BRIEF HISTORY

Teaching Kiswahili for Foreigners, professionally known as teaching Kiswahili as a Second Language. Kiswahili Lessons for Foreigners started to be delivered in the end of the 1960s, whereby the first students came from Ghana. When Kiswahili department was officially established in 1970, the Teaching of Kiswahili for Foreigners was carried out by the department. Responsibilities of Teaching Kiswahili for Foreigners were under the Unit of Kiswahili for Foreigners of Kiswahili Department coordinated by the Coordinator of Kiswahili for Foreigners. When Kiswahili Department and the Institute of Kiswahili Research merged in 2009, this Unit was transformed to be the Centre of Kiswahili for Foreigners (CKF) under the Coordinator.  

PRESENT AND FUTURE OBJECTIVES

The general objective of the Centre of Kiswahili for Foreigners is to teach Kiswahili as a foreign in various levels. This programme is special for non-Swahili speakers, especially students from outside Tanzania and the East African region.   

The lessons are categorised into four levels and eight phases: Elementary level (beginners) phase one and two; Intermediate level – phase one and two; Advanced level – phase one and two and Kiswahili at the mastery level- phase one and two.

Another objective is to teach students through observation and participation. This is done by taking students to various attractive places and through homestay to local (Tanzanian) host families where they see, observe and participate in various activities while using Kiswahili.  

Apart from teaching, another objective of this Centre is to write, publish and prepare good and effective teaching materials such as books, video cassettes, CD, DVD and recording short videos for posting on YouTube to be used for teaching and learning. 

The Centre looks forward to writing Kiswahili books for Foreigners in general and for special groups. Such groups include diplomats, businessmen and investors of all sorts.

ACHIEVEMENTS OF THE CENTRE

Since the official establishment of the Kiswahili classes for foreigners, several books have been written including those written by Maganga (1985), and some staff members participated in Peace Corps books writing project – Tanzania project.

Moreover, under Prof. Maganga, the Centre prepared cassette tapes for teaching and transcribed sounds whereby listening and pronunciation exercises took place in the in the laboratory in the Kiswahili building.

In addition to that, a manuscript of a new book for Kiswahili for Foreigners phase one is ready for printing.

Since then, the Centre has been teaching Kiswahili to groups of students from Universities and individuals from all over the world. Memoranda of Understanding from various Universities and individual students for learning Kiswahili at IKS are regularly signed by and between IKS leaders and those who wish to come for Kiswahili classes. 

Furthermore, Kiswahili learner tour various places including national parks, beaches along the Indian Ocean, mountains climbing, staying with Tanzanian host families and volunteering in various areas of their interest and specializations, for instance teaching languages or life outside Tanzania, etc, according to their ability and desire. 

EXPECTATIONS

The Centre expects the following:

• To continue being an excellent centre in teaching Kiswahili as a foreign language.
• To continue preparing more advanced teaching materials for listening, speaking and writing skills.
• To continue searching for new attractive areas to enable students not only to learn Kiswahili language but also Kiswahili culture.
• To continue supporting members of the Centre and all teaching staff to attend where possible national and international seminars and training on new methods of teaching a foreign language  

Contacts:

Coordinator,

Dr. Mashauri

Mobile: +255 685 569 056