Heritage Language Instruction at the College Level: Reality and Possibilities

Abstract: This article describes the findings of an in-depth, qualitative study of three heritage language students of Spanish, which explored the students' perceptions of their heritage language classroom. It provides an alternative, practical view of the possibilities of a college-level heritage language class designed in accordance with students' input as it emerged from the research as well as a holistic set of pedagogical and philosophical principles. Conclusions of importance for researchers, curriculum developers, and teachers in the field of foreign language in general and heritage language in particular are provided. Key words: heritage language, innovative methodology, qualitative research, whole language Language: Spanish Introduction In 1972, the American Association of Teachers of Spanish and Portuguese (AATSP) called attention to the plight of the native Spanish speaker in the United States. The AATSP Executive Council issued a plan of action and pedagogical recommendations based on the following points: The first of these two basic points is recognition that continental United States includes one major Spanish-speaking region of the world and several minor ones, and that the Spanish spoken in those regions, irrespective of the extent of its equivalence to or variance from "world standard" Spanish, is in every linguistic sense as worthy of study and is-in the cultural sense-as worthy of use and development as the Spanish of any other region of the world. The second basic point here implied is that the profession of Spanish teachers will from now on seek to join hands with the nearly ten million native speakers of Spanish in the United States in our common cause, (p. 620) Unfortunately, this proclamation was not followed by action. As Roca (1997) stated, "Though the AATSP acted admirably in the early 1970s by publicizing the need for SNS [Spanish for Native Speakers] instruction, that report was not followed up formally for over twenty years" (p. 39). This is not to say that nothing has changed. Some strides have been made since this AATSP report was issued in 1972. Numerous universities and secondary schools across the country have implemented special classes for native Spanish speakers. Many members of the profession acknowledge the need for a different approach from that of traditional foreign language classes in order to address the needs of the heritage speakers. However, this awareness does not necessarily translate into pedagogically sound practice based on research. Guadalupe Valdes, perhaps the most tireless and consistent researcher in this area, stated in a 1995 article when referring to various Spanish for native speakers (SNS) programs, "None of the Spanish faculty are quite sure what to do with the bilingual track now that they have it" (p. 300). She urged the expansion of the field of applied linguistics to include a subspecialty of research dedicated to the acquisition of language in bilinguals. A cursory glance at the table of contents of numerous language journals including Modern Language Journal, Hispania, and Foreign Language Annals in the past few years reveal that Valdes's call is being answered. As Roca (1997) so aptly articulated, "As we move closer to the new century, the profession has begun to move beyond awareness and toward a proactive stance on fulfilling the needs of native speakers struggling to become fully bilingual and biliterate" (p. 38). While it is not possible to assert that research in the area of heritage language instruction is rapidly increasing, it does appear that there has been a shift from awareness to a theoretical exploration of issues specific to bilinguals and a serious evaluation of program goals and outcomes of heritage language classes. Many areas of research, however, remain virtually unexplored. The purpose of this article is twofold. First, we will describe the findings of an in-depth, qualitative case study of three heritage language students of Spanish designed to explore the students' perceptions of their heritage language study. …