ACE: Original Contribution

Spanish Heritage Learners: A Comprehensive Guide to Cultural and Linguistic Understanding

Diana Fonseca

American College of Education

EBL5091: Capstone Experience for ESL and Bilingual Education

Dr. Wiehe

 June 25th, 2023

Introduction

According to the National Center for Education Statistics (2023), the percentage of Hispanic students attending public schools increased from 23 to 28 percent between fall 2010 and fall 2021. It is predicted that this percentage will continue to rise from 28 to 30 percent over the next decade. Consequently, this increase in the number of students in schools throughout the United States has significant implications for education as a whole. Most of these students, approximately 89%, are heritage language learners who were born in the United States but have at least one foreign-born parent or grandparent from a Hispanic country (Russell & Kuriscak, 2015). This demographic shift in the student population requires Spanish teachers to adapt their instructional approaches accordingly. 

Heritage language learners (HL) have different educational needs. As a result of exposure at home and in informal settings, they typically possess oral proficiency in their heritage language. However, they often lack literacy skills in the heritage language (Asención‐Delaney, 2020). These factors, as well as the current challenges associated with teaching this student group based on their specific needs, make it essential to explore a variety of approaches to language teaching, as well as fostering linguistic proficiency in them. The purpose of this paper is to highlight the importance of heritage education and to explore possible approaches and strategies for its implementation.

Heritage Education

In social, educational, and other institutional settings, multicultural and multilingual environments are intricate and diverse, bringing together individuals with diverse languages, beliefs, values, and cultural backgrounds (Parra, 2016). Minority members who must adjust to changing norms of language and culture face particular challenges in these environments. According to Parra (2016) children who grow up in multicultural settings face the pressure of assimilation and maintaining their heritage culture and language. During the assimilation process, the dominant language is often English, which is essential to academic and social success. However, to maintain a sense of belonging and connection to their roots, it is equally significant to preserve their native language and culture.

Bateman & Wilkinson (2010) state that Spanish Heritage Learners may demonstrate limited enthusiasm for Spain or Mexico cultures and could perceive textbook chapters about Hispanic culture irrelevant if they merely highlight the accomplishments of renowned Hispanics without acknowledging the complexity of living in a bilingual and bicultural environment. Rather than focusing on the differences between "U.S. culture" and "target culture," Spanish Heritage Learners should be exposed to the fluid movement between two coexisting cultural perspectives. Spanish Heritage Learners operate within different cultural frames of reference, thus recognizing and addressing this dynamic can help to provide more meaningful cultural discussions that resonate with their own experiences.

The distinction between Spanish Heritage Learners (HL) and Foreign Language (FL) learners is vital to address their unique emotional and cultural needs. Thus, it is crucial for educators and language programs to understand that HL learners require support in developing their linguistic self-confidence, reconnecting with their heritage, and asserting their individual identity (Beaudrie, 2011). Unfortunately, the FL classroom often fails to recognize and address these specific needs, which can lead to further challenges for HL learners. On this aspect Beaudrie (2011) notes that the FL classroom's external perspective on culture disregards the rich insider perspective that HL learners bring, further alienating them from their own cultural heritage.

Valdés' key goals for Heritage Language (HL) education, as described in various studies (Bateman & Wilkinson, 2010; Gironzetti & Belpoliti, 2021), provide a comprehensive framework for guiding HL programs. Among these goals are maintaining the Spanish language, acquiring a prestigious variety, increasing the bilingual repertoire, and transferring literacy and academic skills from English to Spanish. In recent years, these goals have evolved to incorporate a sociocultural and critical perspective. Key aspects of these goals focus on promoting a positive attitude towards the heritage language and cultural awareness (Bateman & Wilkinson, 2010), so that HL learners may embrace their linguistic and cultural identities with confidence and understanding.

Cultural Resources

Beaudrie et al., (2009) stress the importance of developing a culturally relevant curriculum that promotes cultural awareness and addresses SHL students' ties to their families and communities. The authors suggest that to achieve this goal, students must understand culture as a heritage product such as literature, art, history, religion, etc as well as culture as a practice of the community such as traditions, legends, folklore, popular music, food, etc (Beaudrie et al., 2009). Through cross-cultural awareness, SHL students are able to cultivate an appreciation for the diversity of Latino cultures in the United States, while respecting and valuing their own cultural heritage as well.

