Overview
What is the Khmer Language?
Author: Daveth Cheth
Grades: 9-12
Suggested Amount of Time: 90 minutes
Area of Study: Introduction to Cambodian History
Compelling Question
- How does learning about Cambodian history promote a greater understanding of Cambodian American experiences?
Lesson Question
- What is the primary and official language of Cambodia? What is Khmer?
Lesson Objective
Students will choose one element (time period, language logistics, etc.) that was covered in class to reflect upon, then research. They will then create a presentation on their research. This can be in the form of a poster, a short video, slides presentation, or artistic representation. Students can also work in groups, so that they can work with their peers in building research skills as well as presentational skills.
Lesson Background
The purpose of this lesson is to highlight culture, specifically the language, that is not commonly known within the Cambodian diaspora. Students will learn more and understand what Khmer language is, where it comes from, its evolution to what it is today.
Image Citation: File:Khmer script in school.jpg - Wikimedia Commons. (2009, August 22). https://commons.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Khmer_script_in_school.jpg
Materials
Videos
- How Languages Evolve
- About the Khmer Language
Handouts
- Guided Notes Handout
- Slidedeck
- Rubric
- Link to handouts: https://ucdavis.box.com/s/hazasvw10nf5wrud8u9ch8uumgfuzr9a
Procedures
- Warm-up
- Teachers should guide students to consider how they think their primary language is evolving, or has evolved.
- Give students time to jot down their thoughts and reactions on their own.
- Ask students to share their responses and discuss the significance of language evolution in relation to the lessonβs topic.
- Optional: Show the students the short video, How Languages Evolve https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iWDKsHm6gTA
- Khmer Language Presentation
- Teachers should present the different ways the Khmer language has evolved into what is known today. Teachers should introduce an overview of the history of Khmer language, movement and migration while students jot down notes in the βGuided Notesβ handout.
- Accompanying slides for this lesson may be found here: https://ucdavis.box.com/s/ietma6qa0u68at8hb2fil3nfat3otafl
- Interaction with video source: About the Khmer Language https://youtu.be/MABZaZKFdjA?feature=shared
- As students watch the video, encourage them to add to their existing notes.
- Once the video is complete, ask students to share which element of the Khmer language is most interesting to them.
- Have students pair share and then have a class share out.
- As students share out, teachers can make a list on the board of the elements.
- Cultural Production/Summative
- Task: Students will choose one element (time period, language logistics, etc.) that was covered in class to reflect upon, then research. They will then create a presentation on their research. This can be in the form of a poster, a short video, slides presentation, or artistic representation. Students can also work in groups, so that they can work with their peers in building research skills as well as presentational skills.
- Optional: Teachers can utilize the rubric handout.
- Students will choose to research on one of the time periodsβ Khmer language in addition to the following:
- What were the historic influences on the language?
- What rules were changed in the language? (articulation/grammar rules)
- What new vocabulary were introduced during the time period?
- Task: Students will choose one element (time period, language logistics, etc.) that was covered in class to reflect upon, then research. They will then create a presentation on their research. This can be in the form of a poster, a short video, slides presentation, or artistic representation. Students can also work in groups, so that they can work with their peers in building research skills as well as presentational skills.
Assessments
Students will choose one element (time period, language logistics, etc.) that was covered in class to reflect upon, then research. They will then create a presentation on their research. This can be in the form of a poster, a short video, slides presentation, or artistic representation. Students can also work in groups, so that they can work with their peers in building research skills as well as presentational skills.
Scaffolds
- Engagement: Consider the following method to support with lesson engagement:
- Involve all participants in whole class discussions
- Representation: Consider the following method to support with multiple means of representation:
- Anchor instruction by linking to and activating relevant prior knowledge (e.g., using visual imagery, concept anchoring, or concept mastery routines)
- Action and Expression: Consider the following method to support in presenting their learning in multiple ways:
- Provide sentence starters or sentence strips
- Provide models or examples of the process and product of goal-setting
For additional ideas to support your students, check out the UDL Guidelines at CAST (2018) http://udlguidelines.cast.org.
