teaching heritage speakers: best practices

Teaching Heritage Speakers: Best practices

Seventh Heritage Language InstituteUIC, June 18, 2013

Maria M. Carreira, Ph.D.California State University, Long Beach

Core principles of HL teaching and curriculum design

• Orient the curriculum around the “typical” HL learner • Build in pathways for individual learners• Build on learners’ knowledge of the HL and HC, focusing on the big ideas (Olga Kagan)

Oral -> writtenInformal -> formalPersonal -> impersonal (public)Focus on the big ideas, have realistic expectations

• Other (Latino specific): Mind the gap

In a nutshell: Keep your eye on the learner

WHAT (WHO) IS A HERITAGE LANGUAGE LEARNER?

Definitions:Who is a heritage language learner?

• Narrow definitions – based on proficiency

• Broad definitions – based on affiliation

Example of a narrow definition

“An individual who is raised in a home where a non-English language is spoken, who speaks or merely understands the heritage language, and who is to some degree bilingual in English and the heritage language” (Valdés, 2001, p. 38)

Example of a broad definition

Heritage language learners are individuals who “…have familial or ancestral ties to a particular language and who exert their agency in determining whether or not they are HLLs (heritage language learners) of that HL (heritage language) and HC (heritage culture) (Hornberger and Wang, 2008, p. 27)

Learners who fit the narrow definition also fit the broad definition

In high school I was one of very few Latinos. My friend and I were called the "Mexican kids". This was always funny to me because my Dad's family always told me I was American. In school I was labeled Mexican, but to the Mexicans, I am an American. I am part of each, but not fully accepted by either. In high school, I was considered Mexican because I spoke Spanish but I was considered "Pocho" by my Dad's family because my Spanish was not up to their standard. It's this weird duality in which you are stuck in the middle. Latinos are often told that they are not Americans but also that they are not connected to their heritage. You take pride in both cultures and learn to deal with the rejection. You may never be fully embraced by either side. That's why you seek out other people like yourself. Socializing with people who share a common experience helps you deal with this experience.

Broad + narrow definitions = two orientations to HL teaching

Linguistic needs (narrow definition)

Affective needs (broad definition)

To fill in the details…

• Research on the “typical” HL learner

Factors in heritage language development

• Order of acquisition of the languages (HL first, followed by Eng., both lags. at the same time);

• Age of acquisition of English (ages 3-5, 6-10)• Language use at home (only the HL, HL + Eng.,

English only);• Schooling in the HL;• General exposure to the HL e.g. time spent abroad,

media use, demographic density of local HL speakers;

Knowledge of the HL: It boils down to exposure

• Order of acquisition: Simultaneous bilingual < sequential bilingual;

• Age of acquisition of English: The later the better• Home use:

Only HL < HL + English < Overwhelmingly English• Schooling:

No schooling < schooling (a variety of types)• Other exposure (media, church, peers, family, travel abroad, social clubs, etc.)

Typical HL learner (from NHLRC Survey, Carreira and Kagan,

2010)• Used their HL 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 their HL (not much reading) (mostly +);

• Little to no schooling in the HL (-);• US born (?)

Linguistic strengths and needs

• Fairly fluid in the informal registers of the HL• Low literacy (limited command of embedding

– compound sentences, little to no command of the academic registers, limited vocabulary)

• Grammar areas in need of attention: those solidified after age 5 – Aspect, the subjunctive, perfective verb forms, vocabulary (Montrul, 2008, 2011);

The elements of the broad definition:Social + affective needs

Socio-affective needs(from the NHLRC survey)

• Has positive associations with his HL, but also some insecurities;

• Is a “hyphenated American” (e.g. Arab-American)• Wants to learn more about his roots;• Wants to connect with other members of his/her

community;• Enjoys using his/her HL to help others;• Would like to take professional advantage of

his/her HL skills (only Spanish, Chinese, and Japanese speakers)

Social/affective orientation of the curriculum

• Responds to HL learners’ affective needs– i.e. the need to explore issues of identity, builds on learners’ positive associations, combats negative associations;

• Responds to HL learners’ social needs – i.e. the desire to connect with other US speakers;

• Responds to HL learners’ professional goals (not all languages);

Now we have a plan

Linguistic needs (narrow definition)

Topics

Grammatical features acquired after age 5 – aspect, mood, subordination, perfective tenses

Skills acquired in school – reading, writing, register

Vocabulary

Socio-affective needs (broad definition)

Topics that respond to the need to

Build self-understanding and connect with roots;

Connect with friends and family in the US.

