Role Play :   You are meeting your Yoruba teacher for the first time. Tell her/him about yourself. Remember to tell her/him your name, where you live, whether you have siblings or not, etc, etc. Tell us about your friend. Tell us about your mom or dad. Writing: Write a post card to a penpal in Nigeria, introducing yourself to him/her.   Reading:   YNR: 5, 6, 7, 8.   Tone Drills :   JKSY and the CD-ROM: Lesson 1	-Students do the role play in class. - Have students read out the Yoruba Newspaper Reader lessons for reading practice for tones. - Do tone drills - Collect first essay - Talk about final essay
Weeks 5-6	Role Play:   You are visiting a friend’s grandmother in Nigeria, tell her about your family. Ask your classmate 4-5 questions, to know about his or her family.   Writing: Write a short essay about your family . About half a page.   Numbers: 1-20   Reading:   NR: 9, 10, 11, 12.   Tone Drills :   JKSY and CD-ROM: Lesson 2	- Demonstrate how to talk about ones family. - Do tone drills - Collect essays - Have students read aloud the NRfor tone practice - Play with numbers
Weeks 7-8	Role Play You meet a new friend at a party, ask her or him questions about what she/he likes to do. Your classmate will play the role of the new friend.   Introduce yourself to the class and tell your classmates your likes and dislikes. Someone is interested in house sitting for you, ask this person three or four questions that will help you know this person better.   Writing: Write a short essay about yourself, your likes and dislikes, the languages that you speak, what you study, and any other information you would like us to know about yourself. Reading:   YNR: 13, 14, 15, 16.   Poem: Pg 66, JKSY   - Memorize the poem   Tone Drills : JKSY: Lesson 3	- Demonstrate how to talk about one’s likes and dislikes -Students practice the role plays. -Collect essays -Do tone drills - Students read aloud the Yoruba Newspaper Reader lessons. -Students recite the poem.
Week 9	MIDTERM	MIDTERM
Weeks 10-11	Role Play : Describe your apartment. Remember to tell us what you have in each room. You are looking for an apartment, call the building manager, and ask four or five questions about the apartment that he or she advertised. Describe your classroom. Be as detailed as you can. Your friend wants to sublet his/her apartment to you. Find out everything you want to know about this apartment. Your classmate will play the role of your friend. Writing: Write an essay describing your house or your apartment. Be as detailed as possible. Tell us what is inside each room in the house or apartment. Reading:   YNR: 17, 18, 19, 20.   Tone Drills :   JKSY: Lesson 4	-Demonstrate how to describe one’s apartment. -Collect essays -Do tone drills -Have students do the role plays. - Student read aloud the YNR excerpts. - Ask different questions from students about their apartments or houses
Weeks 12-13	Role Play :   Describe your best friend. Remember to tell us the following: Name, age, nationality, where the friend lives what he/she likes or does not like to do any other information you like to give about this friend.   Ask your classmate four or five questions about his or her best friend. Describe a close relative. Describe your best teacher.     Writing: Write an essay about your best friend, or a close relative, telling us about his name, nationality, where he/she lives, what he/she likes and dislikes and other information you want to give about this friend   Numbers: 20-200       Reading:   YNR: 21, 22, 23, 24.   Tone Drills :   JKSY: Lesson 5	- Demonstrate the role play in number one. - Students do the role plays - Collect essays - Students read aloud the excerpts from YNR - Do tone drills - Play with numbers -
Weeks 14-15	Role Play :   Tell us about your personality Ask your classmate four or five questions that will help you to find out about his or her personality. Your friend is helping you to find a babysitter, tell your friend the kind of person you would like to have for a babysitter. Describe your best friend. Tell us about her or his personality and any other thing you want people to know about your friend. Your daughter just told you about her boyfriend. You have never met this man. Ask her as many questions as you like to find out about this young man.   Writing:   Write a detailed essay about your best friend including information about his or her personality     Poem : Page 113, JKSY     YNR: 25, 26, 27, 28.	-Demonstrate how to talk about people’s personality - Students do role plays - Students read aloud the excerpts from the YNR - Do tone drills - Collect essays
	Tone Drills: JKSY Lesson 6
	Final Exam

 

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