Teaching Spanish to heritage speakers: Pedagogical and

administrative considerations

Kim PotowskiThe University of Illinois at Chicago

Department of Hispanic & Italian Studies

Thank you

3rd Annual Hispanic & Luso-Brazilian Linguistics Conference

Organization

Part I: Who are heritage speakers? Linguistic, academic, and affective

considerations

Part II: What are some good approaches to teaching Spanish to heritage speakers?

Definition: A native/heritage speaker is…

…an individual who was raised in a home where a non-English language is spoken, who speaks or only understands the heritage language, and who is to some degree bilingual in English and the heritage language

(Valdés 1997)

Demographics

16%

U.S. Hispanic population (2010)

Projected Hispanic population by 2050

24%

Latinos may be 16% of U.S. population….

Urban areas have many schools with 50% to 100% Latino populations:

33% of Chicago schools34% of New York City schools46% of Miami schools71% of Los Angeles schools

Hispanic children = 23% of U.S. public school population

Concentration (2010)

Conclusion:

There is a high probability for many instructors that heritage speakers will be enrolled in our classes...

… in spite of the fact that most of us have only been trained to teach Spanish as a foreign language (L2).

How are heritage speakers different from L2 learners?

1) Linguistically2) Affectively3) Academically

Path of Spanish acquisition is different.

Heritage speakers

L2 learners

Learn grammatical terminology

Learn a prestigious, monolingual variety

Exposed to reading and writing in Spanish

Learning begins after “critical period” has ended

1) Linguistically2) Affectively3) Academically

Heritage speakers

L2 learner

s

Typically possess fluent oral abilities – production and comprehension

Larger vocabulary, particularly for everyday items and cultural processes/products

Greater sociolinguistic accuracy: for example, use of “usted” and titles of respect

Pronunciation is native

“Los alumnos L2 aprenden una variedad prestigiosa y monolingüe”

Variedad Factores sociales Factores lingüísticosDe prestigio Clase alta; zonas urbanas;

altos niveles de educación formal

No muestra efectos recientes del contacto con otras lenguas.

Estigmatizada Clase trabajadora; zonas rurales; niveles más bajos de educación formal

Muestra efectos recientes del contacto con otras lenguas.

Prestigiosa Estigmatizada Motivo del estigma

nadie nadien Rural; lower levels of formal education

traje truje

así asina

vi vide

fuiste fuistes

haya haiga

delito mayor felonía Contact variety

solicitar un trabajo

aplicar para un trabajo

At least 6 categories of language variants

Bilingual/language contact: feloníaRural/education: haiga, fuistesSpelling: boy aserSlang/informal nomásDevelopmental yo no saboRegionalisms cierran hasta las 9:00

1) Linguistically2) Affectively3) Academically

Family connection to the language.Many heritage speakers have been ridiculed for

their variety of Spanish – here and abroad.Very aware of their limitations in Spanish.Subordinate status of their home language and

culture

“Linguistic self-esteem”

Niveles más bajos de educación formal de los padres.

Leerles libros a los niños destrezas de lectoescritura39% niños latinos 44% niños afroamericanos64% niños anglo

Vivir en estado de pobreza: 26% niños latinos 26% niños afroamericanos 8% niños anglo

1)Lingüísticamente2) Afectivamente3) Académicamente

High school dropout rates:

National:National: Illinois:Illinois: Arizona: Arizona:

LatinoLatino 18% 31% ?Afroamerican 10% 40% ?

Anglo 5% 14% ?

Source: Manhattan Institute for Policy Research and Union-Tribune, S. Source: Manhattan Institute for Policy Research and Union-Tribune, S. Lieberman, July 17, 2008 Lieberman, July 17, 2008

Some scholars suggest that SHS courses can contribute to HS graduation rates as

well as college recruitment and retention/graduation.

Not only are heritage speakers substantially different from L2 Spanish learners…

Heritage speakers can also be very different from each other.

60% were born in the U.S.40% were born abroad, but arrived at

different ages.

Example 1: Marta

Born in Mexico, came to U.S. at age 7Family from a small, rural ranch.

Some non-prestige features of Spanish.Intermittent schooling.

Three years in bilingual education.Speaks 100% Spanish at home with

parents, 50% with siblings.

Example 2: Luis

Born in the U.S., but lived from ages 3-5 in Santurce, Puerto Rico.

No bilingual education.Speaks ~50% in Spanish with parents,

100% in English with siblings.

Example 3: Roberto

Born in Argentina, came to the U.S. at age 12.

Regular schooling; middle-class family; parents completed high school.

Speaks only Spanish at home; a prestige variety.

Example 4: Carolina

Born in the U.S. to U.S.-born parents.Grandparents from Honduras.Speaks 100% English at home with

parents & siblings.Speaks Spanish with grandmother who

lives in the house.

Example 5: José (most typical in Chicago)

Born in U.S., parents immigrated from Mexico as adults.100% Spanish with parents, 50% with siblings.Began school monolingual (or very dominant) in Spanish. By 3rd grade, dominant in English, although still uses Spanish with parents.