Make professional and social use of Spanish


Orient the curriculum around the “typical” HL learner• Build in pathways for individual learners• Build on learners’ knowledge of the HL and HC



Why is this not enough?

Traditionally, language teaching has been “what centered”

“What centered” = “curriculum centered”

Teachers start at the front of the curriculum

The what-centered view with L2 learners

The curriculum-centered classroom

But what if…

And...

The curriculum-centered approach in a mixed class (HL + l2 learners)

The curriculum-centered approach with HL learners (An HL class – all HLLs)

A better alternative: Focus on the “who”

The learner

“Who” centered teaching

Why do we need learner-centered teaching?

• HL learners differ from each other and from L2 learners with regard to key pedagogical issues:- linguistic abilities (in the HL and in English)- literacy skills

- affective needs- goals for their HL

Variation in the classroom contextThe NHLRC Survey

One-track program: L2 and HL learners together (mixed classes)

Dual-track program: Separate classes for L2 andand HL learners (HL classes)

Type 1: Only one HL course (most common);

Type 2: Two levels of HL instruction;

Classes with HL learners are always heterogeneous

• Specialized HL classes;• Mixed classes (HL + L2);

Question: How do you deal with learner variation?


Orient the curriculum around the “typical” HL learner• Build in pathways for individual learners• Build on learners’ knowledge of the HL and HC



A fitting metaphor for HL teaching

What not to do

Don’t…

• Ignore diversity (i.e. exclude learners who don’t fit the model)

I did not give particular consideration to HL--they are usually a very small segment of the class. (The programs survey)

Don’t…

• Enforce the paradigm/status quo at all cost: (i.e. force all learners to conform to the curriculum)

(Name of book) does not address the needs of HL but it does a good job at the beginning level where the majority of our students take the (name of language) as a general language requirement and where we have less HL (15%) than at more advanced levels.

The “what” centered view of teaching enforces the paradigm at all cost

Not so good Better Best

Start at the front of the book, curriculum is fixed

Start with a student-focused curriculum that targets the needs of the typical learner

Start with a curriculum that targets majority needs and is flexible enough to respond to the needs of individual learners.

May work in relatively homogeneous classes, not in highly heterogeneous classes

Weakness: Neglects those who fall outside that group.

Strength: Meets the needs of all learners.

The “who” centered curriculum for the typical HL learner ignores diversity








Build in pathways for all learners








Do…

Program level: Mitigate the problems of diversity through smart curriculum design and placement. 1) Design courses that are tailored to the local student population and that make linguistic sense for them (orient teaching around the typical learner)2) Use placement to build maximally homogeneous classes.

Class level: Accept and deal with diversity through Differentiated Teaching (DT). Build in pathways for all learners.

Differentiated Teaching (DT)

In differentiated classrooms, teachers begin where studentsare, not the front of a curriculum guide. They accept and buildupon the premise that learners differ in important ways…Indifferentiated classrooms, teachers provide specific ways foreach individual to learn as deeply as possible and as quicklyand possible, without assuming one student’s roadmap forlearning is identical to anyone else (Tomlinson, 2000:2).

Three tools of differentiation

• Agendas – lists of tasks students must complete within a specified period of time.

• Centers and stations• Exit cards• Visual checks

Sample agenda from my class (an HL class)

Date due: (usually in 1-2 weeks)Work to be completed:• Workbook # 7, 8, 9, 10 • Blackboard, #1, 2. Must be completed with agrade of 90% or better.• Textbook, read “xxxxx” and answer questions1-7. Use a spell check. • Prepare a “Sum it up” card for this unit.

