when heritage and second language learners come together: leveraging learner diversity in mixed...

When Heritage and Second Language Learners Come Together: Leveraging

Learner Diversity in Mixed Classes

Maria M. Carreira, Ph.D.Co-director

National Heritage Language Resource Center, UCLAProfessor, California State University, Long Beach

University of California, Davis, May 1, 2015

Goals of this presentation

• To identify key characteristics of HL learners that are pedagogically significant for language teaching;

• To present basic strategies and principles that support teaching in HL classes and mixed classes.

Preview: The exit card

• What strategies, ideas, etc. from this presentation do you think will be most useful in your teaching?

Overarching goal: Threshold principles of HL teaching

The three domains of instruction Socio-affective

Address HL learners’ social and affective needs.

LanguageBuild on HL learners’ language skills.

Learning approachesMake instruction accessible.

Definitions + linguistic studiesSources of information on the domains

Definitions:Who is a heritage language learner?

• Narrow definitions – based on proficiency

• Broad definitions – based on affiliation

Example of a narrow definition

“An individual who is raised in a home where a non-English language is spoken, who speaks or merely understands the heritage language, and who is to some degree bilingual in English and the heritage language” (Valdés, 2001, p. 38)

Example of a broad definition

Heritage language learners are individuals who “…have familial or ancestral ties to a particular language and who exert their agency in determining whether or not they are HLLs (heritage language learners) of that HL (heritage language) and HC (heritage culture) (Hornberger and Wang, 2008, p. 27)

Broad definition

Narrow definition

Why this matters:Learners who fit the narrow definition also fit the broad definition

Why this matters

While researchers have looked quite extensively at the language exposure we need to learn a new language, a second set of factors that are equally important has received far less attention. These factors relate to “group membership,” or the allegiances we feel with particular-language-speaking groups and the attitudes and feelings that flow from being associated with them.

(Tse, 2001, 60)

Broad + narrow definitions = two domains to HL teaching

Linguistic needs (narrow definition)

Affective needs (broad definition)

Broad + narrow definitions = two orientations to HL teaching



NEEDS STEMMING FROM BROAD DEFINITION?

• As you listen to Arturo, jot down anything you hear that bears on HL teaching:

http://youtu.be/39d6Lb2f2Aw

http://youtu.be/39d6Lb2f2Aw

In high school I was one of very few Latinos. My friend and I were called the "Mexican kids". This was always funny to me because my Dad's family always told me I was American. In school I was labeled Mexican, but to the Mexicans, I am an American. I am part of each, but not fully accepted by either. In high school, I was considered Mexican because I spoke Spanish but I was considered "Pocho" by my Dad's family because my Spanish was not up to their standard. It's this weird duality in which you are stuck in the middle. Latinos are often told that they are not Americans but also that they are not connected to their heritage. You take pride in both cultures and learn to deal with the rejection. You may never be fully embraced by either side. That's why you seek out other people like yourself. Socializing with people who share a common experience helps you deal with this experience.




Find identity

Navigate two worlds

Connect to others (find community)

Deal with rejection

List of topics for HL teaching

• Family life • Biculturalism and bilingualism• Traditions and cultural perspectives• Identity• U.S. Latinos• Linguistic prejudice

But these are not enough…

• Because HL learners present a wide range of backgrounds, we can assume that there will be other topics, ideas, etc. of significance.

To identify those topics…

• The text-to-self connection• The text-to-text connection• The text-to-world connection

Text-to-self connections(Harvey and Goudvis 2000:266)

Passage from the text

This reminds me of…


I agree or disagree because…

Expression from the text

I find this interesting because…

Text-to-world connections(Harvey and Goudvis 2000:267)



Character from the text

This character reminds me of…

A theme of the text


Text-to-text connections(Harvey and Goudvis 2000:267)



Character from the text

This character reminds me of…

Vocabulary/grammatical forms from the textsThis reminds me of…

A two-pronged strategy

• A list of topics that are well-suited for HL teaching by virtue of their ability to attend to the social and affective needs of HL learners.

• Classroom tools for identifying additional topics and helping learners make their own connections (text-to-x connection, exit card).

The “problem” of mixed classes

Second-language learners

• An outsider perspective of the target language and culture

• No family connection to the target language and culture

• Do not identify in terms of the target language and culture

HL learners• Insider perspective of

the target language and culture

• Family connection to the target language and culture

• Identify and/or seek identity in the target language and culture

24

What not to do…





HL learners

• Insider perspective of the target language and culture



25

What not to do…





HL learners




26

Both Matter





HL learners




27

Towards a solution

General approach:• Engage both types of learner by making

strategic use of their complementary perspectives and experiences

28

TWO SAMPLE ACTIVITIES

A discussion prompt for “Bend it like Beckham”

• Regarding gender roles, Indian families sometimes think that mainstream Americans are _________________________.

• Regarding gender roles, mainstream Americans sometimes think that Indian families are __________________.

