ERIC Number: EJ890420
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2010
Pages: 20
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0015-718X
EISSN: N/A
Available Date: N/A
Advanced Heritage Learners of Spanish: A Sociolinguistic Profile for Pedagogical Purposes
Alarcon, Irma
Foreign Language Annals, v43 n2 p269-288 Sum 2010
This article reports on an extensive survey administered to advanced heritage language (HL) learners to examine their language behaviors, attitudes, and backgrounds. To date, there have been no detailed categorizations of advanced HL learners to guide classroom instruction and curriculum design. Thus the present study is a first attempt to fill this gap by providing a sociolinguistic profile of these speakers, including their identifying characteristics, linguistic needs, and similarities and differences with lower-proficiency speakers. Survey responses indicate that advanced HL learners possess both productive and receptive skills in the HL, always use Spanish at home, are fluent speakers of a standard variety, already have basic academic skills in Spanish, and are therefore primarily interested in perfecting their academic writing skills. (Contains 4 notes and 2 tables.)
Descriptors: Curriculum Design, Sociolinguistics, Profiles, Writing Skills, Language Attitudes, Student Attitudes, Heritage Education, Student Characteristics, Spanish, Socioeconomic Background, Comparative Analysis, Language Proficiency, Second Language Instruction, College Students, Higher Education, Native Speakers, Student Surveys
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Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: Higher Education; Postsecondary Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A
Author Affiliations: N/A

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