Instructional practices

• Agendas• Centers and stations: Repositories of resources

which support independent learning.• Exit cards• Visual checks

How I use centers

• Virtual spaces (Blackboard)• Computer graded• Work can be repeated for a better grade• Work is done outside of class• Work is done independently by students• Work is self-paced(the workbook can also be a source ofcenter activities)


• Agendas• Centers and stations• Exit cards: Short assignments that students

must complete and turn in before leaving class• Visual checks

Sample exit cards

• Formulate a question about something that remains unclear to you about today’s class;

• Identify something that you already knew about today’s lesson and something that is new to you;

• Describe an “Aha!” moment in this lesson;• Explain a contribution you made today to group

work;• Summarize a comment someone else made that was

useful to you


• Agendas• Centers • Exit cards: Short assignments that students

must complete and turn in before leaving class• Visual checks

T/F?

• The narrow definition focuses on linguistic issues;

• The “what” centered view of teaching is better suited to teaching HL learners than the “who” centered view of teaching;

• Background factors can give an indication of linguistic ability in HL learners


Orient the curriculum around the “typical” HL learnerBuild in pathways for individual learners• Build on learners’ knowledge of the HL and HC

Oral -> writtenInformal -> formalPersonal -> impersonal (public)Focus on the big ideasMind the gap


Orient the curriculum around the “typical” HL learnerBuild in pathways for individual learners• Build on learners’ knowledge of the HL and HC

Oral -> writtenInformal -> formalPersonal -> impersonal (public)Focus on the big ideas, have realistic expections

• Mind the gap

• My name by Sandra Cisneros

http://www.dcs.k12.oh.us/753220726144416460/lib/753220726144416460/My_Name.pdf

Task 1: How can you use “My name” in an HL class and…

• Address issues of affect and identity (as per the broad definition of HL learners);

• Address language topics of particular importance to HL learners (e.g. aspect, mood, vocabulary, infinitive/gerund, spelling…);

• Differentiate instruction so as to deal effectively with the problem of heterogeneity

Addressing issues in the broad definition

• Ideas?

Task 1: How can you use “My name” in an HL class and…

• Address issues of affect and identity (as per the broad definition of HL learners);

• Address language topics of particular importance to HL learners (e.g. aspect, mood, vocabulary, subordinationa, spelling…);

• Differentiate instruction so as to deal effectively with the problem of heterogeneity

Addressing issues in the broad definition

• The grandma • Naming practices• Spanish names in an English-speaking society

Latin grandmas: Horses or mice?

Person Horse or mouse ______?

Anecdote

Naming practices: How did you get your name?

Name of a family member

Name with religious significance

Name of a famous or popular figure

Popular/trendy name

Made up name:

Picked a name that works in both languages

Living with Spanish names in an English-speaking society

• Two last names or one?• Nicknames?• Two different first names?• Maiden name or husband’s last name?

These “starter” activities are all

• Personal• Oral• Informal

Next step..

• Personal -> public• Oral -> Written• Informal -> formal

Ideas?

It doesn’t have to involve an essay

•Interview parents regarding how they got their name;•Study of the most popular Hispanic names and naming practices in the US (charts, tables, summary statements);•Change the genre (go from short story to poem, song, etc.)

Change the genre

My name means hopeIn Spanish It has too many letters Sadness and w a i t i n gIt is the number 9A muddy colorMexican recordsMy father playsWhen shaving, songsLike sobbing

The text-to-self connection: Language

Test-to-self connection “Mi nombre”

1. Pick out five words that are new to you

2. Classify them as “must know” or “worth knowing” or “fun knowing”

3. Pick out three nouns that are important for you to know and write the verbs they go with.

4. Pick out three words that you already knew how to use but did not know how to spell

5. Pick out five past-tense verbs, write their infinitive form.

6. Find two differences between English and Spanish with regard to the use of capitalization.

The text-to-self connection: socio-affective needs, identity, connections, etc.

