Courses

LANGUAGE COMPONENT

Common Core Curriculum Area V: Humanities, Foreign Languages, and Fine Arts

NAVA 1110

NAVAJO I

NAVA 1110 is an introductory Navajo language course for students with no previous exposure. This course will focus on the development of all four language skills (speaking, listening, reading, writing), with an emphasis on listening and speaking. The goal of this course is to develop Navajo language skills to be able to communicate at a novice level (low-mid). The course will use a communicative approach for students to learn about the fundamentals of conversation, vocabulary, and grammar.

NAVA 1120

NAVAJO II

NAVA 1120 is a continuation of NAVA 1110 and builds on those concepts. This course continues to focus on the development of all four language skills (speaking, listening, reading, writing), with an emphasis on listening and speaking. The goal of this course is to develop Navajo language skills to be able to communicate at a novice level (high). The course will use a communicative approach for students to learn about the fundamentals of conversation, vocabulary, and grammar.

Pre-requisite:

  • NAVA 1110 — Navajo I

NAVA 2110

INTERMEDIATE NAVAJO I (NAVAJO III)

Course Description: NAVA 2110 is an intermediate Navajo language course for students with previous exposure (e.g. NAVA 1110, NAVA 1120). This class will focus on the continued development of all four language skills (speaking, listening, reading, writing), with an emphasis on listening and speaking. The goal of this course is to develop Navajo language skills to be able to communicate at the intermediate level (low-mid). The course will use a communicative approach for students to learn about the fundamentals of conversation, vocabulary, and grammar. Lessons are enhanced with cultural content.

Pre-requisite:

  • NAVA 1120 — Navajo II

NAVA 2120

INTERMEDIATE NAVAJO II (NAVAJO IV)

NAVA 2120 is a continuation of NAVA 2110 and builds on those concepts. This class continues to focus on the continued development of all four language skills (speaking, listening, reading, writing), with an emphasis on listening and speaking. The goal of this course is to develop Navajo language skills to be able to communicate at the intermediate level (high). The course will use a communicative approach for students to learn about the fundamentals of conversation, vocabulary, and grammar. Lessons are enhanced with cultural content

Pre-requisite:

  • NAVA 2110 — Intermediate Navajo I (Navajo III)

NAVA 1150

BASIC MEDICAL NAVAJO

NAVA 1150 is a course designed for students in medicine or a related field. This course focuses on terms for body parts, medical staff, medical departments, and simple diagnosis. In addition, it introduces students to medical terms used for cancer, diabetes, foods, nutrients, and medicine. Students will be exposed to interpreting techniques, as Navajo is primarily used for patients who require interpreters. Medical language is complicated and technical, and science and medicine are constantly advancing. Therefore language, education, and culture are essential aspects of this medical terminology class.

NAVA 1130

BEGINNING NAVAJO READING AND WRITING

NAVA 1130 specifically focuses on Navajo reading and writing. It is a course for students who want to develop their Navajo reading and writing skills. This course will develop students’ comprehension skills in order to become Navajo readers and writers. Comprehension skills are required to express ideas and acquire knowledge therefore students will be required to interpret and evaluate Navajo language material at the intermediate level. All materials and lectures are presented exclusively in Navajo for students to advance their listening, speaking, reading, and writing skills.

Pre-requisite:

  • NVJO 315/515 — Advanced Navajo

NAVA 2130

INTERMEDIATE NAVAJO READING AND WRITING

NAVA 2130 continues to focus on Navajo reading and writing. It is a course for students who want to further develop their Navajo reading and writing skills. This course will continue to develop students’ comprehension skills in order to become Navajo reader and writers. Intermediate comprehension skills are required to express ideas and acquire knowledge. Students will be required to interpret and evaluate Navajo language material at the advanced level. All materials and lectures are presented exclusively in Navajo for students to advance their listening, speaking, reading, and writing skills.

Pre-requisite:

  • NAVA 1130 — Beginning Navajo Reading and Writing

NVJO 315/*515

ADVANCED NAVAJO

NVJO 315/515 is an advanced course for students who want to continue Navajo language learning after taking the NAVA 2110 and NAVA 2120. This class continues to focus on the further development of all four language skills (speaking, listening, reading, writing), with an emphasis on listening and speaking. The goal of this course is to develop Navajo language skills through the use of Navajo linguistic information.

Pre-requisite:

  • NAVA 2120 — Intermediate Navajo II (Navajo IV)

LINGUISTIC COMPONENT

Common Core Curriculum Area IV: Social/Behavioral Sciences

NVJO 311/*511

NAVAJO VERB SYSTEM I

Navajo Verb System I focuses on three of the seven Navajo verb Modes (Young 2000). It specifically explores the verbal morphology of imperfective, perfective, and future verbs. This class breaks down Navajo verbs to identify the morphology found within verbal constructions, which leads to analyzing and understanding the meaning of a verb. Students will also build verbs using the Young & Morgan (1997) and Young, Morgan, & Midgette (1992) which is a skill useful for those intending to continue using Navajo. In addition, the course will discuss verb stem alternations, tense, aspect, modality, person, and number. By studying Navajo verbal constructions, students will explore how the phonology and morphology of the language interact and build on the semantic content, all of which are core components of linguistics.

NVJO 312/*512

NAVAJO VERB SYSTEM II

Navajo Verb System II focuses on four of the seven Navajo verb Modes (Young 2000). It specifically explores the verbal morphology of iterative, usitative, optative, and progressive verbs. This class breaks down Navajo verbs to identify the morphology found within verbal constructions which leads to analyzing and understanding the meaning of a verb. Students will also build verbs using the Young & Morgan (1997) and Young, Morgan, & Midgette (1992) which is a skill useful for those intending to continue using Navajo. In addition, the course will discuss verb stem alternations, tense, aspect, modality, person, and number. By studying Navajo verbal constructions, students will explore how the phonology and morphology of the language interact and build on the semantic content, all of which are core components of linguistics.

Pre-requisite:

  • NVJO 311/511 — Navajo Verb System I

NVJO 401/*501

NAVAJO LINGUISTICS

This course is an introduction to Navajo linguistics, the scientific study of the Navajo language. The first half of the course is devoted to the nuts and bolts of linguistics – phonetics, phonology, morphology, semantics, word class, syntax, pragmatics, and discourse. The second half of the course is dedicated to the functional aspects of language – sociolinguistics, language change, language contact, first language acquisition, second language acquisition, language and culture, and Native American linguistics. Students will gain an understanding of how the field of linguistics is applied to the Navajo language, therefore answering questions about what language is to the Navajo mind.