The Consortium on Training in Language Documentation and Conservation (CTLDC) was established in 2009 as an international response to the crisis confronting the world's languages. The central aim of the CTLDC is to build a global resource for all those who are actively working to maintain linguistic diversity through fostering collaboration among people who are engaged in training in language documentation and conservation. The CTLDC will provide a critical network to foster communication and collaboration, and enhance the sharing of skills and resources.
Goals
The longer-term goals of the CTLDC are to:
- construct a clearinghouse of materials accessible to LDC trainers and community members from across the globe,
- provide a forum for the sharing of curricula, teaching and assessment strategies, and methods,
- facilitate the explicit discussion of the goals and models currently being developed and implemented for training in language documentation and conservation (LDC),
- encourage partnerships between trainers of varied backgrounds and experiences,
- take into account a wide variety of perspectives and approaches by bringing together instructors from universities, communities, intensive institutes, school-based programs, language centers, and other initiatives,
- promote new collaborations, exchange ideas, and support training efforts worldwide,
- identify successful practices for LDC education,
- establish ethical and other principles to guide practitioners in documentation, conservation, and capacity development activities,
- develop strategies to increase the range of funding opportunities to support LDC training at all levels,
- publicize LDC activities and events to raise greater awareness about the importance of linguistic diversity.
Governance
The CTLDC is headed by by co-Directors Carol Genetti (University of California at Santa Barbara) and Margaret Florey (Resource Network for Linguistic Diversity).
An international Planning Group has been established to guide the development of the Consortium. The Planning Group comprises representatives of organizations which are at the forefront of supporting linguistic diversity through planning and administering training programs, creating funding strategies to support linguistic diversity, designing tools to provide more accurate data on trends in linguistic diversity, establishing resource networks, and developing and influencing language policy.
The CTLDC is working in cooperation with UNESCO's Intangible Heritage Section.
Events
In 2010-2011, the CTLDC will hold a series of regional meetings with sub-groups of the Consortium Planning Group.
The first meeting will be held in Eugene, USA, from 19-20 June 2010, prior to InField 2010.
The second meeting will be held in Tokyo, Japan, from 12-16 November 2010, hosted by the Tokyo University of Foreign Studies.
The third meeting is tentatively scheduled for 9-10 February 2011, to be held in Hawai'i to coincide with the 2nd International Conference on Language Documentation and Conservation (ICLDC).
Contacts
contact.ctldc [@] gmail.com