Test-to-self connection “Mi nombre”

1. Pick a sentence that caught your attention and copy it in the next column.2. Explain your personal connection to this phrase

The KWL chart

Something you already know about this topic

Something you want to learn

Something you learned

When designing instruction Focus on the big ideas

• Big ideas function as the keys that unlock content for all learners

• Plan instruction with a focus on the most critical big ideas;

• Articulate the learning goals and success criteria

Big ideas and realistic expectations


Orient the curriculum around the “typical” HL learnerBuild in pathways for individual learners Build on learners’ knowledge of the HL and HC


• Mind the gap

Minding the gap

• Academic deficiencies can interfere with learners’ ability to expand their command of registers and reach higher levels of proficiency;

• Latinos face particular challenges of this nature;

To address Latinos’ academic needs

• Draw connections between Spanish and other subject areas;

• Emphasize general literacy skills;• Engage students in thinking critically about

language;• Teach students to become independent

learners;

Teaching vocabulary with word clouds


Orient the curriculum around the “typical” HL learnerBuild in pathways for individual learners√ Build on learners’ knowledge of the HL and HC


√ Mind the gap

What about mixed classes?

• Same principles:think in terms of general needs and strengths;attend to individual needs; focus on the big ideas;

• In addition…think of seating arrangements at fancy dinner parties

Paired interactions between HL and L2 (Bowles, 2011, 2012)

• HL and L2 learners were matched for proficiency and worked together on a task.

• In the first study learners benefited more from the activity than HL learners.

• In the second study, both types of learners benefited equally from the activity.

What made the difference?

• Material + taskHL learners are better at tasks that tap into

intuitive use of language, L2 learners, on the other hand, do better at tasks that require meta-linguistic knowledge;

HL learners are more familiar with home vocabulary; L2 learners, on the other hand, are more familiar with academic vocabulary

Take home lesson about HL + L2 pairings

• Take advantage of complimentary strengths of HL and L2 learners

• Match HL-L2 learners for proficiency• Mix tasks that require intuitive knowledge

(hard for L2Ls), and tasks that require meta-linguistic knowledge (hard for HLLs;

• Hold both students accountable for contributing to the task (assign the harder task to each type of learner)

“Mi nombre” in mixed classes(HL + L2 learners)

• Cloze activity• Dictado a la carrera• Dictado a larga distancia

Cloze activity: HL-L2 learner groupingsDice la historia que ella jamás lo _________(perdonar). Toda su vida _______ (mirar) por la ventana hacia afuera, del mismo modo en que muchas mujeres apoyan su tristeza en su codo. Yo me pregunto si ella ________ (hacer) lo mejor que ________ (poder) con lo que le ________ (tocar), o si __________ (estar) arrepentida porque no _________ (ser) todas las cosas que __________ (querer) ser. Esperanza. _________ (heredar) su nombre, pero no quiero heredar su lugar junto a la ventana.

Say it Write it

“Mi nombre” in mixed classes(HL + L2 learners)

• Cloze activity• Dictado a la carrera• Dictado a larga distancia

Take home points

Keep your eye on the learner


• Orient the curriculum around the “typical” HL learner• Build in pathways for individual learners• Build on learners’ knowledge of the HL and HC

Oral -> writtenInformal -> formalPersonal -> impersonal (public)Focus on the big idea, have realistic expectations

• Mind the gap

• Curriculum and syllabus design: The broad and narrow definitions of the term “HL learner” identify two general orientations for curriculum and syllabus design: language and identity. Use the profile of the “typical HL learner” to lay the general instructional plan. Build in additional pathways to help students that deviate from this profile achieve objectives.

Core knowledge

• Curriculum and syllabus design: The broad and narrow definitions of the term “HL learner” identify two general orientations for curriculum and syllabus design: language and identity. Use the profile of the “typical HL learner” to lay the general instructional plan. Build in additional pathways to help students that deviate from this profile achieve objectives.

• Curriculum and syllabus design: Build on learners’ knowledge of the HL and HC and progress from familiar to unfamiliar. Be mindful of learners’ academic needs. Focus on the big ideas.

• Learner-centered Teaching: HL learners present a wide range of linguistic, social, and psychological profiles. For that reason, HL teaching should be learner-centered, rather than curriculum centered.

Thank you!

• For a copy of this presentation please email me at: [email protected]

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