NERCPAL Conference - Fall 2024
The North East Consortium of Programs in African Languages (NERCPAL) met at Yale for their annual conference October 4-5, 2024. NERCPAL was launched in April 2008, to build links between the organization and broader academic communities, and to share its resources with teachers, professors, and students around the world
Twenty seven language faculty members from eight institutions participated in this year's conference. Institutions represented from the Northeast included Boston University, Columbia University, Howard University, Princeton University, University of Pittsburgh, Northeastern University, and Yale University. A presenter from Northwestern University was also in attendance.
Dr. Caroline Asiimwe, Executive Secretary of the East Africa Kiswahili Commission gave a keynote speech titled “EAC Diaspora as an agency for socio-economic integration through language and culture.” Other presentations covered Heritage Learners, PALs Survival amidst Decline in Enrollments, Indigenous Knowledge in East Africa, Standardized Swahili and Performing Arts, Zulu Socio-cultural Encounters with African American Students, Facial Expression and Body Language in Yoruba Social Interactions, First Experience of Teaching Kiswahili as a FL in the US, A Hands-On Approach with Geo-Guesser, Fusing AI and Traditional Approaches in Modern Language Classrooms, Collective Mindfulness in African Language Program Development and Implementation, and Improving Somali Language Oral Communication Through AI.
The first day of the conference was spent on presentations, and on the second day, members spent time working on language specific medical materials.
NERCPAL is thankful to the Council on African Studies for its continued support.