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Tlingit Soundgame "BINGO Style"


Game Design by Paula Dybdahl
Soundfile Readings by Nora Marks Dauenhauer

Bingo Template with Linked Tlingit
Sounds, Characters, and Words



Classroom materials needed to play Tlingit Soundgame:
15 Soundgame Cards printed out from www.Alaskool.org
space markers (beans or paper discs work well)
Computer for page for sounds (www.alaskool.org)
bowl of sound symbols (all forty-one cut individually)
Addendum 1, 2 & 3 (optional)

Objectives:
To help students of all ages learn to identify and distinguish between the forty-one Tlingit sounds. This activity will help them with pronunciation and auditory processing for the basic sounds, regardless of previous knowledge (practice never hurts!). It is a good lead-in to any Tlingit language lesson.

Directions:
First, you must give an overview of Tlingit language and culture. Who are Tlingits? How do they live? This online Southeast Regional Profile has a comprehensive Tlingit bibliography listed for reference. Estimated Time: Half a class period minimum.

Second, the forty-one Tlingit sounds must be introduced. Tlingit is a complex language and often it is difficult to distinguish among many of the sounds. Using the Bingo Template with Tlingit Sounds, Characters & Words page can be helpful for an introductory lesson. It is suggested that for your initial foray into the sounds that you use the web page with a projector, load the web page and introduce each sound by clicking on its letter (i.e. "d") and then utilizing the clue function (each sound has a Tlingit word to help articulate the sounds itself (i.e. "doosh")). Students should take notes on each sound, making sure they have the letter for each sound as well as the clue word. Addendum 2 on sound terms might enhance this lesson as well. Estimated Time: A full class period of directed learning.

The soundgame itself requires that the kids work in pairs (there are only fifteen versions of the cards, allowing for up to thirty kids to play at once). Each pair should receive a soundgame card and a set of space markers. The teacher should set out the bowl of sounds and load the sound web page (only teacher should see this today). If there is an odd number of students the teacher could designate a helper to pull numbers or to keep track of the sounds as they are pulled.

The soundgame has multiple combinations of play. Once materials are organized and pairs are set the teacher must announce which column or row they will be playing for (i.e. "This round we are filling row #5", or "'this round we are filling column G"). Make sure the class is clear on the objective as this could cause much confusion. For each round of play, the teacher draws a sound out of the bowl, and clicks on the corresponding sound on the computer, letting student pairs try to deduce the sound they just heard. Each pair should mark the space that corresponds t the sound they thing they heard. If necessary the clue function could be utilized, although this simplifies the task greatly. As students call "Soundgame" or the word of choice the sounds should be checked with the master list and rewards should be given (candy or points seem to retain attention). Estimated Time: A full class period of play.

Soundgame Cards: Print the fifteen boards (below) out for use by your students then go to the master board for your own use with links.

One Two Three Four Five
Six Seven Eight Nine Ten
Eleven Twelve Thirteen Fourteen Fifteen

 

Bingo Template with Linked Sounds for Tlingit Characters, Sounds & Words