Ola! A Guide to Oral Language Acquisition fills a gap in cultural and language studies by equipping heritage
language communities who are impacted by language change with the tools necessary
to prevent it. The book addresses this issue by
rethinking language learning based on the following principles:
·
Language Ambiguous- Ola!
is based on learning through questions of linguistic field research. These
questions can be applied to any language. Learners work directly with their language speakers to develop
vocabulary, listening, preliminary grammar, and cultural skills.
·
Community Based- Ola!
is not intended for classroom use, the book is built for community settings.
Speakers and learners build relationships through language knowledge. There is with
no timescale to completion as time spent builds relationships with loved ones.
·
Oral Language- Ola!
learning is focused on listening, responding, and building the confidence in
conversation so the learner is able to create their own unique expressions in
the language.
This book shows learners how to gain
language skill through talking with those in their community. Sounds simple, but few other
programs take this method. Most language learning materials suited for
classroom curriculum, or academic study. There are few resources for
communities interested in conversation without academic goals.
