American Indian Language Development Institute

07/18/2026

Interested in Indigenous sign languages? Already involved in the study or interpretation of NAISL, ASL, or another sign language, and looking to further your knowledge? Then you may be interested in our next series of workshops: Interpreting for Indigenous Deaf People in the Modern World, and Hand Talk: Introduction to North American Indian Sign Language. These workshops are FREE and offered in a hybrid modality.

To register, use the links below:

Interpreting for Indigenous Deaf People in the Modern World
https://uarizona.co1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_0CFOClw1ALwqc2G

Hand Talk: Introduction to North American Indian Sign Language
https://uarizona.co1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_2bfZnwUzmjjIJv0

ASL Interpreters will be provided. If additional accommodations are needed, please reach out to Donavan Williams by August 1, 2026 by emailing [email protected].

07/06/2026

The 2026 AILDI Summer Session has concluded! Over the past four weeks, our students and instructors engaged in the timeless Indigenous traditions of language transference and cultural exchange. It was truly an unforgettable experience for everyone involved.

07/06/2026

The 2026 AILDI Summer Session has concluded! Over the past four weeks, our students and instructors engaged in the timeless Indigenous traditions of language transference and cultural exchange. It was truly an unforgettable experience for everyone involved. As we return home to our communities, let us reflect on the experience we just had:

Students this year enjoyed three courses:
- Linguistics for Native American Communities (Gaby Vargas Melgarejo)
- Introduction to Documenting North American Indian Sign Language (Melanie Cody)
- Methods & Ethics in Linguistic Research: Language Technology for Data Sovereignty (Amy Fountain, Gus H. Powell)

Highlights from this year include:
- Students and instructors from across North and South America, including five incoming students to The NAMA Program at the University of Arizona.
- Four exchange students from Russia, who gave presentations on Indigenous languages of Russia such as Karelian and Tatar.
- Guest talks from native scholars such as Dr. Aresta Tsosie-Paddock.
- Several workshops that were open to our students as well as the public.

Thank you to our students, instructors, staff, and guests. We hope to see you and your kin at next year's Summer Session!

07/06/2026

06/16/2026

AILDI has another FREE workshop next week! Native Language Play, Skits, and Activity Development will take place June 22-24, 2026 from 6-8PM each day. Hosted by Dr. Aresta Tsosie-Paddock, this 3 day workshop facilitates native language learning through creative activities that increase speaking and vocabulary use in activity-created conversation. The active learning method includes developing a process for writing and performing plays, skits, and games, enriching a curriculum focused on language learning grounded in creativity. The participant's outcomes include guiding student language learners in planning, creating, and applying language learning through the creative process to completion, either in a team setting or individually.

This workshop will be available in-person as well as virtually. Sign up here: https://uarizona.co1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_2ru2Eii51XqJ4RE?fbclid=IwY2xjawSebdxleHRuA2FlbQIxMABicmlkETFpd0xmWmpOMDNNQUF5d0tyc3J0YwZhcHBfaWQQMjIyMDM5MTc4ODIwMDg5MgABHm2h4rYFLoHVsztjef1G8JJNGU3lyMIDtUGRoYm6EfHuuMhW2XU3_8nOA3Qs_aem_mrjjnUNyreCmiYk0xhijww

06/09/2026

This June 4th, Arizona legislature passed a bill which adds a new section to public education requirements, specifically addressing Native American languages. It mandates that if a school district or charter school requires students to take a world language course to graduate high school, they must also allow students to fulfill that requirement by demonstrating proficiency in a Native American language.

While this doesn't force schools to offer Native American language courses, it does empower the state board of education to create standards for assessing proficiency in these languages, ensuring that Native American languages are recognized as a valid option for meeting foreign language graduation requirements.

https://www.billtrack50.com/billdetail/1939086

06/05/2026

The West Regional Native American Language Resource Center (WRNALRC) offers a certificate pathway rooted in Indigenous language revitalization to address access gaps in services, infrastructure, and opportunities for language learners, educators, communities, and programs in the WRNALRC service areas. The Certificate Programs content focuses on the broader spectrum of Language Revitalization and application of Oral Immersion methods, respectively, toward development of actionable plans, skills, and tools that participants can apply in their own communities.

For more information and to apply, follow the link below:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1_WmirDlIBNYmdUPud48sSbJdndvCy8Rw/view

06/05/2026

Our own Ofelia Zepeda will be participating in a FREE poetry as part of an upcoming Summer Sunset evening at Mission Garden. You are invited to enjoy the evening sunset glow and cooler temperatures at the garden with us.

When: 6-8PM, Saturday, June 13
Where: Mission Garden, 946 W Mission Lane, Tucson, AZ 85745

06/05/2026

05/29/2026

We are pleased to announce an additional free workshop taking place concurrently with the AILDI Summer Session. Native Language Play, Skits, and Activity Development will take place June 22-24, 2026 from 6-8PM each day. Hosted by Dr. Aresta Tsosie-Paddock, this 3 day workshop facilitates native language learning through creative activities that increase speaking and vocabulary use in activity-created conversation. The active learning method includes developing a process for writing and performing plays, skits, and games, enriching a curriculum focused on language learning grounded in creativity. The participant's outcomes include guiding student language learners in planning, creating, and applying language learning through the creative process to completion, either in a team setting or individually.

This workshop will be available in-person as well as virtually. Sign up here: https://uarizona.co1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_2ru2Eii51XqJ4RE

We are also still welcoming registrants for the in-person Animation workshop as well as our speaker series presentation.

Animation, Storytelling, and Creative Language Teaching:
June 12th, 2026, 9AM-4PM
In-Person
Violet King
https://forms.office.com/pages/responsepage.aspx?id=BVXjXo7rKUmTfWRd9QEyiI8CeEkfOlFIuXCAL9NSW-xUQzZSVU40VlZBT0c3TlVTQ1NSMUIyVVBYVi4u&route=shorturl

Sounding Culture: The Role of Lullabies in Language Documentation and Revitalization:
June 3rd, 2026, 12-1PM
Virtual
Dr. Mizuki Miyash*ta
https://forms.office.com/pages/responsepage.aspx?id=BVXjXo7rKUmTfWRd9QEyiI8CeEkfOlFIuXCAL9NSW-xUNFYyV1FZSlIzS1BHODBGV1g5NUlLVzJSVS4u&route=shorturl