SALIDcamp

Spend 8 summer weeks, from June 16 to August 08, learning to write and speak in Hindi. Learn the script from scratch, pick up vocabulary, and hone your listening skills. Hindi is one of the two official languages of India, and the lingua franca for millions of South Asians and the diaspora. Hindi is written in Devanagari, the script it has inherited from Sanskrit. 

This course, taught online by Dr. Mithilesh Mishra, will be offered both synchronously and asynchronously. With Dr. Mishra's permission, you can pick between the morning (10:00 to 1:00) or the evening class (6:30 to 9:30) on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays. Recordings of the class sessions will be available for viewing later on a limited basis.

Whether you are familiar with the script or the sounds of Hindi or are a complete beginner, this course is for you. You will be able to converse and write in Hindi after 8 weeks of instruction. Apart from the common vocabulary and grammatical concepts, Dr. Mishra will offer options for training in specialized vocabulary and usage of Hindi in fields such as medicine, business, literature, and science and technology.

Weekly Schedule: 10 AM - 1 PM or 6:30-9:30 PM (TueWedThu)

Dr. Mishra can be reached via email at mkmishra@illinois.edu.

FAQ for Hindi Camp (Updated March 10, 2025)

1. Is there an age limit to register for this course?

Our ideal lower limit is high school age, but we are willing to admit a limited number of rising 8^th graders (students in the last year of middle school). Students in lower grades, please wait for a year/couple of years. This course will be offered every summer. Exception may be made to potential students with prior permission of the instructor (mkmishra@illinois.edu)

1. Do I get credits or transferable credits?

You will receive a certificate attesting to your completion of the 8-week summer course. You may apply for a placement test at your educational institution and forego 1-2 semesters of Hindi coursework (depending upon your prior familiarity with various aspects of Hindi). Regardless of which college you join, this amounts to a substantial savings of your cost, time, and effort later.

1. Can I take the Hindi Proficiency examination after successfully completing this course?

Possibly, especially if you have a high proficiency in Speaking and reading and writing in Hindi are the only skills that you do not have.

1. I have a high/native like Speaking proficiency in Urdu. Will I be able to take the Hindi Proficiency exam after taking this course?

Most likely. Also, after successfully completing this course, learning the Urdu script will be easier because the training in Hindi writing and reading will deepen your understanding of the articulatory and acoustic properties of commonly shared sounds between Hindi and Urdu.

1. Will there be a textbook for this course?

Given the nature of this online course, no specific textbook will be required. However, commonly used books will be suggested for your additional reference or purchase.

1. What kind of course materials will be available?

The fee includes the cost of text material. During the eight weeks of coursework, all teaching material, including texts, exercises, tests, etc., can be accessed online.

1. What will be the focus of this course? Reading-Writing or Listening -Speaking?

This is an intensive course, offering exercises in both reading-writing and listening-speaking. There will be exercises and modules for you to practice more in one area if you desire.

1. How many hours of work/practice will be required after the 9 hours of classes per week?

You must spend at least 4-5 hours every week beyond class time (preferably an hour and a half a day). Please remember that daily/regular practice is more effective and beneficial than spending 4-5 hours on a single day.

1. How can I fully succeed in this course?

Attend the classes and engage in the activities. Learning a language is like building a house. So, there should not be any gap in your understanding of the course content at any time. You are strongly encouraged to ask questions and clarify all your doubts in class daily.

1. Will the instructor help me in arranging a proficiency exam or placement test later?

If you attend the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, the instructor will be able to help you. If you attend any other college, please contact your language coordinator there. Please do not hesitate to reach out to the instructor or South Asian Studies at UIUC if you encounter any difficulty connecting with your institution's Hindi instructor.

1. Will there be any additional fee besides the course fee?

No.

1. How will this course help me in my academic career?

The realm of your academic interest and expertise will get a phenomenal boost with competence and proficiency in Hindi. Not only for choosing an academic career in Humanities, Social Sciences, and Business, but also in STEM fields, it will significantly expand your academic and professional horizons, identify new areas of studies and research. 

1. How will this course help me in my professional career?

21st century is going to be the century of bilinguals. For native speakers of English (the 3^rd most spoken language of the world), a reasonable command of Hindi (the 4^th most spoken language of the world) is going to open many doors or give you a leg up in your chosen career and profession.
 

1. Since this course is an online course, what are the technical requirements?

You will need a stable internet connection and a computer with a camera. It will be good if you can input freehand writing (with a stylus or a pencil). You will be required to keep your camera on during the class hours.

1. Can my friend(s) or family member(s) join me during the online sessions?

No, except for technical help in attending classes.

1. Why are there two schedules?

The two schedules allow you the maximum flexibility in the summer weeks. If you miss a class for any reason, you can plan to attend the alternate section.

1. Is attendance in all classes required?

We want you not to miss any class for your progress and success in this course.

1. What if I miss a class/day for personal/family/professional reasons?

We understand that summer is a busy time for personal/family events and trips. Your first option would be to attend the other session during the day.

If you anticipate missing classes for more than a day, please inform the instructor before the session starts. You can view the missed class recording with the instructor's prior knowledge and approval.

1. Will the instructor be available for help outside of scheduled classes?

Yes. The instructor will hold regular office hours (considering different time zones).

1. Can I take this course to focus only on a specific skill (reading/writing/speaking/listening)?

See the answer to #5. The instructor will help you create your individual learning path for focusing on any desired skill.

1. What is the deadline for getting a refund of the fee? Is a partial refund allowed?

The deadline for a full refund is June 19, 11:59 PM. No partial refund is allowed after June 19.

1. Can I contact the instructor to continue with my Hindi even after this summer camp? If so, how?

Yes. The instructor holds global office hours from May 16 onwards. The exact times will be announced on the South Asian website < https://csames.illinois.edu/sas/salidcamp>.

1. Which other course(s) can I take with the instructor in the future?

As a non-degree student, you can register for University of Illinois courses such as Advanced Hindi -I (HNDI 405), Advanced Hindi - II (HNDI 406), and Business Hindi (HNDI 412) online. Please contact the instructor for additional details.

1. Is there a deadline for registration?

Please register as soon as possible. There is a tentative deadline of April 30, 2025.

From June 16 to August 08, 2025, Dr. Anna Tosato will teach Sanskrit from scratch in intensive 2-hour sessions 3-4 days a week. If you are a high school student, an undergraduate, or a graduate student, this is an excellent opportunity to pick up a classical language of the Indo-European family. Whether you have some familiarity with Sanskrit or are a complete beginner, this course will offer the right tools and methodology needed to master the language.

Immerse yourself in the beauty and perfection of Sanskrit – the language of poets, grammarians, and mathematicians. Sanskrit has an alphabet based on the sounds humans can produce naturally. Its grammar, dating back to Panini (4th c. BCE), has a structure that comes very close to a programming language. Sanskrit, which is over 4,000 years old, is the source of most South Asian languages. If you are familiar with a modern South Asian language such as Hindi, Bengali, Gujarati, etc., learning Sanskrit syntax and grammar will help you understand that language better.

Weekly Schedule: 1-3 PM (MWF) + 10-12 Sat.

Learn Sanskrit in 8 weeks of summer with Dr. Anna Tosato. 

Dr. Tosato can be reached at tosato@illinois.edu.