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<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML+RDFa 1.0//EN" "http://www.w3.org/MarkUp/DTD/xhtml-rdfa-1.dtd"> <html lang="en" dir="ltr" xmlns:fb="https://ogp.me/ns/fb#" xmlns:og="https://ogp.me/ns#"> <head profile="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml/vocab"> <meta charset="utf-8"> <meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1.0"> <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8" /> <link rel="shortcut icon" href="https://www.sil.org/sites/default/files/sil-favicon_0.ico" type="image/vnd.microsoft.icon" /> <meta name="description" content="This practical tool is meant to be used by local communities who are interested in maintaining the use of their traditional language. The text is written in a manner that is meant to be accessible to the general public. It first guides community members through a discussion that builds self-awareness about the current strength of their language. It then helps them to see the" /> <meta name="generator" content="Drupal 7 (https://www.drupal.org)" /> <link rel="canonical" href="https://www.sil.org/guide-planning-future-our-language" /> <link rel="shortlink" href="https://www.sil.org/node/110331" /> <meta property="og:site_name" content="SIL Global" /> <meta property="og:type" content="article" /> <meta property="og:url" content="https://www.sil.org/guide-planning-future-our-language" /> <meta property="og:title" content="A Guide for Planning the Future of Our Language" /> <meta property="og:description" content="This practical tool is meant to be used by local communities who are interested in maintaining the use of their traditional language. The text is written in a manner that is meant to be accessible to the general public. It first guides community members through a discussion that builds self-awareness about the current strength of their language. It then helps them to see the realistic options available to them based on that evaluation. Finally, it helps them plan what they would like to do about the future of their own language." /> <meta property="og:updated_time" content="2024-01-09T10:02:49-06:00" /> <meta name="twitter:card" content="summary" /> <meta name="twitter:url" content="https://www.sil.org/guide-planning-future-our-language" /> <meta name="twitter:title" content="A Guide for Planning the Future of Our Language" /> <meta name="twitter:description" content="This practical tool is meant to be used by local communities who are interested in maintaining the use of their traditional language. The text is written in a manner that is meant to be accessible to" /> <meta property="article:published_time" content="2015-10-30T08:43:22-05:00" /> <meta property="article:modified_time" content="2024-01-09T10:02:49-06:00" /> <title>A Guide for Planning the Future of Our Language | SIL Global</title> <link type="text/css" rel="stylesheet" href="https://www.sil.org/sites/default/files/css/css_lQaZfjVpwP_oGNqdtWCSpJT1EMqXdMiU84ekLLxQnc4.css" media="all" /> <link type="text/css" rel="stylesheet" href="https://www.sil.org/sites/default/files/css/css_EM9PzeHZt2AxxQ3R05nXINg9akBOG66G3hxOgWtlp2E.css" media="all" /> <link type="text/css" rel="stylesheet" href="https://www.sil.org/sites/default/files/css/css_y-6OGvqwgwpR259lzJYNwvxpJm3Q1qOD_DWt90goRpM.css" media="all" /> <style>.panels-flexible-new .panels-flexible-region { padding: 0; } .panels-flexible-new .panels-flexible-region-inside { padding-right: 0.5em; padding-left: 0.5em; } .panels-flexible-new .panels-flexible-region-inside-first { 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data-hover="dropdown">About SIL <span class="icon glyphicon glyphicon-chevron-down hidden-xs hidden-sm"></span></a><span class="btn icon glyphicon glyphicon-chevron-right visible-xs-inline visible-sm-inline"></span><ul class="dropdown-menu"><li class="first leaf"><a href="/about/history" id="mainnav-history">Our History</a></li> <li class="leaf"><a href="/leaders">Our Leaders</a></li> <li class="leaf"><a href="/about/financial-information" id="mainnav-financialinfo">Financial Accountability</a></li> <li class="leaf"><a href="/about/media" id="mainnav-mediacenter">Media Center</a></li> <li class="leaf"><a href="/about/reports/2023">Annual Report</a></li> <li class="last leaf"><a href="/about/news">News</a></li> </ul></li> <li class="last leaf"><a href="/give" class="btn btn-default donate">Donate</a></li> </ul></div> </div> </nav> </div> </div> </header> </div> </div> </div> <div class="page-bar"> <div class="col-md-12"> </div> </div> <div class="main-container container"> <div class="row"> <section class="col-sm-12 main-content-column"> <div id="page-title"> <h1 class="page-title">A Guide for Planning the Future of Our Language</h1> </div> <a id="main-content"></a> <div class="region region-content"> <section id="block-system-main" class="block block-system clearfix"> <div class="panel-display panel-1col clearfix" > <div class="panel-panel panel-col"> <div><div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><section class="row-fluid row margin-top margin-bottom section-style-left"> <figure><img class="image-right-style" src="/sites/default/files/news/utanz.png" style="height: 275px; width: 229px; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;" /></figure> <p>This practical tool is meant to be used by local communities who are interested in maintaining the use of their traditional language. The text is written in a manner that is meant to be accessible to the general public. It first guides community members through a discussion that builds self-awareness about the current strength of their language. It then helps them to see the realistic options available to them based on that evaluation. Finally, it helps them plan what they would like to do about the future of their own language. Training in the use of the Guide is highly recommended before attempting to apply it at the community level, as is some knowledge about the theory behind it, the 'Sustainable Use Model'. For information regarding future training events in different countries where you can learn both the SUM and the Guide, please contact <a href="mailto:language_services@sil.org"> <span class="875238d3e6121a3106011b8c517b588b342de2cf"></span> <script type="text/javascript">  </script></a>. You may also use this same email to give us feedback so that we may improve this tool for the sake of the language communities around the world. Many people and local communities have contributed to its development, and we are very thankful.