Competencies
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Program Design and Engagement
Context, Strategic design and Engagement for language programs
Taking account of the sociolinguistic, anthropological, economic, educational, social and spiritual contexts of a language program is essential for creating a sustainable and relevant program.
Familiarity with the elements of program design helps consultants to be aware of strategic and procedural issues that come into play in a program. These will shape their contribution as they work with different partners.
It is important for a consultant to understand and engage with the processes and dynamics of a language program, so that they are able to contribute effectively alongside the other project participants and stakeholders.
Is able to understand the role of context in the design and effectiveness of a language program.
Is able to articulate the principles of program design.
Is able to contribute to the program appropriately alongside other participants and stakeholders.
Growth Activities
The following activities have been identified to achieve comptency in Program Design and Engagement in levels from Learner to Expert.
Read relevant resources on sustainable language development. Discuss your questions with your mentor.
Watch some educational videos about how to do development work without doing harm. Discuss with your mentor what you learned from the videos.
Get to know a program that you could observe more closely to learn more about social structures and decision-making dynamics.
Read introductory resources on language program design. Discuss with your mentor how your reading is relevant to your context and work.
Become familiar with the range of academic domains that relate to BT/SE programs. Read 'The Eight Conditions of Scripture Engagement' and 'Characteristics of Effective Programs'
Familiarise yourself with documents that are used in the planning process in your organisation.
Read 1-2 project funding proposals from your context.
Have a conversation about this with consultants in your domain.
Research common Intellectual Property issues in your domain.
Explore local authority structures and identify key people whose involvement will promote community ownership.
Learn what affects people’s availability.
Find out how the different groups you may be working with in the community make decisions and reach consensus.
Explain the relevance of basic concepts of sociolinguistics, such as variation, identity, multilingualism, attitudes, vitality, etc. to language program design.
Explain the main ideas of some widely-recognized theory of language development (e.g. the Sustainable Use Model).
With the help of your mentor make a plan for how to implement CBLID principles into your work.
Explain, and give examples of, sustainability in language development and language use, and why sustainability is a desirable goal.
Discuss the relevance of relationship building, networking, training, capacity building, infrastructure development, advocacy (both internal and external), and resource-linking to sustainable language development.
Take a mini-course such as Reaching Multilingual Communities offered by SIL and discuss with your mentor how the content can be applied to your work.
Accompany your mentor or someone else in your organisation on a field visit to a community. Debrief with your mentor.
Give appropriate and domain-relevant input into the design of a language program.
Ask for your mentor's feedback and identify an area of growth. Make a plan to work on it.
Work effectively alongside consultants from a variety of domains and project stakeholders. Discuss with your mentor what your role and responsibility is in the planning process.
Have a conversation about this with consultant who work in other domains. Discuss with your mentor what you found out.
Discuss with your mentor how to ensure that you handle intellectual property issues in a professional way in your line of work.
Participate in a meeting with a language committee. Debrief with your mentor what you have learned.
Try out 1-2 participatory tools in your work context. Debrief your experience with your mentor.
Teach others about Community-Based Language and Identity Development.
Train others in the use of various tools for language program design.
Help others understand the characteristics of effective programs, and how their role functions as part of such a program.
Coach communities or organisations on how to implement CBLID.
Mentor others to incorporate a broad understanding of the elements of an effective BT/SE program into their own mentoring and training.
Help a community or an organisation to implement and facilitate a language program.
Help others to use participatory methods when working with others.