HERITAGE LANGUAGE INSTRUCTIONMindy Euken Cadenillas

2011 HERITAGE LANGUAGE TEACHER WORKSHOP, UCLA

TODAY’S GOALS

• Define “typical” heritage language learners

• Identify the goals of a heritage language class

• Discover curriculum styles that are most appropriate for heritage language classes

• Reflect on the need for flexible and differentiated instruction

HERITAGE LANGUAGE LEARNERS

Bilingual (at least) Varying levels in the different languages Not necessarily FLUENT in both languages Have background, understanding and abilities in

both May be stronger/more confident in certain skills in

English or Heritage language Can be compared to English language learners in

U.S. school system based on exposure to language in community and order of acquisition

HERITAGE LANGUAGE LEARNERS

Have language input since age 0 in the home Have almost exclusive exposure to the heritage language

until age 5 Around age 5 this switches and the exposure to English

becomes dominant Heritage language exposure continues via television and

music, as well as through the heritage community Exposure is extremely limited as compared to L1

(compared to native speakers) Exposure is enormous as compared to L2 (compared to

“anglophone” students

HERITAGE LANGUAGE LEARNERS Students with different levels of exposure/different comfort levels

will be in the same Heritage class. Student needs and motivation for study vary. Most common(according to the ACTFL Heritage Language Learner

Survey): used language exclusively until age 5 when they started school has visited their country of origin once or twice listens to music, watches soap operas, and attends religious services in the HL

(not much reading) little to no schooling in the HL U.S. born has positive associations with the HL US-born: is a “hyphenated American”, wants to learn more about roots, wants

to connect with community around them (more than to be able to communicate with people who speak Spanish in other countries)

enjoys using HL to help others, wants to have a future career using the language

HERITAGE SPANISH LEARNERS AT ROOSEVELT HIGH SCHOOL

U.S. Born Foreign Born Some formal training

in Spanish or

No formal training in Spanish but lots of exposure in home/ community

or

Receptive bilinguals

Education in/through Spanish

or

Little formal education

“MACRO APPROACH” TO HERITAGE LANGUAGE INSTRUCTIONThe term “macro approach” helps illustrate how teachers of heritage language might combine several types of top-down language in one course: Community-based curriculum: Students learn by participating in

community events or conducting research within a local language community.  

Content-based instruction:  Students use a different subject, like social studies or biology, as a way to learn language.  Reading and writing tasks come from the subject matter.  

Project-based instruction: Students pursue an in-depth investigation of a question/ problem that’s important to them and work to acquire the language skills they need to complete the project.  

Task-based instruction: Emphasizes the kinds of real world tasks language speakers might be required to do and uses them as a vehicle for instruction.   

“MACRO APPROACH” TO HERITAGE LANGUAGE INSTRUCTION Any of these approaches would build on heritage

language learners’ strengths before focusing on their gaps.  Most often, heritage language teachers combine elements from several approaches.  

3 principles in using the macro approach (Olga Kagan): Start with the learner (take learner’s prior knowledge and

interests into account). Know the local language community. Know what is currently important to the country and

culture(s) of the target language.

IMPLICATIONS FOR TEACHERS OF HERITAGE LANGUAGE CLASSES Error correction vs. modeling and practicing standard

forms As students pass through the U.S. education system, their

use of the heritage language decreases to the home only Teachers need to use the communicative strengths that students

have, build on them Students need to have opportunities to use the heritage language

in different settings.

Explicit grammar and language instruction can occur if used within context and based on student learning needs and goals

DIFFERENTIATED INSTRUCTION IN THE HERITAGE LANGUAGE CLASSROOM

Differences between students shape the curriculum; On-going assessment of students is built into the

curriculum; Multiple learning materials are available; There is variable pacing; Students play a part in setting goals and standards; Varied grading criteria are used; Work is assigned to students depending on their level of

readiness.

Carreira, Maria

ROLE OF ASSESSMENT IN HERITAGE LANGUAGE CLASSROOM Diagnostic Assessment:

to get students into the best possible class since every class with HLL’s is very heterogeneous, diagnostic assessment must be

implemented in order to guide curriculum.

Formative Assessment: implemented throughout the units to see how individual students are progressing gives students feedback and helps them self-monitor their learning in relation to the

unit goals helps teacher to know what instructional changes need to be made

Summative Assessment: How do you maintain standards but also address issues of fairness? Some students start off with higher level skills in areas so need to be assessed

differently. The goal is that everyone will learn/grow but some will need extra time or extra

support, or extend tasks for advanced students, etc.

PERSONAL FUTURE GOALS

To implement a diagnostic assessment school-wide (with other Spanish teachers/counselors so that everyone knows how to identify and place Heritage learners)

To learn more strategies to advance my students’ reading and writing skills

To infuse more community/cultural opportunities for my students

To implement a Heritage 2 class so students have a step between Heritage 1 and AP Spanish

To differentiate more effectively based on individual needs (gathered through the use of formative assessments)

SOURCES AVAILABLE FOR TEACHERS OF HERITAGE LEARNERS The National Heritage Language Resource Center (NHLRC) http://

nhlrc.ucla.edu/events/startalkworkshop/2011/photos.asp STARTALK: Information on teaching and learning less commonly

taught languages http://startalk.umd.edu/ Kimberly Potowski’s homepage: Resources for Heritage language

teaching http://potowski.org/SNSresources The Alliance for the Advancement of Heritage Learners: See profiles

of different Heritage programs in the U.S. and find research/information http://www.cal.org/heritage/index.html

ACTFL: Find articles on Heritage language teaching in both The Language Educator and the Foreign Language Annals. New information is also presented at the national conference each year. http://www.actfl.org

HERITAGE LANGUAGE LEARNING “GURUS” AND RESOURCES Kagan, O., & Dillon, K.

Issues in Heritage Language Learning in the United States. (2008). In N. Van Deusen-Scholl & N. H. Hornberger (Eds.), Encyclopedia of Language and Education (2nd ed., Vol 4, pp. 143-156). New York: Springer Science+Business Media.

D. Brinton, O. Kagan, & S. Bauckus (Eds.). (2008). Heritage Language Education: A New Field Emerging. New York: Routledge.

Carreira, M. (in press). Meeting the Instructional Needs of Heritage Language Learners: Approaches, Strategies, and Research. In S. Beaudrie and M. Fairclough, Spanish as a Heritage Language in the US: State of the Science. Georgetown University Press.

Carreira, M. and Kagan, O. (2011). The Results of the National Heritage Language Survey: Implications for teaching, curriculum design, and professional development. Foreign Language Annals.