Elementary Level Yoruba Syllabus
AF 372

TIME: 12:05 – 12:55 a.m., MTWRF
PLACE: Social Science

Instructor
Required texts
Course Description
Grading Policy
Course Outline

COURSE INFORMATION

 

INSTRUCTOR: Antonia Fælárìn Schleicher

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., T (1402 Van Hise)
11:00-12:00 noon R (4231 Humanities Building)
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 :   Tell your friend about what you did during the Christmas break. Tell your classmate about a recent trip you went on. Your friend just came back from a trip, ask him or her four or five questions about his trip. You just received a scholarship to go to Nigeria, tell your friend what you are going to do in Nigeria. Your friend just told you that he is going to Ibadan, in Nigeria, ask him or her four or five questions about what s/he will do in Nigeria.   Numbers: Learn numbers 200-1000.   Reading:   YorubaNewspaper Reader   Alawiye: Book One   Tone Drills : Lesson 7, JKSY and the CD-ROM ******************************	-Go over the syllabus. -Introduce the Course and state your expectations clearly. -Students perform the role plays. - Do tone drills. - Talk about how to write good essays. - Do different activities with numbers. - Students do the role play in class.   Essay Writing   -Students write an essay about what they did during the Christmas holiday.
Weeks 3-4	Role Play :   A thief broke into your neighbor’s house yesterday and the police is interviewing all the neighbors to collect information. You were at your friend’s house when the incident occurred. Tell the police where you were that day and what you were doing. Now play the role of the police, ask your neighbor several questions to find out what was stolen, where, when, etc. Tell us about what you do every day. Ask your friend several questions on what people do in your culture to celebrate birthdays.     Reading:   YNR and Alawiye   Tone Drills :   JKSY and the CD-ROM: Lesson 8	-Students do the role play in class. - Have students read out the Yoruba Newspaper Reader lessons and answer some questions. - Students read and answer questions from Alawiye. - Do tone drills   Writing : Write an essay about a recent trip that you went on. Mention several things that you did during the trip.
Weeks 5-6	Role Play:   Someone came to look for your roommate while she or he was away. Give a full description of this person, the height, color of the hair, the clothes, etc. Someone just mugged you, describe this person to the Police including the clothing. Now play the role of the police officer and ask your friend questions about what the mugger was wearing. Reading:   NR and Alawiye   Tone Drills :   JKSY and CD-ROM: Lesson 9	- Demonstrate how to describe an a person including clothing. - Do tone drills - Have students read NR and Alawiye and answer questions on them. - Play with numbers   Writing : Write a short description of your friend when you saw him or her last.
Weeks 7-8	Role Play You are at a market, haggle for the price of the product that you want to buy. You are at a university and your grades are getting lower. Your mom is worried and wanted to know how you spend your time every week, tell your mom what you do everyday, Monday to Sunday. Interview your friend to find out how he or she spends his or time everyday. Reading:   YNR and Alawiye   - Memorize a Yoruba poem   Tone Drills : JKSY: Lessons 10 and 11	- Demonstrate how to haggle. -Students practice the role plays.   -Do tone drills - Students read the Yoruba Newspaper Reader lessons and Alawiye and answer several questions. -Students recite whatever poem they have memorized.     Writing : Write an essay describing what you do everyday of the week.
Week 9	MIDTERM	MIDTERM
Weeks 10-11	Role Play : Tell your friend about your favorite food and how it is prepared. Your friend is hungry and he/she told you about this. Offer a solution about going to a restaurant to eat. Ask your friend several questions about what he/she likes to eat, and which restaurant to go, and when she/he wants to go to the restaurant. Tell your friend who is visiting the US for the first time, the kinds of foods people like to eat in the US. Ask your friend the kinds of jobs people like to do most in his/her culture.   Interview a professional person to find out what he/she does in his profession. Reading:   YNR and Alawiye   Tone Drills :   JKSY: Lessons 12 and 13	-Demonstrate how to talk about one’s favorite food and how it is prepared. -Do tone drills -Have students do the role plays. - Student read the YNR excerpts and Alawiye. - Talk about different professions in Nigeria. - Ask different questions from students about different professions in the US.   Writing : Write an essay about your favorite profession and what the job is about.
Weeks 12-13	Role Play :   Tell your friend from Nigeria about different ceremonies that people do in the US. Ask your classmate several questions about how people in the US celebrate Christmas. Describe a ceremony that you attended. Interview a celebrity and find out everything you would like to know about him or her     Reading:   YNR and Alawiye   Tone Drills :   JKSY: Lessons 14 and 15	- Demonstrate how to talk about different ceremonies. - Students do the role plays - Students read excerpts from YNR and Alawiye and answer questions. - Do tone drills - Play with numbers     Writing : Write an essay about your favorite holiday or ceremony.
Weeks 14-15	Role Play :   You are lost, find out how to get to where you are going. Tell us about your friend, his nationality, what he/she likes to do, etc. Ask your classmate several questions about his/her friend including the friend’s nationality.       Your child just told you about the person he/she wants to marry. Ask several questions to find out about this pserson.   Memorize another Yoruba poem   YNR and Alawiye	-Demonstrate how to give someone a direction to a place. - Students do role plays - Students read excerpts from the YNR and Alawiye - Do tone drills   Writing:   Write a detailed essay about your best friend including information about his or her personality, nationality, etc.
	Tone Drills: JKSY Lessons 16, 17, and 18
	Final Exam

 

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