Moda - An Online Digital Archive For Multilingual Literacy Materials

Grow by Sharing: how States can help each

other advance Tribal literacy using the Internet and

UNICODE

Troy_Bailey@sil.org

Challengenges for MLE: 1) The Increasing Need for MT Reading

Before starting classes in an MLE school, the local community makes a big effort in developing Big Books, Small Books, Alphabet charts and other TLMs

Challengenges for MLE: 1) The Increasing Need for MT Reading

Before starting classes in an MLE school, the local community makes a big effort in developing Big Books, Small Books, Alphabet charts and other TLMs

Challengenges for MLE: 1) The Increasing Need for MT Reading

Before starting classes in an MLE school, the local community makes a big effort in developing Big Books, Small Books, Alphabet charts and other TLMs

Challengenges for MLE: 1) The Increasing Need for MT Reading

These are then checked in the community for naturalness and accuracy

Challengenges for MLE: 1) The Increasing Need for MT Reading

Each year, children in MLE programs need more and more literature in the Mother Tongue as well as the state language (L2)

Challengenges for MLE: 1) The Increasing Need for MT Reading

Each year, children in MLE programs need more and more literature in the Mother Tongue as well as the state language (L2)

Hypothetical estimates of reading needed by subject area (numbers not to be taken literally) =>

0

500

1,000

1,500

2,000

Year IYear 2Year 3Year 4Year 5

Language MathEVS ScienceSocial Sciences Art Ed.Health & PE Work & Ed.Education for Peace Habitat & Learning

Challengenges for MLE: 2) Multiple Scripts

in these states... ... which use the these scripts

Orissa OriyaJharkhand Devanagri

West Bengal BanglaAssam Assamese

Tribal and Ethnolinguistic minorities are often found in multiple states. For example, we find Munda,

Oraon, Santhali people...

For MLE to be effective ...

a Munda girl living in ...

... should learn to read her MT using:

Orissa OriyaJharkhand Devanagri

West Bengal BanglaAssam Assamese

Challengenges for MLE: 2) Multiple Scripts

Challengenges for MLE: 3) Keeping Materials Locally

At times MLE programs are successful in designing and developing MT curriculum but then fail to distribute the materials in a timely manner.

In some cases an entire year’s worth of language material is held up in press, or at some other level of distribution.

When these blocks come, local communities can become separated from their own materials

This takes ownership of MLE curriculum out of the hands of the tribal community and places it back into the hands of mainstream systems.

How to overcome these challenges?

1) The Increasing Need for MT Reading Materials

=> Grow by Sharing

All ContributeStates with more materials initially contribute the

most.

All ContributeThis helps new programs start up in new areas

All Contribute

2) Multiple Scripts Keep Data in UnicodeWhen materials are keyed into the computer using a UNICODE font, the information can be converted automatically to any Indian Script.

By using UNICODE, states can share the burden of preparing materials in many languages

Unicode: easily transliterate between Indic Scripts

The language and sounds stay the same - only the script changes.

3) Keep Reading Materials Locally Accessible

Use web-based storage

Archiving - Key Concepts

Availability

Usability

Availability means Sharing

Availability means Sharing

Usability means using Simple Formats

Finally...

Thank You