Multilingual Learner Supports
- Emerging: Consider the following method to support with emerging students:
- Listening: Restate/Rephrase and use oral language routines
- Teacher paraphrases student responses as they explain their thinking in effort to validate content learning and encourage the use of precise language.
- Listening: Restate/Rephrase and use oral language routines
- Expanding: Consider the following method to support with expanding students:
- Listening: Check comprehension of all students frequently
- Teacher paraphrases student responses as they explain their thinking in effort to validate content learning and encourage the use of precise language.
- Listening: Check comprehension of all students frequently
- Bridging: Consider the following method to support with bridging students:
- Listening: Extend content vocabulary with multiple examples and non-examples
- Students use a Frayer graphic organizer to support understanding of a key word or concept. Place the target word in the center amid four surrounding quadrants to support different facets of word meaning.
- Listening: Extend content vocabulary with multiple examples and non-examples
For additional guidance around scaffolding for multilingual learners, please consult the following resources:
- English Learner Toolkit of Strategies, https://ucdavis.box.com/s/ujkdc2xp1dqjzrlq55czph50c3sq1ngu
- Providing Appropriate Scaffolding https://www.sdcoe.net/educators/multilingual-education-and-global-achievement/oracy-toolkit/providing-appropriate-scaffolding#scaffolding
- Strategies for ELD, https://ucdavis.box.com/s/dcp15ymah51uwizpmmt2vys5zr2r5reu
- ELA / ELD Framework, https://www.caeducatorstogether.org/resources/6537/ela-eld-framework
- California ELD Standards , https://ucdavis.box.com/s/vqn43cd632z22p8mfzn2h7pntc71kb02
Enrichment
Students may also learn how to write some of the language as part of the lesson: https://openbooks.lib.msu.edu/basickhmer/
Works Cited
Britt, K. 2020c, May 11. English learner toolkit of strategies. California County Superintendents. https://cacountysupts.org/english-learner-toolkit-of-strategies/
California Department of Education & English Learner Support Division. 2012. California English Language Development standards (Electronic Edition) kindergarten through grade 12 (F. Ong & J. McLean, Eds.). California Department of Education. https://www.cde.ca.gov/sp/el/er/documents/eldstndspublication14.pdf
California Educators Together. (n.d.). ELA / ELD framework. https://www.caeducatorstogether.org/resources/6537/ela-eld-framework
CAST. 2018 The UDL guidelines. http://udlguidelines.cast.org
ααααα αααα’αΆα. αααααΆαααα’αα‘α·α ααααΌαα·α ααααα. (n.d.). Retrieved August 27, 2022. https://elibraryofcambodia.org/ebook/seavphov-rean-arn-ebook/
Hin, T. (n.d.). ααααααΆααααααααα (Khmer Grammar).
JuLingo. 2023, February 27. About the Khmer language [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MABZaZKFdjA
Merriam-Webster. (n.d.). Khmer. In Merriam-Webster.com dictionary. Retrieved August 27, 2022. https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Khmer
San Diego County Office of Education. (n.d.). Providing appropriate scaffolding. https://www.sdcoe.net/educators/multilingual-education-and-global-achievement/oracy-toolkit/providing-appropriate-scaffolding#scaffolding
Seasite. (n.d.). Introduction to Khmer language. Retrieved August 27, 2022. https://seasite.niu.edu/khmer/writingsystem/writing_introduction/intro_set.htm
So, K.T. 2017. Chapter 2: Where Did The Khmers Come From. In The Khmer kings and the history of Cambodia. DatAsia Press.
TED-Ed. 2014, May 27. How languages evolve - Alex Gendler [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iWDKsHm6gTA
Tulare County Office of Education. (n.d.). Strategies for ELD. https://commoncore.tcoe.org/Content/Public/doc/Alpha-CollectionofELDStrategies.pdf
Wright, W.E. 2010. Khmer as a heritage language in the United States: Historical sketch, current realities, and prospects. Heritage Language Journal, 7(1), 117-147.