Heritage Language Learning and Maintenance: Is the School System Really Prepared?
In 1977, the term “heritage language” was first coined in Canada with the inception of Ontario Heritage Language Programs. According to the US Department of Education (2010), the number of languages and cultural minorities are increasing at a steady rate, which emphasizes the need for schools and teachers to become more knowledgeable about diverse student backgrounds (Bennett, 2007; Whitcomb, 2003). Goldstein (2003) further explains the difficulties by explaining the fact that little research exists on how teachers and schools view and give chance to the inclusion of heritage languages.
Most research available focuses on how teachers should teach English language and how students acquire it (Harper & De Jong, 2004; Rossell, 2004), yet again, relatively few research addresses the beliefs of teachers on this matter. The premise here is that teachers and even schools have their own beliefs regarding heritage language use and maintenance (HLM) that shape various factors such as their own backgrounds and how they were taught to be teachers.
If schools do not help strengthen their heritage languages do to an experience in language shift, then students who assimilate into an English dominant society might feel discouraged in using their language. It is thus crucial that schools and teachers accommodate heritage languages, and more importantly acquire training and an understanding of how to provide this support.
Significance of Research
This study is significant because it brings to schools and teachers, the attention needed for the urgency of this matter and gives them the ability to reflect on heritage language maintenance. In such, it calls for th...
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...ions and Conclusions
As the number of immigrants increase, there is a dire need for teachers and schools to become more knowledgeable on the diverse needs of their students. Teachers not only gain awareness about their actions, but there are important implications on how a teachers classroom behavior relate to perceptions. It is important that the focus needs to be with creating an environment that is appropriate for our ever-changing learning environment and the need to construct quality education for heritage language learners.
Furthermore, communication between heritage language and teachers is necessary if it is expect a revitalized heritage language education. It is crucial that teacher education play a big role and thus institutions should provide courses in order to gain the professional knowledge and know-how about how to teach heritage language learners.
Lisa Delpit’s book, “The Skin We Speak”, talked about language and culture, and how it relates to the classroom. How we speak gives people hits as to where we are from and what culture we are a part of. Unfortunately there are also negative stereotypes that come with certain language variations. There is an “unfounded belief that the language of low income groups in rural or urban industrial areas is somehow structurally “impoverished” or “simpler” than Standard English” (Delpit 71). The United States is made of people from various cultures and speak many different variations of languages. As teachers we must be aware of some of the prejudices we may have about language and culture.
“Standard English was imposed on children of immigrant parents, then the children were separated from native English speakers, then the children were labeled “inferior” and “ignorant” (Hughes 70) because they could not speak Standard English. In addition to feeling inferior about their second language skills, these students also felt inadequate in regard to speaking their own mother tongues” (qtd in Kanae)
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The purpose of this study is to figure out which ways experienced teachers work best with culturally and linguistically diverse students. This study illustrates which strategies experienced teachers have found to work best. The diversity in school in the United States has increased each year. This means that there are an increasing amount of students who are learning English, English language learners (ELLs). This article comes from the perspective that each child should be taught to their specific needs. All students deserve a fair chance to learn. Fair means that every student is treated differently, not equally. Every student learns differently. In order to give every student a fair chance at learning, you must teach them according to their needs. An experienced teacher, Tiffany, describes her experiences working with culturally and linguistically diverse students. This study watches her methods and discusses what works based on data analysis of the success of her students.
Daniels, Harvey A., and Urbana, IL. National Council of Teachers of English. Not Only English: Affirming America's Multilingual Heritage. 1990. ERIC. Web. 28 Nov. 2014.
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