Spanish Heritage Language Learner Profile

Selected Characteristics of Students who
Enroll in Spanish for Native Speaker Language Courses
(Valdés, 1997, p. 14)

Types of Students

Characteristics

Newly arrived: Type A

Well schooled in Spanish-speaking country
Speakers of prestige variety of Spanish

Newly arrived: Type B

Poorly schooled in Spanish-speaking country
Speakers of stigmatized variety of Spanish No academic skills in Spanish Good academic skills in English Fluent but limited speakers of contact variety of rural Spanish

Bilingual: Type A

Access to bilingual instruction in U.S.
Basic academic skills in Spanish
Good academic skills in English
Fluent functional speakers of contact variety of rural Spanish

Bilingual: Type B

No academic skills in Spanish
Good academic skills in English
Fluent but limited speakers of contact variety of rural Spanish

Bilingual: Type C

No academic skills in Spanish
Good academic skills in English
Fluent but limited speakers of prestige variety of Spanish
Some contact phenomena present

Bilingual: Type D

No academic skills in Spanish
Poor academic skills in English
Fluent but limited speakers of contact variety of rural Spanish

Bilingual: Type E

No academic skills in Spanish
Poor academic skills in English
Very limited speakers of contact variety of rural Spanish

Bilingual: Type F

No academic skills in Spanish
Poor academic skills in English
Receptive bilingual in contact variety of rural Spanish