</p> </section> <p><strong>Download:</strong> <a href="/sites/default/files/guide-1st_ed_nov_17_2016.pdf" target="_blank"><input type="button" value="A Guide for Planning the Future of Our Language PDF" /></a> - English<strong><img alt="" src="/sites/default/files/guideplanningb_0.jpg" style="height: 275px; margin-left: 20px; margin-right: 20px; float: left;" /></strong></p> <p><strong>Download:</strong> <a href="/sites/default/files/guide_master_french_feb_2017.pdf" target="_blank"><input type="button" value="Guide de planification de l’avenir de notre langue PDF" /></a> - <span style="color: rgb(78, 78, 78); font-family: 'Myriad Pro', 'PT Sans', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial; font-size: 14px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Français</span></p> <p><strong>Download:</strong> <a href="/sites/default/files/guide_master_spanish_version_oct_2018.pdf" target="_blank"><input type="button" value="Una guía para planificar el futuro de nuestro idioma PDF" /></a> - <span style="color: rgb(78, 78, 78); font-family: 'Myriad Pro', 'PT Sans', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial; font-size: 14px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Español</span></p> <p><strong>Download:</strong> <a href="/sites/default/files/guide-1st_ed-_turkish_final.pdf" target="_blank"><input type="button" value="Dilimizin Geleceğini Planlama Rehberi PDF" /></a><span style="font-size: 13px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"> - </span><span style="font-size: 14px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); color: rgb(78, 78, 78); font-family: 'Myriad Pro', 'PT Sans', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial;">Türkçe</span><br /> </p> <p><strong>Download Extra 1: <a href="/sites/default/files/facilitator_reference_materials_feb_9_2017.pdf" target="_blank"><input type="button" value="Facilitator Reference Materials PDF" /></a></strong></p> <p><strong><strong>Download Extra 2:</strong> <a href="/sites/default/files/resource_manual_-_first_ed_aug_2016__0.pdf" target="_blank"><input type="button" value="Resource Manual PDF" /></a></strong></p> <p><strong> </strong></p> <p><strong><a href="https://www.sil.org/language-development"><span style="font-size: 13px;"><< Return to Language Development</span></a></strong></p> <h2><strong>Related Resources</strong><strong style="font-size: 13px;"> </strong></h2> <div class="blocks"><section id="block-views-5d96f7aa26989bb1910870211f4f7332" class="block block-views clearfix"> <div class="view view-sustaining-language-use-block view-id-sustaining_language_use_block view-display-id-block view-dom-id-964ce7137e8015089a6771666f3c4ad7"> <div class="view-content"> <div class="views-row views-row-1 views-row-odd views-row-first views-row-last"> <div class="views-field views-field-nothing"> <span class="field-content"><div style="float:left; width:80%"> <h3><i>Sustaining Language Use: Perspectives on Community-Based Language Development</i></h3> <p><strong><a href="/resources/publications/entry/68389">View print edition here</a>.</strong></p> <p></p><p><b><a href="https://www.sil.org/resources/publications/entry/70202">View ePub edition here.</a></b></p><p>How does a language community sustain their language in the face of ever-increasing forces of language shift? This volume, both a textbook and a handbook, is the result of ten years of re flection by the authors in light of SIL International’s 80 years of fieldwork in local language communities. Using the Sustainable Use Model detailed here, readers work towards ongoing maintenance of their language at a sustainable level. This could include, not only the level of active literacy, but also levels of orality and identity. The book is aimed at “on the ground” workers involved...</p> </div> <div style="text-align:right"><a href="/resources/publications/entry/68389"><img class="img-responsive" src="https://www.sil.org/sites/default/files/styles/publication_medium/public/product/9781556712678_slu_rgb2560px.jpg?itok=fhgP4_uL" width="153" height="219" alt="" /></a></div> </span> </div> </div> </div> </div> </section> </div> <p> </p> </div></div></div></div> </div> </div> </section> </div> </section> </div> </div> <footer class="footer"> <div class="footer-top"> <div class="container"> <div class="region region-footer"> <section id="block-panels-mini-sil-bootstrap-footer-menu" class="block block-panels-mini clearfix"> <div class="panel-flexible panels-flexible-new clearfix" id="mini-panel-sil_bootstrap_footer_menu"> <div class="panel-flexible-inside panels-flexible-new-inside"> <div class="panels-flexible-row panels-flexible-row-new-main-row panels-flexible-row-first clearfix footer-links"> <div class="inside panels-flexible-row-inside panels-flexible-row-new-main-row-inside panels-flexible-row-inside-first clearfix"> <div class="panels-flexible-region panels-flexible-region-new-column_1 panels-flexible-region-first "> <div class="inside panels-flexible-region-inside panels-flexible-region-new-column_1-inside panels-flexible-region-inside-first"> <div class="panel-pane pane-block pane-block-276 pane-block footer-logo" > <div class="pane-content"> <p><img alt="" src="/sites/default/files/sil_logo_white.png" style="width: 100px; 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