Global perspectives on heritage language education and emotion: Introduction to the special issue

Abstract

Fear, anxiety, and uncertainty creep into the confidence the learner has previously placed in their knowing and is reflective of a very chaotic transitional period. Senses are overloaded with unfamiliar knowledges, thoughts, and reflections that disrupt a familiar and comfortable sense of being and knowing, but once in the middle we must press on through to the other side or be carried away by fear-the fear of myths and stereotypes that have, until now, informed how we have come to know (Styres, 2019, p. 29).Recent decades have seen exponential growth in attention to two research areas in second language acquisition (SLA), which-until now-have continued along two relatively separate and independent paths. On the one hand, scholars have focused steadily increased interest in better understanding the relationships between language learning and emotions (e.g., Agudo, 2018;Dewaele & Li, 2020;Dörnyei et al., 2014; Simons & Smits, 2020), which has led to an exciting evolution of language classroom initiatives footed in affective dynamics and emotional well-being in SLA (e.g., Helgesen, n.d.). At the same time, the field of heritage language education (HLE) has also seen a tremendous boost, with dedicated scholars who continue to explore new theories and teaching practices in language learning geared toward fostering successful and healthy learning spaces for heritage language learners (HLLs). As these bodies of work continue to expand, and educators spearhead initiatives for pedagogies that serve heritage speakers, their families, and HLE stakeholders, the absence of research dedicated to exploring emotional variables among this population of learners becomes more apparent and, at times, problematic for the field as a whole.The term heritage speaker (HS) is often used to refer to individuals who grew up exposed to a nonmajority language at home (i.e., the heritage language) and a socially dominant majority language. It includes community (Wiley, 2005) and Indigenous language learners (Fairclough & Beaudrie, 2016).