Pre-Conference Workshop: Attending to the Needs of Heritage Language Learners in Mixed Classrooms

Pre-Conference Workshop: Attending to the Needs of Heritage Language Learners in Mixed Classrooms

with 

Maria M. Carreira, Ph.D.
Professor, Department of Romance, German, and Russian Languages and Literatures and Spanish Program Director
California State University, Long Beach
Co-director, National Heritage Language Resource Center, UCLA

Research by the National Heritage Language Resource Center (NHLRC) shows that more often than not, HL learners study their home language in the context of mixed classes, that is, classes with second language learners (L2 learners) and HL learners. Yet, most of the work on HL teaching has focused on specialized HL classes, to the neglect of mixed classes. Addressing this gap, this workshop presents some foundational principles behind teaching mixed classes and offers hands-on practice with specialized tools and strategies for this context. To navigate the attendant challenges of mixed classes, it is important (1) to understand the ways in which HL learners differ from each other, as well as from L2 learners, and (2) to employ teaching strategies that effectively respond to those differences. This presentation will offer an overview to both domains of knowledge. Regarding the first, it will examine HL learners' needs as a function of their live experiences and other circumstances. Regarding the second, it will present a model of differentiated instruction specifically designed for mixed classes that is informed by emerging research, as well as practice. Participants will engage in practice activities for assessment, differentiation, curriculum design for mixed classes.

Maria Carreira is a professor of Spanish at California State University, Long Beach and co-director of the National Heritage Language Resource Center at UCLA. Her research focuses on U.S. Spanish and heritage language pedagogy. She is a co-author of five Spanish textbooks published by Cengage and a book about U.S. Latinos (Voces: Latino Students on Life in the United States, Praeger, 2014). Her most recent book publication is a co-edited book with Olga Kagan and Claire Chik on heritage language teaching around the world. With her colleagues at UCLA and with a grant from STARTALK, Professor Carreira is currently developing an online certificate on HL teaching.