What is Kawai?

Kawai : /kaˈvai̯/ 
     Ka : article, the 
     wai : noun, water, fresh water, water other than sea water 

Kawai, named for the Hawaiian term for fresh water, embodies the elements of life giving properties for language learning and teaching.

Kawai is a living entity whose purpose is to nourish and replenish those who are asking questions, who are bored in their classrooms, who are tired of the way things have always been and are looking to refresh and renew.

Kawai is for those who may just need a sip, to see if the water is sweet, before coming back for more. It's for those who want to dive in and drink deeply. It's for those who didn't know they were thirsty and for those who are parched.

Image from Freepik

The Three Strands of Kawai

Setting Sail ~ Come explore the wai

Wailana

For language teachers novice in the practices of Comprehension-based Communicative Language Teaching (CCLT) and/or proficiency-oriented language instruction.

Wai'oli

For those seeking resources for advocacy and a centralized place to point others to resources.

Wailehua

For those who want a place for a deeper dive into CCLT and/or proficiency-oriented instruction with videos, strategies, research, and conversation boards.

About This Project

This project has been curated and created by Evelyn Coffey, French teacher, in conjunction with the Hawai'i Association of Language Teachers (HALT). Evelyn served as an Emerging Leader in ACTFL's Leadership Initiative for Language Learning (LILL) Cohort 4 from 2021-2023.