[Tlhingan-hol] KLCP Lesson Outline

[Robyn Stewart]

I'm working on a course that prepares students to write the KLCP. It's
designed to help them learn the vocabulary and grammar, and to introduce
them to concepts of working from canon to the correct language rather than
relying on experts or making things up.  Students have to learn 510
words-the 500 word list doesn't include the six conjunctions and four
questions words the students are also responsible for-and about fifty-five
simple grammar concepts. The course therefore consists of fifty-two lessons,
one for each week of the year, each with ten vocabulary words and one, or
occasionally two simple grammar concepts. The last lesson is review, perhaps
including a simulated KLCP exam. With a couple of exceptions, I am using
ONLY grammar and vocabulary required for the KLCP Level One test, so as not
to put an extra burden on the student.
Here's an outline of what a lesson will be like, for your comment. I'll get
some up soon with content and layout (I'm writing lesson ten at the moment)
but I invite your comment and suggestions.
Lesson Outline 
To access the lesson, the student completes a three-to five question review
test, which may include any vocabulary or concepts already covered by the
course, but emphasizing the previous lesson. If they aren't successful the
first time they have the option of reviewing any previous lesson, or trying
again.
Next the vocabulary list for the new lesson is presented in English and the
student must enter the correct Klingon for each word, forcing them to look
up, look at and physically produce the words. This serves as a check that
the student has an accurate source of Klingon vocabulary and aids in
learning. It's also slightly annoying. Worth it? I could be convinced to
have the student merely copy out the vocabulary from the screen to an input
box, instead of having to look it up in TKD. Either way, the now-bilingual
vocabulary list remains present in a sidebar during the lesson, so it's
still there as the student scrolls down. 
Next is a brief dialogue in comic strip form. I've posted a couple of
examples to the KLI Facebook page. The comic strip maker only has sans serif
fonts available. I struggled with this for a bit but eventually decided that
the student will encounter sans serif Klingon in e-mail and books, and
reading it is part of understanding the structure of Klingon. (Nice
rationalization, eh?) 
To offset this, I follow the comic strip with a transcript. This is
presented as part of a triptych: a visual description of the comic for those
who difficulty with pictures, be it for biological or technological reasons;
the Klingon text repeated in a serif font, and an English translation.

Next is the grammar: the meat of the lesson, with examples when I feel that
the dialogue itself is not enough. 
That is followed by a reference to the appropriate TKD section(s) for the
lesson.
Vocabulary Notes: Any stumbling blocks regarding the words, e.g. tuj refers
to temperature only, not spiciness or attractiveness. I introduce the idea
of going to canon to choose which possible meaning of the English word a
Klingon word represents.
Culture - If appropriate for the lesson sometimes a relevant proverb, or
comments on when the dialogue does or does not show Klingon virtues
Exercises - translation to and from Klingon. I could use fill in the blanks
for grammar, but there is so much vocabulary to be learned I want to make
the student access it every time.  After a small threshold number of
exercises are done correctly, the lesson's vocabulary list is hidden in the
sidebar and the student has a few more to do from memory to successfully
complete the lesson. They have the option of continuing to drill, going
straight into the readiness challenge for the next lesson (which is the same
database) or saving for next time.
- Qov
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