The Affective Needs of Limited Proficiency Heritage Language Learners: Perspectives from a Chinese Foreign Language Classroom*

Author(s):  
Heather Dawn Weger-Guntharp
Neofilolog ◽  
2018 ◽  
pp. 95-108
Author(s):  
Anna Seretny

In an average Polish language intermediate class (level B1/B2) there are two types of learners; namely, heritage language learners (HLLs) and foreign language learners (FLLs). HLLs are of Polish origin and have gained partial knowledge of the language in a natural environment, unlike FLLs who have learnt Polish in a formal institutional setting and have no Polish roots whatsoever.Teachers of Polish as a foreign/second language claim (in anecdotal evidence), that HLLs speak more fluently, particularly when talking about everyday topics, and that their production sounds more native like, as it is more formulaic. HLLs are, however, perceived as poorer vocabulary learners than FLLs. The aim of the research described in this article was to find out if this phenomenon can be ascribed to the different number and/or type of vocabulary learning strategies used by learners from the two groups.


2012 ◽  
Vol 9 (2) ◽  
pp. 156-174
Author(s):  
Gabriela Nik. Ilieva

The present paper examines the oral performance of Hindi language learners during practice Oral Proficiency Interviews (OPI) conducted during workshops hosted by New York University and sponsored by STARTALK. The most salient characteristics of the heritage language learners’ output are compared with the output of foreign language learners who are rated similarly at the Intermediate Mid or Intermediate High level on the ACTFL scale. The paper’s focus is on patterns of grammar and discourse strengths and deficiencies, as well as elaboration of topics and code-mixing in relation to students’ background. Pedagogical implications are discussed with reference to teaching strategies that address the differences in the language abilities of the heritage versus foreign language learners of Hindi.


2017 ◽  
Vol 18 (1) ◽  
pp. 59-76 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kelly M. Torres ◽  
Meagan Caridad Arrastia ◽  
Samantha Tackett

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.


2018 ◽  
Vol 15 (3) ◽  
pp. 341-368
Author(s):  
Laura Walls

Many studies have demonstrated the benefits of learner-learner interactions in the second language classroom; however, despite the growing number of heritage language learners (HLLs) that enroll in language courses, only recently have researchers begun to examine interactions among second language learners and HLLs. Still, HLL-HLL interactions go unexamined. The present study fills this gap in the literature by analyzing HLL-HLL interactions during collaborative writing activities in a Spanish classroom. Results indicate that learners resolve lexical, grammatical, and orthographic issues accurately in most cases. It also shows that learners rely heavily on their strengths in Spanish and thus, utilize their implicit knowledge of the language. Their intuition enables them to critically assess the appropriateness of certain words and structures according to their needs and intentions; however, it also means that they tend to not fully utilize the resources at their disposal. Pedagogical implications are discussed.


2008 ◽  
Vol Volume 6 (6.1 (Spring, 2008)) ◽  
pp. 1-22 ◽  
Author(s):  
Carla Meskill ◽  
Natasha Anthony

The unique needs, goals, and constraints of heritage language learners in U.S. higher education and the multiple ways that they differ from those of second and foreign language (L2) learners have been well documented (Brisk, 2000; Chevalier, 2004; Grosjean, 1982; Kagan & Dillon, 2003). Each population uses its two languages in diverse ways, for differing purposes and with vastly dissimilar levels of proficiency. Shaping these distinctions are the contexts and purposes in which and for which learners are and/or become fluent. In the mother tongue, these contexts and purposes are most often interpersonal and involve home and family. By contrast, the contexts and purposes in which and for which a ‘school educated’ learner tends to master the foreign language are public and academic. This study examines Russian heritage learners in a U.S. university Russian language course and how computer mediated communication (CMC) was used to support their acquisition of academic literacy in the mother tongue. The CMC approaches reported can serve as models for accommodating heritage learners in post-secondary foreign language classes in ways that benefit all learners.


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