This post is also available in: Kreyol

For some of us, reading Creole may be a bit of a challenge. Reading Woy Magazine’s available Creole content can be great practice to improve one’s Creole reading skills. Whether you are seeking to reconnect with your Haitian culture by improving your Creole, or are just being introduced to Haiti and would like to learn the language, we have compiled a list of resources available to you to help you learn or improve your Creole skills.

 

1. The Haitian Creole Language Institute of New York

HCLI is a brick & mortar institute that also offers online Creole courses. “The curriculum used is based on the philosophy of Mindfulness so the work that we do is customized to your needs. We get to know our students, learn their backgrounds, and help them use that to grow their language learning. we have our own curriculum.” – Wynnie Lamour, founder.

follow them on twitter @kreyolnyc

2. Sweet Coconuts

This is a resource  site for people learning Haitian Creole featuring weekly audio lessons by Dr. Hans and Mandaly Louis Charles. Sweet Coconuts is updated regularly, and answers their readers’ questions regarding Creole and Creole learning. Sweet Coconuts, in collaboration with the MIT-Haiti initiative, is also responsible for these helpful songs and videos on the Haitian Creole alphabet and spelling.

 

The DVD for these videos can be purchased here.

follow them on twitter @creolelingo

3. Haiti Hub

Haiti Hub is a website designed for people with no basis in Creole who wish to learn the language. The website bases its curriculum off of the Creole Made Easy textbook. It features video lessons, audio lessons, interactive reading and writing exercises, and live tutors.

follow them on twitter @HaitiHub

4. Pimsleur.com

This is a good resource for self guided learners that teaches Creole using the Pimsleur method. You can signup for a free lesson on their website.

5. The Boston Language Institute

Located in Boston.

“Introduces both the spoken and the written language, with conversational proficiency as the primary goal. The course emphasizes grammar, oral expression, and listening comprehension, and is designed to give beginning students a practical command of the language.” 

6. Libreri Mapou

Read! Read! Read! Reading is one major way to improve your Creole. This is an online Haitian bookstore, a good resource for finding literature in Creole. It is also great for finding good literature by Haitian authors in French, English and Creole.

7. Sosyete Koukouy – Linguistics

Sosyete Koukouy is a Haitian Croele website dedicated to the advancement of the preservation and advancement of the Creole language. On the site, you can find many resources including useful websites, and Creole literature. Linked above is a detailed article on Sosyete Koukouy outlining the evolution of the rules of phonetics and alphabet of Haitian Creole. It is a fascinating read.

8. Creole – English Dictionaries

Educa Vision’s catalog provides a list of a few Haitian-Creole dictionaries that may come in handy.