Intensive Basque language course underway at Boise State University

By A Basque in Boise June 14, 2012 Basque, Basque Community, Diaspora, Education, USA No Comments

Izaskun kortazar, Spanish language Lecturer at MLL, is teaching an intensive Basque language course at BSU with Kinku Zinkunegi, HABE’s Basque language instructor and coordinator for the Diaspora. The Basque Government and N.A.B.O. (North American Basque Organizations) have joined efforts to create this intensive course.

This is the second year this course takes place at BSU. The goal is to practice oral skills and review what the students have learned online throughout the year by using a program called “Euskara Munduan: Basque in the World”.

The students follow an online course for 5 to 8 hours a week. If they complete 80% of their work they can attend the intensive course at BSU, called “Barnetegi”. The goal is to become a Basque language instructor for their corresponding Basque Centers.

This year there are 12 students attending the course. They go to class from 9 am to 4 pm daily for 8 days. The students came from Vancouver (Canada) Buffalo (Wyoming), San Francisco (California), Denver (Colorado), Reno (Nevada), Chicago (Illinois), Mountain Home (Idaho), and Boise (Idaho). This is their second year and they will continue learning for 2 more years. After completing the course, they will start teaching Basque.

If you would like to take part in this course and learn Basque, send an email to Izaskun at izaskunkortazar@boisestate.edu.

Left to right (from top): Izaskun Kortazar, Virginia Aramburu, Christina Aramburu, Kinku Zinkunegi, William Thompson-Uberuaga,
Gina Gridley, Megan Otteman, David Romtvedt, Jacob Singer,
Ellen Contard, Ivo Hughes and Elena Sommers.