Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 32, Number 9, 1 September 2015 — Simply speaking [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Simply speaking

Award-winning educator Dr. Kū Kahakalau teaches Basic Hawaiian By Francine Kananionapua Murray / i magine increasing your * * Hawaiian vocabulary to over 1,000 words, learning dozens of Hawaiian songs, chants and proverbs and regularly conversing in Hawaiian with your friends and family." That's Dr. Kū Kahakalau's vision for a new Hawaiian language and culture program - Basic Hawaiian. The program was built was built on the knowledge and research that Kahakalau has developed over the last 30 years as an award-winning educator and authority of the Hawaiian language. Together with her expert team she has created a fun, interactive way of

teaching both language and culture, testing it over a three-year pilot project. In June 2015, they traveled to seven U.S. cites in whieh over 150 Hawaiians tested Basic Hawaiian. The results were overwhelmingly positive. Aunty Aloha and friends, a delightful bunch of animated characters guide you through the interactive website with stories, history, videos, mele and oli that include not just the lyrics and audio but also short biographies of the composers making eaeh tutorial more than just your basic Hawaiian language lesson, but a well-rounded Hawaiian cultural learning experience. "When I grew up, my grandparents spoke Hawaiian. Now most don't have native speakers to listen to," explained Kahakalau. "My daughters ean never hear what we were able to hear. Even if we didn't understand everything, we heard it."

What she and her team have done to address this is brilliant, yet basic. On the website they read from old Hawaiian language newspapers. For example, if a lesson's vocabulary includes waterfalls, hills and valleys the newspaper reading will be

from an article that includes these vocabulary words, and the student ean read along to see how the words are used. The accompanying newspaper text online is displayed as printed without diacritical marks as well as

with diacritical marks to help people with pronunciation. Even though students may not know what it all means at first, being exposed to the sound of the language in use throughout the program enhances the learning process. The short videos in the online lessons share Hawaiian practices and beliefs, and provide samples of conversational Hawaiian phrases in use, whieh helps people to listen, to practice and to learn when to use it. "Hopefully this will excite people of all ages to connect again with their Hawaiian heritage, with their culture, and those who are not Hawaiian to really feel good about knowing something Hawaiian," said Kahakalau. The three main components of the program are the interactive website, an app, whieh uses a game fonnat to teach vocabulary, and small group activities. Eaeh person that signs up for the program is encouraged to find two SEE HAWAIIAN ON PAGE 26

j NĀHANANA v > EVENTS f

INPEACE digital storyteller Solomon Alfapada with award-winning educator, Hawaiian language and culture expert and Basic Hawaiian creator Dr. Kū Kahakalau, INPEACE digital storyteller Niek Smith and Basic Hawaiian featured musician Robi Kahakalau, at the recent launeh of the Basic Hawaiian program at Nā Mea Hawai'i at Ward Warehouse. - Photo: Francine Murray

HAWAIIAN Continued from page 19

or three other people that they are going to meet with at their own time and plaee to practice speaking the Hawaiian words they have learned. "We want everyone to find out how Basic Hawaiian ean help you learn Hawaiian language, values and cultural practices any time, any where, using your computer, iPad or

iPhone." Launching September lst, Basic Hawaiian is a four-semester - two year online program. The app comes free with the program and features games, flash cards and fill in the blank vocabulary. The research and development were made possible with the help of an Administration for Native Americans Evaluation (ANA) grant, INPEACE Early Childhood, digital storytellers, and award-winning

musician Robi Kahakalau. Keiki Steps is one of the first to be incorporating Basic Hawaiian in the program Accreditation Action Plan. For more information visit Basic Hawaiian.com. "You ean never practice too mueh," Kahakalau. "It's a lifelong adventure." ■