Document Type
Oral Presentation
Campus where you would like to present
SURC Room 135
Start Date
15-5-2014
End Date
15-5-2014
Keywords
Heritage, Language, Spanish
Abstract
There are many challenges in teaching heritage language learners because of the different levels of linguistic proficiency, cultural competence and identity. In the case of Spanish heritage speakers in the Central Washington region, most of them share a common background: their families come from rural areas in Mexico, and therefore, speak a Spanish vernacular that stigmatizes them. While some critics argue that it is important to teach a formal variety of Spanish and improve students’ writing skills, Kim Potowski (2002) contends that error correction should not be the framework. It would be more beneficial if heritage language teachers expanded their knowledge of Spanish vernacular to account for the fact that their students have a unique way of speaking, rather than dismissing such traditionally stigmatized forms of colloquial speech.
Recommended Citation
Meza, Isaac; Luna, Itzia; and Pinto, Edward, "Se puede y se debe: Educating Heritage Students" (2014). Symposium Of University Research and Creative Expression (SOURCE). 86.
https://digitalcommons.cwu.edu/source/2014/oralpresentations/86
Additional Mentoring Department
World Languages
Se puede y se debe: Educating Heritage Students
SURC Room 135
There are many challenges in teaching heritage language learners because of the different levels of linguistic proficiency, cultural competence and identity. In the case of Spanish heritage speakers in the Central Washington region, most of them share a common background: their families come from rural areas in Mexico, and therefore, speak a Spanish vernacular that stigmatizes them. While some critics argue that it is important to teach a formal variety of Spanish and improve students’ writing skills, Kim Potowski (2002) contends that error correction should not be the framework. It would be more beneficial if heritage language teachers expanded their knowledge of Spanish vernacular to account for the fact that their students have a unique way of speaking, rather than dismissing such traditionally stigmatized forms of colloquial speech.
Faculty Mentor(s)
Lee, Alejandro