STARTALK - SIPHUR 2010

STARTALK-SIPHUR 2010, targeted for high school students and a few college students, is a three-week summer intensive language program that runs from June 21 to July 9. Students of our program will be equally represented by heritage and non-heritage students, and there will be diversity among the heritage students in terms of their religious and cultural backgrounds. Our program consists of returning and new students. We want to continue to give this opportunity to the students who have already participated in the program so that there is no interruption in their skill-building and language learning. At the same time, we think that this opportunity should be made available to many more students who want to start early foreign language learning.

STARTALK-SIPHUR 2010 is a combined program of Hindi and Urdu, thus students can learn two languages by acquiring both scripts of Hindi and Urdu. Students can also obtain a large vocabulary by being exposed to Hindi and Urdu words at the same time. Our program will consist of four components:

The major instructional goals of our program are for the participants to acquire linguistic and cultural competence to communicate successfully using all three modes, and obtain other learning skills and strategies through learning a new language. They will also develop insight into their native language and culture and begin to compare their native language and culture to the language and culture of the target country. Students will broaden their knowledge and perspectives as curricular contents will be drawn from various disciplines. Students will become life-long learners by using the language with their relatives in the target countries or with local Indian/Pakistani community members, and hopefully continue to use it throughout their lives.

Students will also learn culturally appropriate behaviors and the cultural elements incorporated in the lessons. Classes will be offered at three levels: beginning, intermediate, and advanced. We will vary our teaching approaches, materials and activities to best accommodate a variety of learning styles. Students will be placed mainly through their linguistic and cultural skills and age during class hours. However, after class hours will be devoted to various activities designed to emphasize interaction among all students. We will always remember that each participant is unique.

STARTALK-SIPHUR 2010 is a three week residential program. Accepted students will receive a scholarship of $ 1,600 which will be used to pay for tuition fees and room & board. Participants will receive two college credits upon completion of the program.

There will be also voluntary study groups meeting every late evening. Extra-curricular activities are a new addition designed to give students a chance to do more in-depth research on a specific subject. Students will be encouraged to form clubs sharing similar interests, such as a Hindi/Pakistani Film club, Drama club, Poetry club and Rangoli and Henna Design club.