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 instructi