Plenary: Maria Carreira - Heritage Language Teaching: Bridging the Gap скачать в хорошем качестве

Plenary: Maria Carreira - Heritage Language Teaching: Bridging the Gap

ICC 2014 Plenary: Maria Carreira (California State University, Long Beach ), "Heritage Language Teaching: Bridging the Gap" How well matched are the linguistic needs of heritage language (HL) learners with the pedagogical practices of language programs at the post-secondary level? Two studies of the National Heritage Language Resource Center (NHLRC) provide some answers to this question and identify areas of development for the field of HL teaching. The first study, a national survey of 1800 college-level heritage language learners from a wide range of language backgrounds, offers an unprecedented look at the linguistic profiles, goals, and attitudes of these students. The implications of this study for teaching are twofold. On the one hand, the existence of significant commonalities between HL learners suggests a set of common core principles of heritage language teaching. At the same time, differences between individual learners and groups of learners underscore the need for variable approaches. The second study, a national survey of some 300 post-secondary language programs, documents common institutional practices and perspectives surrounding heritage language teaching. As in the learner survey, however, the existence of significant language and program-specific differences argue against one-size fits all approaches. The study also identifies practical impediments that constrain heritage language teaching (e.g. low enrollments, budgetary constraints, lack of materials and trained instructors, etc.), as well as innovative solutions by programs for dealing with these impediments. A side-by-side comparison of the two studies reveals a gap between "what is" and "what should be" in heritage language teaching. Bridging this gap requires a multidimensional approach, which involves (1) identifying common principles of heritage language teaching that hold across all institutional contexts and languages; (2) identifying the parameters of variation that arise when teaching learners from different backgrounds and when dealing with different institutional constraints, and (3) identifying best practices for responding to this variation. The studies cited yield important insights on all three fronts. This presentation was co-sponsored by the National Heritage Language Resource Center (NHLRC) at the University of California - Los Angeles. The University of Arizona is committed to ensuring an accessible and inclusive experience for students, employees and all who use University technology and resources. If you require a captioned version of this video, please reach cercll@email.arizona.edu If you are interested in an upcoming CERCLL talk and require captions, please reach out to the above-listed email. CERCLL staff will work with the Disability Resource Center to ensure that captions are done either at the time (if it is a live-streaming event) or that captions will be done immediately for a video used in furtherance of classroom activities.