(1) The current status of training teachers of Mexican Indian languages for
speakers of other languages, and plans for the foreseeable future;
(2) On-going teaching and materials design in various Mexican Indian
languages; and
(2) The question of certifying proficiency in any given Indian language,
especially for teachers, but also for legal translators/interpreters and
others.
The symposium's lingua franca will be Spanish.
The first theme will include a "report and reflection" on what has hap-
pened since 1989, with particular emphasis on the program for teachers of
P'urhepecha at the University of Michoacan. It will also take up the ques-
tions of what should/should not be done and what needs/needs not be in-
cluded in the contents and methodology of courses of this sort, what con-
crete actions can be taken immediately to increase the number of language
groups served, and how the number of teacher-trainers involved can be
expanded.
The second theme will have to do with the expansion and development of the
teaching of Indian languages to speakers of other languages since 1989.
The third theme will include the questions of (a) who a "native speaker" of
a (minority) language is and how it can be shown that a person is/is not
one, and (b) how community-based language norms can be made understandable
and acceptable to members of the majority society. This will be a continua-
tion of a symposium held in 1992.
Participants will be Indian-language teachers from various parts of the
Republic (representing 6-8 language groups, at least), as well as teacher
trainers who have taken part in different activities since 1989. Most of
the symposium will have a round-table or work-group format.
Anyone interested is welcome to attend. No financial support is available;
however, local organizers will be glad to give travel advice, make hotel
reservations, etc. A formal invitation can be sent if necessary.
Institutions:
Centro de Investigaci n de la Cultura P'urhepecha/Universidad Michoacana de
San Nicolas de Hidalgo.
Programa de Lenguas y Literatura Indigenas, Direccion General de Culturas
Populares/CNCA.
Ensenyanza de Lenguas Indigenas, Centro de Investigaciones y Estudios Supe-
riores en Antropologia Social.
Contact:
E-mail: ormsby@servidor.unam.mx
or
ciejuare@servidor.unam.mx (with Subject: Para Harold)
Post: Ensenyanza de Lenguas Indigenas
Maestria en Linguistica Indoamericana
CIESAS
Juarez 87, esq. Moneda
Tlalpan
14000 Mexico, D.F.
Mexico
Fax: +52+5+655-5576
*****+++++*****
Harold Ormsby L.
Centro de Investigaciones y Estudios Superiores
en Antropologia Social (CIESAS)
Mexico
ormsby@servidor.unam.mx