Summary thus far:

Heritage speakers’ linguistic, affective, and educational needs are different from those of L2 learners.

However, heritage speakers can be a very heterogeneous group themselves.

Part II

Some good pedagogical and “philosophical” approaches

Two programmatic options:

Separate classes into heritage and L2 at the introductory levels; students can join at upper levels.

Mix the two types of students from the beginning.

If there are separate courses:

Heritage speakers should not takeclasses designed for the foreign language students.

…for the same reasons that native English speakers are not permitted to fulfill their English requirement in an ESL course (English as a Second Language).

Reality: Mixed classes (heritage + L2)

Pedagogically unsound, but very common.

• L2 students are intimidated by the heritage speakers.

• Heritage speakers are intimidated by the L2 students.

• Teacher goes crazy.

Especially when that “easy A” doesn’t materialize.

How to make the best of a mixed class?

Assess what heritage speakers know and what they need to learn. Don’t assume grammatical knowledge.

Avoid the “poster child syndrome.”“Helping” should go both ways.

Differentiated instruction

Definition: Learner-centered teaching that varies instruction and

tasks according to individual learner profiles

(Thomlinson 2011)

Traditionally, teachers have dealt with different student levels by attempting to teach to the “middle of the class”.

However, students who are either above or below the perceived midpoint – or who learn best through different kinds of activities – may become bored or frustrated with this “one-size-fits-all” approach.

To explain differentiated instruction, she uses the metaphor of “dressing” students.

“One-size-fits-all” instruction attempts to dress all students in the same suit of clothes, even though it is visibly obvious that not all students are the same size.

Some teachers may think they’re differentiating instruction by tailoring the same suit of clothes for different students – tucking and gathering here, letting out a seam there.

However, truly differentiating instruction entails providing clothes that are the right fit for each student.

The way to do this is by utilizing multiple approaches to:

Content (what students learn) Process (how students make sense of information) Product (the output through which students

demonstrate what they have learned).

http://startalk.nhlrc.ucla.edu/startalk/lessons.aspx

Some teachers may insist:

“Our job is to teach standard Spanish.”

The concept of a single “standard” in any language has been rejected

Hidalgo (1997): There is no standard language, only a social or regional variety that, for economic or political reasons, was elevated to higher status.

Escobar (1976): Standard language is an abstract concept; it represents a variety that no one actually speaks.

Spanish has standardized spelling, but that’s it. Lexicon, morphology, and syntax vary.

Beach vs. wedding

Question the concept of “incorrect.”

Instead, talk about formal vs. informalUse examples from English: most students know

not to write “ain’t” or “cuz” in a school essay.

Respect what students are wearing

At least they’re not naked!!

Take them to Macy’s. Expand their wardrobe and knowledge of when to wear what.

They will need their bathing suits during their lives.

One of the many challenges of the job of Spanish teachers working with heritage speakers:

Deciding what is “ok” at the wedding. It’s very hard to keep up with changing norms – and even harder to buck them.

Such decisions should be locally grounded and based on the question: Who are the audiences?

If you have a separate program/coursework:

1) What do students already know?2) What do you want students to learn?

This is unproblematic in L2 courses, but HL are very heterogeneous.

LANGUAGE ARTS

Curricular ideas

#1Phenomena of language contact:

“Spanglish”

#1Codeswitching

#2Borrowings

#3Extensions

#4Calques

The term “Spanglish”Is it positive, or does it reflect and create harmful

connotations?

Ana Celia Zentella Ricardo Otheguy

For a video of the debate, a complete transcription in Spanish, and a summary in English:http://potowski.org/debate-spanglish

Curricular idea #2

Grammar

(2) Use. Focus only on forms that impede comprehension or that are strongly stigmatized.

Yes: “Mi primos le gusta las fiestas.”“Yo buscaba una libro que era (vs.

fuera) barato.”“Fumando es malo para la salud.”“Yo no ha visto esa película.”

Always contextualized, never mechanical

No:Present Present simple“Yo como a las

dos.”Definite articles: “____ libro”

“Study grammar” – what does this mean??

(1) (1) TerminologyTerminology. . Sustantivo, verbo, pluscuamperfecto

Curricular idea #3:

Writing

Writing as a process, not to turn in overnight

Multiple versions; brainstorm in classAlways involve an audience and a purpose that go

beyond “the professor” and “to get a grade.”Be selective and respectful when providing feedback.Use a detailed rubric.

Three compositions, 2 versions each

vs.

Two compositions, 3 versions each

Curricular idea #4:

U.S. Latino communities as focus of study

Literature, film, art, etc.Students can investigate their own

communities.ASU: “Hispanidades”

Meet the students where they are

• Linguistically, academically, and affectively.

• Choose materials relevant for their linguistic level and their lives.

• Language arts more than foreign language.

• Respect the language they bring to class.

Thank you

Resources for teaching Spanish to Heritage Speakers:potowski.org/SNSresources

“Profesora Potowski”

Kim Potowskikimpotow@uic.edu