Juneau, Alaska – 7000 Languages and Sealaska Heritage Institute are proud to announce the release of the Tlingit Language Asynchronous Course on 7000.com. This innovative online course, designed specifically for families and staff of the TCLL  program within the Juneau School District, is now available for a broader audience eager to engage in Tlingit language learning.

The course offers learners a flexible, self-paced experience, allowing them to fit language learning into their daily routines. Consisting of three units, each with nine lessons, the course provides a total of 27 lessons that guide learners through essential Tlingit phrases. The course was designed by Neelaatughaa (Anna Clock -Koyukon, Eyak). She emphasizes a highly focused, phrase-based approach to learning. Each lesson introduces a single phrase and reinforces it through reading, listening, repetition, and pronunciation exercises.

“This online language course bridges the distance for Alaska Natives living in remote villages and nation-wide providing access to linguistic reclamation efforts. The self-paced platform for learning Tlingit is another language learning avenue providing the opportunity to empower individuals to reconnect with their culture and language, all from the comfort of their home or on the go with mobile capabilities. Parents and families with busy lifestyles have a flexible way to integrate new skills into their schedules.” said Kam’aRaq (Jamie Shanley), Assistant Education Director, Sealaska Heritage Institute. The lessons progress naturally, helping learners introduce themselves, ask about someone else’s background, and engage in basic conversations about meals.

Neelaatughaa developed the course under the guidance of her Elder mentor, Shaaxʼsáani Kéekʼ (Shirley Kendall), with additional input from X̱ʼunei (Lance Twitchell) and the TCLL language teaching team. Before releasing the course to a wider audience, Neelaatughaa is consulting with additional Tlingit language teachers and leaders to ensure that the course aligns with diverse perspectives on spelling, grammar, and pedagogy.

Stephanie Witkowski, Executive Director of 7000 Languages, expressed her enthusiasm for the new course, “This partnership with Sealaska Heritage Institute is a powerful example of how we can support Indigenous communities in their efforts to preserve and revitalize their languages. This Tlingit Language Course offers families an accessible way to connect with their heritage and bring the Tlingit language into their daily lives.”

The Tlingit language is primarily spoken by the Tlingit people of Southeast Alaska, or Tlingit Aaní. With the support of Sealaska Heritage Institute, the Tlingit Culture, Language, and Literacy program provides place-based, culture-centered learning for kindergarten through 8th-grade students. The release of this course marks an exciting milestone in making the Tlingit language more accessible to families and communities.

Aatlein gunalchéesh to all who contributed to this course’s development, including the U.S. Department of Education Alaska Native Education program, for making this valuable resource possible.

For more information and to explore the course, please visit 7000.com/tlingit or Sealaska Heritage Institute.

The Tlingit Language Asynchronous Course is supported by the Alaska Native Education (ANE) program of the US Department of Education PR#S356220010, as part of a $2.7 million award, which pays for 100 percent of the total cost of the program. The contents of this program do not represent the policy, views, or endorsement of ANE, DOE, or the US Government. 

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