Certificate Programme in Toda Language & Culture
First of Its Kind Initiative in the State ❤️
#newspaperinlearning
I was so happy to read a lovely news article in today’s The New Indian Express, that the Madras School of Social Work (MSSW) is introducing a certificate programme dedicated to the Toda language and culture, - the first programme of its kind in Tamil Nadu to focus on this specific endangered indigenous language.
The proposed certificate course has a duration of four months. Additionally, the curriculum is structured as a 90-hour programme.
The course aims to teach a language that possesses no native script. The Toda language has survived solely through a rich oral tradition passed down through generations, making a formalised 90-hour academic syllabus a unique initiative in academia.
Moreover, the initiative is paired with a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Computational Resource for South Asian Languages (CoRSAL) at Indiana University, USA. This partnership provides the technical infrastructure to train local researchers in digitally documenting, ethically collecting, and permanently archiving the endangered dialect.
One unique aspect of the course is that, rather than relying solely on external academic observation, the course curriculum has been designed by experts deeply connected to the community, including eminent Toda writer and poet Vasamalli, as well as Tarun Chhabra, who was instrumental in securing the GI tag for Toda embroidery.
Beyond just teaching the language, the programme uniquely emphasises on the technical expertise required to safeguard the language.
In addition, a parallel certificate course on the documentation of tribal languages is also being introduced to ensure that there are trained individuals capable of preserving indigenous knowledge systems for future generations.
A highly commendable and a unique academic initiative in cultural preservation! ❤️
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