University Spanish Heritage Language Coursework: Meeting the Needs of All Heritage Learners

Abstract

The structure and instruction of foreign language classrooms have changed to meet the needs of the growing number of Hispanic heritage language learners (HLLs) entering university settings. To understand the impact of these reforms, interviews were conducted with 11 HLLs about their experiences in Spanish classrooms designed for their unique learning needs. Although participants were divided in their beliefs of heritage coursework offered, all the students valued being within a community of shared life experiences. Resumen La estructura e instrucción en los salones de clase de idioma extranjero ha cambiado para cumplir con las necesidades del número creciente de estudiantes hispanos (HLLs) inscribiéndose en universidades. Se conducieron entrevistas para entender el impacto de esas reformas con 11 HLLs sobre sus experiencias en salones de español diseñados para satisfacer sus necesidades de aprendizaje únicas. Todos los estudiantes valoraron el estar en una comunidad con experiencias compartidas de vida; aunque los participantes fueron divididos de acuerdo con sus creencias ó valores sobre las clases de herencia ofrecidas.

Perceptions of Writing Anxiety and Self-Efficacy Among Spanish Heritage Language Learners

“…HLLs may have trouble with writing tasks because they are unable to use paralinguistic cues (e.g., gestures) that are common during verbal communication. Students may experience difficulties with these various aspects of Spanish writing due to experiencing predominately monolingual formal educational experiences (Torres, Arrastia, & Tackett, 2017).…”

Critical Language Awareness in the Spanish as a Heritage Language College Classroom

“…It has long been acknowledged that HL learners have different needs than L2 learners (e.g., Burgo 2017;Carreira and Kagan 2018;Kagan and Dillon 2018;Leeman et al 2011;Potowski 2005;Torres et al 2019), which require a tailored teaching approach. The instructional goals for heritage language education include explicit efforts in language maintenance, acquisition of a prestige language variety, expansion of bilingual range, transfer of literacy skills, development of academic skills, development of positive attitudes towards all varieties of the HL and its cultures, and development of cultural awareness (Beaudrie et al 2014;Martinez 2016;Valdés and Parra 2018).…”