Dakota Intermediate to Advanced Language Initiative

Dakota Wicohan is excited that many are speaking the Dakota language on in the Upper and Lower Sioux Communities. Because of this, Dakota Wicohan has the opportunity to focus on a small, but significant, group of language learners-15 Dakota language speakers. The project goal is to strengthen the community's capacity to reclaim and revitalize their language by nurturing the language skills of 15 Dakota language leaders. These goals will be met by two objectives- Create a safe and nurturing Dakota speaking community-based work environment activity that engages ten beginning to fluent speakers and to grow the speaking and teaching skills of at least eight intermediate Dakota language learners on their journey towards fluency. By creating an active and joyful Dakota speaking, learning, and work environment and by training fifteen speakers, the project should create an increased confidence in learning the language among the fifteen learners, increase the acceptance of and use of language in a community-based workplace, increase Dakota language skills with at least seven beginning learners moving from passive to symbolic, or from symbolic to traditional, and at least eight intermediate learners moving toward fluency and creative language use.