Yoruba Language Center

As a first step towards achieving the aforementioned aims and objectives, in September 2010, the Yorùbá Language Acquisition Unit of YLC commenced activities relating to Yorùbá as a foreign language with Yorùbá Flagship Programme for American students focusing on the following :

Yorùbá Classes

Yorùbá lessons, with emphasis on interpersonal communication, structured around the four skills (i.e. speaking, reading, listening and writing), geared towards the training of American flagship students to the superior level of proficiency in Yoruba commenced on Monday, 20 September, 2010 and ended in May, 2011 (one academic session). The Centre also provided the following:
• a required African culture/civilization course that all American councils-sponsored students are required to take'.
• equivalent credit-carrying U.I. courses for American students during 2010/2011 academic session that would enable them to meet credit requirement for the undergraduate certificate when they returned to UW-Madison.
• peer tutors to assist American Yoruba flagships students 'with linguistic and academic adaptation to the community' based on the flagship students' areas of academic focus.
• opportunities for the flagship students to engage in social services in various places e.g., Ibadan community, the host university, local business and non-profit organizations.

Host Families All American flagship students lived happily with their host families on campus since living with local families constitutes an integral part of their language and culture learning experience. Internships The-American flagship students had their internships at the Cultural Centre, and the Broadcasting Corporation of Oyo State (BCOS) both in Ibadan in October, 2010. Co-curricular Activities Guest lectures, on monthly basis, for the flagship students started in September. YLC also has at its temporary site, a state of the art study/lounge area with access to computer facilities, internet, television and regular electric power to cater for the students' other co-curricular activities. The students featured in live Yoruba television programmes, attended carefully selected social events and went on occasional excursions to points of cultural and historical significance for Yoruba culture and for Nigerians more generally.

The Centre has offered admission to a Captain of the US Air Force to run an advanced proficiency course in Yorùbá Language and Culture for six weeks and a Malaysian Chinese and her daughter to run proficiency courses in Yorùbá at the novice level. The Centre is expecting some NSEP-Funded American students for the Fall term in 2011 under the new African Languages Initiative ( AFLI) of the American Councils for International Education (ACIE). Similarly, in response to popular requests, arrangements have been made by the Centre to offer summer proficiency courses for the offspring of Yorùbá parents from Nigeria and Overseas. Other new programmes will also commence in the summer of 2012.