Summer Indigenous Language Institute

LOCATION

For the fourth year in a row, the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe Iyapi Program is partnering with United Tribes Technical College (UTTC) to host the event on their beautiful campus in Bismarck, North Dakota. All SILI courses will take place in the Science and Technology Building. Campus maps are available online here.

COURSES

The Summer Indigenous Language Institute is an annual opportunity to learn, speak, and live Indigenous language for up to two weeks. A variety of courses are available to meet people wherever they are in their language learning, whether they’re complete beginners, intermediate learners, fluent speakers, or anywhere in between. This summer we are focusing on Dakota/Lakota but we plan to offer other Indigenous language learning opportunities in the future.

All courses are two weeks in length. Most SILI students take two courses per week (one in the morning and the other in the afternoon), but some take just one. See below to explore this year’s offering. Please Check the course description to check your eligibility for that course.

CEU 101 Lakota Language I 

This course is designed for second-language learners of the Lakota Language. Students will be immersed in the Lakota language and culture with a focus on building conversational capacity, grammatical analysis, and cultural confidence while building their language learning skills. Instructional strategies include a wide variety of resources, including authentic and prepared materials, conversations, reference materials, and the knowledge and experiences students bring to the classroom.

CEU 111 Dakota Language I 

This course is designed for second-language learners of the Dakota Language. Students will be immersed in the Dakota language and culture with a focus on building conversational capacity, grammatical analysis, and cultural confidence while building their language learning skills. Instructional strategies include a wide variety of resources, including authentic and prepared materials, conversations, reference materials, and the knowledge and experiences students bring to the classroom.

CEU 102 Lakota Language II 

This course is designed for second language learners of the Lakota and Dakota Language who are at a Novice mid-level. Students will deepen their immersion in the Lakota language and culture with a focus on building conversational capacity, grammatical analysis, and cultural confidence, all while strengthening their language learning skills. By the end of the course, students will be able to apply the vocabulary and structures that they have learned in class to engage independently in oral and written communication about increasingly complex topics. 

Prerequisite: CEU 101 or CEU 111

CEU Dakota Speaking Lab

Class time is for talking! This is a unique learning experience for people of all ages. From day one, you will be talking about the world around you, about things you enjoy. No english, no linguistics, no reading and writing – just talking, repeating, getting continuous practice speaking Dakota in real word situations!

This course is offered in the morning and should be taken in combination with CEU 111 or CEU Dakota Lakota Grammar and Listening.

CEU Lakota Speaking Lab

Class time is for talking! This is a unique learning experience for people of all ages. From day one, you will be talking about the world around you, about things you enjoy. No english, no linguistics, no reading and writing – just talking, repeating, getting continuous practice speaking Dakota and Lakota in real word situations!

This course is offered in the afternoon and should be taken in combination with CEU 101 or CEU 102.

CEU Dakota/Lakota Grammar and Listening Class 

This course is designed for second language learners of Dakota/Lakota who build their grammatical analysis and listening skills. Students will deepen their understanding of Dakota/Lakota grammar through targeted lessons in morphology and syntax. Listening activities will focus on the use of authentic recordings by first language speakers.

This course is offered in both the afternoon and should be taken in combination with IND 101 or IND 102.

Registration

Registration is now open!

To get started, complete the Pre-Registration form. You will be asked which course(s) you hope to attend each week. Repeat this step for all attendees in your group. 

UTTC will reach out to you within two business days after submitting your Pre-Registration form with additional paperwork to complete your Registration.

If you have any questions, please reach out to the SILI Coordinator, Sunshine Carlow, at language@standingrock.org.

Continuing Education Units (CEUs)

All courses are available for Continuing Education Units (CEUs).  There are no courses available for College Credit this summer. There is no cost to the student for CEUs. We recommend that CEU students attend for  two weeks but they may alternatively attend for only one week. CEU students require the prior consent of the instructor if they intend to join the course the second week.

Lodging

Comfortable lodging is available in UTTC’s campus dormitories for only $20 per night! To get started on your lodging application, email mplentychief@uttc.edu. Camping options are also available. Unfortunately, we cannot offer family housing.

Students must be 18 years or older to stay on campus housing without a chaperone.

Meals

Meals at the UTTC Dining Hall are available for PURCHASE. For more information about the UTTC Dining Hall, visit https://uttc.edu/student-life/student-resources/cafeteria/

Hours of Operation

• Monday through Friday
  Breakfast: 7 am to 8:30 am
  Lunch: 11:45 am to 1:15 pm
  Dinner: 4:30 pm to 6:30 pm
• Saturday, Sunday, and Holidays
  Brunch: 10 am to 12 pm
  Dinner: 4 pm to 5 pm

Contact Us

United Tribes Technical College

Sunshine Carlow
Indigenous Leadership Instructor, DLSI Coordinator
scarlow@uttc.edu

Standing Rock Sioux Tribe Iyapi Program

Nacole Walker
SRST Iyapi Director
language@standingrock.org