Language Work
Whether you are starting out on reclaiming your language, learning or teaching it, or creating language materials - we hope you find this space is helpful and gives you some inspiration.
Living Language's role is to assist Community Language Workers (CLW) who are championing their community's language plan (CLP). We customise skills transfer and co-design language resources with CLW based upon the CLP.
What is language work?
Language work is about staying connected to community and Country, and using language in everyday life. People who do this work might sit together, yarn and share stories, create resources to help others use the language, support people in learning, teach classes, record and research language or stand up to protect it.
Where do I start?
If you're just getting started with language work, there are many ways to find help and resources. Getting into language work might look different for everyone depending on what you need. But one way to begin is by reaching out to your local language centre, organisations, or groups in your area.
Language revitalisation doesn’t begin with textbooks, it begins with connection.
Connection to Country
Connection to community
Connection to Songlines (story, memory and identity)
It’s about repatriation - the returning of language to where it belongs. Not just to place, but to people, communities, to families and to self.
For many, this journey means giving yourself permission. Permission to reclaim what was interrupted. Permission to speak, to learn, to try - even if you’re just starting out. Language doesn’t demand perfection, it welcomes you back.
When people feel inspired - when they hear the rhythm of language in poetry, in song, in everyday moments - that’s when words come back to life. That’s when language is not just learned, but lived.
Here’s a collection of poems by Uncle Riki Powell to spark inspiration. Let them guide you, ground you, and remind you that every word carries history, culture, and belonging. Because revitalising and repatriation of language starts with feeling it.
bangalbuwurayi - “the country all over the earth” In Wiradyuri, Country is not just a place, but a living, connected entity.
Linguistics is the study of language. It involves looking at how languages are structured, how they work, and how people use them to communicate. When you begin to study your language, you might come in to contact with some tricky linguistic terms.
Wangkaku Nintirri: Learn for the sake of our languages is a series of introductory films to support language worker skill development accessed here
Take a look at Film 3 : Parts of speech for language workers. This film looks at the parts of speech that may be found in languages - verbs and conjugations, nouns, pronouns, descriptors/adjectives and adverbs, and prepositions/post positions in an easy-to-understand way.
Knowing where to start when it comes to teaching a language can be overwhelming!
Language Teaching Methods
The four stages is a method that describes the progression of language skills and awareness that people demonstrate when learning a new language. Have a go at following our step-by-step instructions here
Total Physical Response (TPR) emphasises learning through physical actions and movements. In TPR, learners respond to commands or instructions given by the teacher by performing actions. learn more here
Mangurr-jangu shares activities and ideas for teaching Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander languages in schools, community, family and adult learning environments. The activities can be used for any language, you can have a look here
Language Practice Activities
Once your learners know some key words, practice them lots using fun and interactive learning games and activities!
Let’s get creative and have a go at creating some resources!
Wordless books are flexible and inclusive language learning tools. Have a go at making your own and follow our tips and instructions on how to use them
E-Books
Have you got access to an iPad? Have a go at using the Book Creator App to create your own multimodal language learning tool. This is a great way to use text, images, audio recordings and interactive elements to engage people in language learning! It is free to download and has in-App training.
Need some inspiration?
Check out deadly eBook Gabi Nembaya that the Miriwoong mob at Mirima Dawang Woorlab-gerring made via the Learn Miriwoong app!
Practicing vocabulary: the '20:20' approach
If you're looking for a tip to help with planning your language sessions – consider the ‘20:20’ rule. This approach suggests that to fully learn and remember a new word, you should use (hear and say) that word 20 times in 20 different contexts. Different contexts could be considered as: different activities (e.g. using the word in a game, in a story), different resources (e.g. practicing the word with flashcards, physical objects), in different sentences, or in different places.
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