Correa (2016) affirms that education frameworks that reinforce established power dynamics can alienate Heritage Language students. In these frameworks, HL students receive the implicit message that their cultural heritage is not worthy of recognition or study. The author remarks on the use of critical pedagogy as an alternative that emphasizes the importance of placing students' cultural and linguistic experiences at the center of the curriculum, recognizing that the knowledge they bring with them to the classroom is as valuable as textbook materials (Correa,2016). The adoption of a critical pedagogical approach offers educators the opportunity to acknowledge and honor the cultural backgrounds of their students, thereby fostering a sense of belonging and affirming the value of their heritage within the educational environment.

Linguistic Resources

Spanish has traditionally been taught as a foreign language in the United States. This omission can be attributed to a number of historical, cultural, and demographic factors. According to Pascual y Cabo & Prada (2018) historically Spanish has been depicted in textbooks as a foreign artifact, thereby reinforcing the perception that Spanish is primarily a language spoken by immigrants in the United States as well as perpetuating the notion that monolingual varieties of Spanish, particularly idealized Peninsular Spanish is the ideal one. Spanish must be accurately represented in the United States by acknowledging and celebrating the linguistic and cultural diversity within Spanish-speaking communities. Language variations and cultural richness present in these communities should be reflected in education materials, which should incorporate their local dialects, idioms, and cultural practices. Educational efforts that recognize and value Spanish as an integral part of American identity are necessary to promote linguistic diversity, and challenge the view of the Spanish language as an outsider. 

Innovative approaches to language instruction have been proposed to meet the specific needs of Spanish heritage learners. Pascual y Cabo & Prada (2018) propose the RSTL (Redefining Spanish Teaching and Learning) initiative to improve the efficiency and functionality of Spanish instruction and learning throughout the United States. According to the authors, the purpose of this initiative is to align language education with current social, cultural, and linguistic practices in Spanish-speaking communities. It acknowledges that real-world contexts and relevant content are essential to making language learning meaningful and practical for learners. The RSTL initiative aims to create more effective and engaging Spanish language programs by addressing the dynamic nature of language and culture. It proposes a comprehensive set of strategies designed to address the unique needs and contexts of Spanish-speaking heritage language learners. The four strategies outlined offer a framework for promoting bilingualism, focusing on local Spanish-speaking communities, adopting inclusive pedagogical approaches, and emphasizing student-led learning (Pascual y Cabo & Prada, 2018). Adaptability and flexibility are crucial to the effective implementation of these strategies in a variety of settings.

References

Asención‐Delaney, Y. (2020). Writing in Spanish as a heritage language: A multidimensional analysis. Foreign Language Annals, 53(4), 877-896.

Bateman, B. E., & Wilkinson, S. L. (2010). Spanish for Heritage Speakers: A Statewide Survey of Secondary School Teachers. Foreign Language Annals, 43(2), 324–353. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1944-9720.2010.01081.x 

Beaudrie, S., Ducar, C., & Relaño-Pastor, A. M. (2009). Curricular perspectives in the heritage language context: Assessing culture and identity. Language, culture and curriculum, 22(2), 157-174.

Beaudrie, S. M. (2011). Spanish Heritage Language Programs: A Snapshot of Current Programs in the Southwestern United States. Foreign Language Annals, 44(2), 321–337. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1944-9720.2011.01137.x 

Beaudrie, S. M. (2020). Towards growth for Spanish heritage programs in the United States: Key markers of success. Foreign Language Annals, 53(3), 416–437. https://doi.org/10.1111/flan.12476

Correa, M. (2016). Critical approaches to heritage language learning: From linguistic survival to resistance and action. Handbook of research and practice in heritage language education, 1-14.

Gironzetti, E., & Belpoliti, F. (2021). The other side of heritage language education: Understanding Spanish heritage language teachers in the United States. Foreign Language Annals, 54(4), 1189-1213.

Parra, M. L. (2016). Understanding identity among Spanish heritage learners. Advances in Spanish as a heritage language, 49, 177-204. 

Pascual y Cabo, D., & Prada, J. (2018). Redefining Spanish teaching and learning in the United States. Foreign Language Annals, 51(3), 533–547. https://doi.org/10.1111/flan.12355