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Master-Apprentice Mvskoke Language Program Set to Begin at CMN Fall 2023
The College of the Muscogee Nation held an orientation for the upcoming fall 2023 Master-Apprentice program on August 9th at the CMN Student Center. The orientation provided an opportunity for the Masters and Apprentices to be introduced to one another and to give an overview of the program. The Master-Apprentice format is funded by a Mellon Foundation grant awarded to Emory University with CMN as a partner.
President Randall stated “We are changing the way we teach the Mvskoke language by breaking down the traditional format and getting back to the roots of language learning by emphasizing the spoken word.” Three Master First Language Speakers: Irene Culley, Lillian Thomas, and Rosemary Maxey-McCombs will immerse eight apprentices in the language over the upcoming 2023-24 academic year. “We are utilizing the format of the Mvskoke Language Certificate Program and the standard credit hour system of HLC, but adapting the lessons and methodology to fit our needs” Randall further stated.
The program will cover the entire 2023-24 academic year and begin fall 2023 on August 28th for fifteen weeks through December 12th. The spring term will continue on January 8th for fifteen weeks through April 20th. The summer term will begin on May 20th for eight weeks and end on July 20th. The Masters and Apprentices will meet Monday through Thursday from 9:00 am to 4:00 pm at CMN.
The goal of the program is the immerse the Apprentices in the spoken word and increase their oral language proficiency. During the spring and early summer 2023 a Muscogee Educators Cohort made up of Mvskoke language teachers, second language learners, and public school educators knowledgeable in the culture and curriculum worked to develop language standards. The cohort members gained knowledge in the American Council on Teaching Foreign Languages (ACTFL) proficiency tests and performance assessments. The ACTFL standards were adopted for use with the Mvskoke language by the cohort members. In addition, the cohort traveled to the Middlebury Institute of International Studies in Monterey, CA to receive assistance to refine the Mvskoke/ACTFL proficiency tests and develop performance assessments.
The Master-Apprentice program will continue for the next three years at CMN. One additional cohort will be added in 2024-25 and two more will be added in 2025-26. A total of four Master Speakers will be hired over the course of three years. Thirty-six apprentices will have the opportunity to participate in the program with the added option of continuing on to the Mvskoke Language Teaching Certificate. This program is a part of the overall goal to increase Mvskoke language speakers, language teachers, and certified P-12 teachers to facilitate the creation of a Muscogee (Creek) Nation Immersion School.
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