Michel Frederic DeGraff[2] is a Haitian creolist who has served on the board of the Journal of Haitian Studies.[3] He is a tenured professor at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology[3] and a founding member of the Haitian Creole Academy.[4] His field of scholarship is Creole language, also known as Lang Kreyòl Linguistics.[3] He is known for his advocacy towards the recognition of Haitian Creole as a full-fledged language.[3] In the fall of 2012, he received a $1 million grant from the National Science Foundation to introduce online Creole language materials in the teaching of STEM in Haiti.[3] He believes that Haitian children should be taught in their native language at all levels of instruction, contrary to the tradition of teaching them in French.[5] Degraff believes that instruction in French, a foreign language for most Haitian children, hinders their creativity and their ability to excel.[5]
As a child growing up in a middle-class Haitian family and attending a top school where the instruction was in French, Degraff reports that despite being a top student, he often felt that French was a hindrance as not speaking it well caused complexes of inferiority among otherwise bright children.[5] He remembers believing that he spoke one and a half languages, Haitian Creole being the "half", when in fact the language that all children spoke well by default was Creole.[5] He recalls that French, although imposed at home and at school, was never used for jokes or on the soccer field.[5]
Dr. Degraff currently works with introducing ICT to Haitian children being instructed in Creole at the Matènwa school in La Gonâve. The children are encouraged to use Google Translate to read what is available on the web in languages other than Creole. With a National Science Foundation grant, he is also using computer games in Creole to teach them math skills.[5]
^Mercéus, Bertrand, ed. (4 December 2014). "Les 33 académiciens du créole haïtien investis dans leur fonction". Le NOuvelliste. Retrieved 22 June 2016. (in French)
^ abcdeZéphir, Flore (Fall 2012). "Creolist Michel Degraff: A profile of Commitment, Advocacy, Excellence and Hope". Journal of Haitian Studies. 18 (2): 268.
^"Michel DeGraff named charter member of the Haitian Creole Academy". Whamit!. 15 December 2014. Retrieved 2015-11-02.
^ abcdefUlysse, Katia (11 August 2011). "Michel Degraff: Our Word is Our Bond". Voices from Haïti. Retrieved 17 March 2015.
^ abcdDizikes, Peter. "A Champion of Creole". MIT. Retrieved 5 January 2015.
External links
Platfòm MIT-Ayiti Open access repository of Creole teaching materials
Official Website
This Haitian biographical article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it.
michel, degraff, michel, frederic, degraff, haitian, creolist, served, board, journal, haitian, studies, tenured, professor, massachusetts, institute, technology, founding, member, haitian, creole, academy, field, scholarship, creole, language, also, known, la. Michel Frederic DeGraff 2 is a Haitian creolist who has served on the board of the Journal of Haitian Studies 3 He is a tenured professor at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology 3 and a founding member of the Haitian Creole Academy 4 His field of scholarship is Creole language also known as Lang Kreyol Linguistics 3 He is known for his advocacy towards the recognition of Haitian Creole as a full fledged language 3 In the fall of 2012 he received a 1 million grant from the National Science Foundation to introduce online Creole language materials in the teaching of STEM in Haiti 3 He believes that Haitian children should be taught in their native language at all levels of instruction contrary to the tradition of teaching them in French 5 Degraff believes that instruction in French a foreign language for most Haitian children hinders their creativity and their ability to excel 5 Michel DegraffDegraff at M I T Born1963 1 HaitiAlma materUniversity of PennsylvaniaKnown forArguing that Haitian Creole is a full fledged language Advocacy for the language of instruction in Haiti to be Haitian CreoleAwardsNational Science Foundation 1 Million Grant to promote teaching of Science in Haiti in Haitian CreoleScientific careerFieldsLinguistics Syntax Morphology Language Change Creole Studies Haitian Creole Education in Haiti Linguistics Ideology InterfaceInstitutionsM I T ThesisCreole grammars and acquisition of syntax The case of HaitianWebsiteweb wbr mit wbr edu wbr linguistics wbr people wbr faculty wbr degraff wbr index wbr html Contents 1 Early life 2 Education 3 Work in Haiti 4 See also 5 References 6 External linksEarly life EditAs a child growing up in a middle class Haitian family and attending a top school where the instruction was in French Degraff reports that despite being a top student he often felt that French was a hindrance as not speaking it well caused complexes of inferiority among otherwise bright children 5 He remembers believing that he spoke one and a half languages Haitian Creole being the half when in fact the language that all children spoke well by default was Creole 5 He recalls that French although imposed at home and at school was never used for jokes or on the soccer field 5 Education EditDr DeGraff holds a PhD in computer science from the University of Pennsylvania 6 Prior to his PhD he studied computer science at City College of New York 6 He arrived at City College from Haiti in 1982 6 He developed an interest in linguistics during an internship at Bell Labs in New Jersey in 1985 6 Work in Haiti EditDr Degraff currently works with introducing ICT to Haitian children being instructed in Creole at the Matenwa school in La Gonave The children are encouraged to use Google Translate to read what is available on the web in languages other than Creole With a National Science Foundation grant he is also using computer games in Creole to teach them math skills 5 See also EditAkademi Kreyol AyisyenReferences Edit 2005 LSA Institute People Michel DeGraff Merceus Bertrand ed 4 December 2014 Les 33 academiciens du creole haitien investis dans leur fonction Le NOuvelliste Retrieved 22 June 2016 in French a b c d e Zephir Flore Fall 2012 Creolist Michel Degraff A profile of Commitment Advocacy Excellence and Hope Journal of Haitian Studies 18 2 268 Michel DeGraff named charter member of the Haitian Creole Academy Whamit 15 December 2014 Retrieved 2015 11 02 a b c d e f Ulysse Katia 11 August 2011 Michel Degraff Our Word is Our Bond Voices from Haiti Retrieved 17 March 2015 a b c d Dizikes Peter A Champion of Creole MIT Retrieved 5 January 2015 External links EditPlatfom MIT Ayiti Open access repository of Creole teaching materials Official Website This Haitian biographical article is a stub You can help Wikipedia by expanding it vte Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Michel DeGraff amp oldid 1140652033, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
