Nahuatl-Language Instruction
The LAI is committed to supporting the instruction of less commonly taught Latin American languages as a means of training the next generation of Latin America specialists. Nahuatl, the language of the Aztecs, is still spoken by over a million people in Mexico, El Salvador, and, today, the United States.
Nahuatl Instructors: (Left) Eduardo de la Cruz Cruz and LAI Director, Kevin Terraciano
Eduardo explaining class activity to his students
Loteria game card used to teach students Nahuatl terms
Elementary Nahuatl Fall 2015 class
Nahuatl instruction at UCLA is funded in part by the Latin American Institute through a Title VI National Resource Center grant from the US Department of Education. The Nahuatl program was launched in 2015 by former LAI director Kevin Terraciano.
Nahuatl courses at the beginning, intermediate, and advanced levels are listed in the Department of Spanish and Portuguese. Courses are taught remotely in Spanish by native-speaker instructors from the Instituto de Docencia e Investigación Etnológica de Zacatecas (IDIEZ). IDIEZ has a long track record of excellence in teaching the Nahuatl language and Nahua culture to international students. The courses are designed to introduce students to the Nahuatl language (or lengua mexicana) as it is spoken today.
For more information, contact the Department of Spanish and Portuguese or the instructor, Sabina de la Cruz, at sabinacruz12@gmail.com.
Published: Friday, November 6, 2015