Federal grant funds new Swahili program

The College of Arts and Sciences has announced a new undergraduate advanced language program to teach Swahili, according to a press release.

The Swahili Flagship program will be led by Alwiya Omar, clinical associate professor in the Department of Linguistics.

This is IU’s second such advanced language program, after the Chinese Flagship program started in 2008.

It will be only the second African Languages Flagship program in the country, according to the release.

Swahili is the official and national language of Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda and is spoken by more than 70 million people worldwide.

Learning Swahili would enable students to work in these countries with greater ease of communication.

Omar is currently working to recruit visiting lecturers, a program coordinator, conversation partners and mentors for this program, which is funded by a three-year grant of $600,000 from the Language Flagship, a federally funded initiative which aims to change the way Americans learn languages.

“This program will enable students to continue their language study abroad in their junior and senior years, which will enhance their understanding about the culture and language in the actual environment,” Omar said.

The program will begin with an intensive course beginning in the second summer session after which students can continue to study Swahili throughout their college careers.

“It would be very helpful to students who want to get jobs in African countries in non-profit organizations as well as government jobs,” Omar said.

This program gives opportunities to students like sophomore Kimberly Smith, an international studies major who wants to work in Africa teaching English or working towards community development.

“The Flagship Program is the best way to enhance language learning since it allows us to go and live in the cultural and linguistic environment in our junior and senior years,” Smith said.

Freshman Christopher Parr, who is interested in volunteer work and community service in African countries, will have an added advantage through this program because it will put him in an environment where he can continue his career while still in school.

The program will give him an edge over others who have only theoretically studied
the language.

Currently, Makame Ussi, a visiting professor from the State University of Zanzibar, Tanzania, is accompanying Omar as a conversation expert in her Swahili classes.
“It is challenging to teach students from various different backgrounds at IU, but it is a brilliant opportunity for an exchange program,” he said.

Ussi said the Swahili Flagship program will provide universities in African countries the chance to develop different teaching ideas and enhance cultural exchange.

Although American and African universities have vast differences in technology, Ussi said, there are pros and cons to both linguistic environments.

“When students study Swahili in America we have to create a false environment of linguistic learning for them, whereas when they travel to Africa they are exposed to a natural learning environment and are able to pick the language up faster,” he said.