Main characteristics of heritage language learners

Course Content: Literature

• Because of their relatively high listening and speaking skills, HLLs can be introduced to heritage literature even before they are fully literate—they can listen to books on tape or to literary passages read to them by their teacher.
• If exposed to linguistically accessible and personally appealing excerpts from HL literature, most heritage students appreciate it, both as an art form and expression of HL culture.
• Apart from the students who attended high school in the heritage country, few HLLs have read a significant amount of heritage literature.
• Many heritage speakers want to learn about and read works by classical HL writers but have difficulty grasping cultural/historical connotations and understanding the literary, sometimes archaic or regional, vocabulary.
• Some heritage learners have little interest in a systematic study of HL literature but may be pressured by their families to acquaint themselves with the great works of their literary heritage.

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Published: Friday, March 03, 2006