2008 FEL grants announced

This year five grants were awarded a total of $5,000 (US). Following is a summary of the successful applications, with their goals. All grants shown in US dollars.

John Hobson, University of Sydney, re Banjalang (Northern Rivers district, NSW, Australia), $1450.

1. To conduct an Australian demonstration trial of the Master-Apprentice method in the revitalisation of an endangered language that will inform the development of policy and practice at state and national levels.
2. To provide qualified and experienced indigenous language teachers with an opportunity to acquire sufficient fluency in their ancestral language to permit them to transmit it to students in contemporary classroom settings.
3. To evidence to Banjalang communities that adult intergenerational transmission of their language is possible.
4. To produce and disseminate recordings of Banjalang dialogue.
5. To stimulate the increased use of spoken Banjalang in a broad range of contexts.
6. To foster awareness of Banjalang and the need and potential for its revitalisation.

Chun Huang, University of Florida, re Siraya (Taiwan), $1000.

1. Finalization of a modern Siraya dictionary and its publication in 2008.
2. Preparation of Siraya-learning materials for Siraya Language & Culture Summer Camp, 2008.

Javier Ruedas, University of New Orleans, re Marubo (upper Curuçá River, Amazonas state, Brazil), $1000.

1. Record, transcribe, and translate saiti, a form of sung myth, known fully by very few elderly Marubo, and store these along with extensive metadata in linked computer files
2. Digitize recordings and transcriptions that have already been made by the speech community
3. Help generate contexts for systematic, interpersonal, intergenerational transmission of specialized language registers
4. Produce CDs and other digital media for use by the speech community and by NGOs working in indigenous education among the Marubo
5. Produce educational materials   based on transcribed and translated texts

Molly Babel, Mono Lake Northern Paiute (Bridgeport, California, USA), $550.

1. Produce written text collection of traditional narratives with Northern Paiute and English text and accompanying audio CD
2. Produce follow along children's book with Northern Paiute and English text and accompanying audio CD

April Counceller, Alutiiq or Sugpiaq/Pacific Eskimo (Kodiak Island, AK, USA), $1000.

1. To advance knowledge of the Alutiiq language among rural Alutiiq Elementary students and other learners
2. To document environmental language information with fluent Elders
3. To develop resources for language learning accessible to educators, cultural organizations and language learners