Knowing the Samoan language opens the doors to the culture of Samoa
To preserve our culture we need to know the language. As we familiarize ourselves with the language we can better understand the culture. Cultural understanding breeds appreciation and respect. This appreciation and respect for the culture inspires us to know the language better. As we involve ourselves in this cycle of learning we enrich our own character and become respectful people; we become Samoans.
The Samoan language is very rich and it is easy to describe or say the same thing in many different ways. Therefore, the focus of all these lessons is on COMMONLY SPOKEN SAMOAN. We will teach the language that you are most likely to hear spoken around you. We will not go into writing or proverbial speaking.
Samoan Success Steps
The following steps will greatly help you to become a fluent Samoan speaker:
1. We encourage you to speak Samoan as much as possible to everyone you know. Even if they don’t understand. Why? Because, the brain grows by use. Similarly, our language skill will grow by use. There is no better way to solidify what you have learned than by applying what you have learned in as many situations as possible.
2. Teach someone else what you have learned. It is often said that a teacher gets more out of a lesson than the student. Take time to teach someone …anyone who is willing to listen, what you have learned. Kids are usually willing students.
3. Ask your spouse, friend, grandma, auntie, or dad to reply to you in Samoan. We say reply because often when you ask a Samoan a question in Samoan, they will reply, out of respect to you, in the language of your greatest comprehension, in your case this is probably English.
4. Listen. Listen to others speak Samoan. Listen when they speak to you. Listen to yourself speaking Samoan.
This is a good start of a list. As we hear from you what has worked we will add to this list.
Teaching Tamaiti
You do not need to know how to speak Samoan to teach your child Samoan using this method. You will need to learn the material and use the language around the house. When using this resource to teach Samoan to your kids remember this:
ANYTHING YOU CAN LEARN, THEY CAN LEARN QUICKER. THEY CAN LEARN ANYTHING QUICKER THAN YOU!
God endowed kids with the ability to learn everything.
Follow these easy steps to successfully teach your child Samoan.
1. Never bore your child. End before they are ready to end, even if they appear to be gobbling it up.
2. Make it fun!
3. Be prepared. We will provide all the tools (lessons, audio clips, images, etc.) you need to be prepared to give it to them.
This Samoan language course is real. It is not just a collection of vocabulary words translated for you, but an actual system to teach language. It is based on elemenary language aquisition. It starts with the most commonly needed phrases for basic communication and builds on that foundation. Learning the language this way is fun and easy!