30

An almanac-style reading on country where the target language is spoken

• Not so good from the point of view of the topics identified earlier.

• To attend to the needs of HL learners:• The insider perspective

Add a note on the margins about a special place, tradition, fact, etc.Bring in family pictures

Comparative perspectives…

• Prompts that encourage expert perspectives In Mexico, I recommend visiting/trying… In the U.S., I recommend visiting/trying…

One thing I wish Americans understood about Mexico is…

One thing I wish Mexicans understood about the U.S. is…


The three domains of instruction✔ Socio-affective Address HL learners’ social and affective

needs. Draw on HL and L2 learners’ personal experiences to create a community of experts.

LanguageLearning approaches

HL learners’ linguistic needs are a function of

• The context of learning• The timing of learning• The amount input• The type of input

HL learner needs and strengths are a function of

• The context of learning: primarily, home -> informal, home register, perhaps non-standard• The timing of learning: early years, diminished or

discontinued upon starting school-> similar to the language of children

• The amount input: limited, relative to natives-> incomplete knowledge of the HL (missing features acquired later in life)

• The type of input: oral, informal, spontaneous, -> implicit knowledge of the HL

List of language topics to target

• Features learned by children later in life (e.g. structures associated with subordination, non-canonical gender, some aspectual features);

• The formal/academic registers;• Literacy;• Vocabulary;• Language-specific items

But these are not enough…

• Because HL learners’ life experiences vary a great deal, we can assume that there will be significant variation with regard to proficiency and mastery of any given feature of language.

We need a two-pronged strategy


• The formal/academic registers;

• Vocabulary;• Language specific items

• Classroom tools for responding to variation.

We need a two-pronged strategy


• The formal/academic registers;

• Vocabulary;

• Classroom tools for attending to the need of specific learners (KWL chart, learning centers, the exit card).

BEFORE LOOKING AT THESE TOOLS…

BEFORE LOOKING AT THESE TOOLS…MIXED CLASSES

L2 learner needs and strengths

• The context of learning: school -> formal, standard, academic, rehearsed, controlled• The timing of learning: adolescence, early adulthood -> adult-like with respect to certain features• The amount input: limited (relative to native speakers and HL learners) -> incomplete with respect to certain features (those acquired early in life)• The type of input: formal, focused on form -> explicit knowledge of rules

HL and L2 learners tend to have complimentary skills and needs

HL language• The context of learning: primarily, home

-> informal, home register, non-standard, spontaneous

• The timing of learning: early years, diminished or discontinued upon starting school

-> similar to the language of children

• The amount input: limited, relative to natives

-> incomplete knowledge of the HL (late-acquired items)• The type of input: oral, informal, spontaneous

-> implicit knowledge of the HL

L2 language• The context of learning: shool

-> formal, standard, academic, rehearsed, controlled

• The timing of learning: adolescence, early adulthood

-> adult-like with respect to certain features• The amount input: limited (relative to native speakers and HL learners)

-> incomplete with respect to certain features (early acquired features)• The type of input: formal, focused on form

-> explicit knowledge of rules

Two perspectives of complimentary nature of HL and L2 learners’ knowledge

Two studies bring these perspectives into focus

Understanding heritage language learners

Two studies of paired interactions between HL and L2 (Bowles 2011, 2012)

• HL and L2 learners were matched for proficiency;

• They worked together on an information gap activity;

• In the first study learners benefited more from the activity than HL learners;

• In the second study, both types of learners benefited equally from the activity.

First study: L2 learners benefited more from the activity

Second study: Both learners benefited from paired interactions

What made the difference?

• Material + taskHL learners are better at tasks that tap into

intuitive use of language, L2 learners, on the other hand, do better at tasks that require meta-linguistic knowledge (knowledge of rules);

HL learners are more familiar with home vocabulary; L2 learners, on the other hand, are more familiar with academic vocabulary

First study: Only L2 learners benefitted

• Information gap activity with a picture of a kitchen (home vocabulary)

All tasks were oral; HL learners already knew this, so they did not gain new knowledge. L2 learners benefitted from HL learners’ expertise.

Second study

• Information gap activity with a picture of an office; Oral and written tasks.

Vocabulary was unknown to both learner types, so both benefitted.Oral task benefitted L2 learners. Written task benefitted HL learners.

Take home lesson about HL + L2 pairings

• Take advantage of complimentary strengths of HL and L2 learners

• Mix tasks that require intuitive knowledge (hard for L2Ls), and tasks that require meta-linguistic knowledge (hard for HLLs);

• Hold both students accountable for contributing to the task (assign the harder task to each type of learner);

• Match HL-L2 learners for proficiency (????)

A metaphor for HL + L2 pairings

Seating arrangements at a fancy dinner party

Sample activitiesfor HL + L2 pairings

• Cloze activity• KWL chart

Cloze activity: HL-L2 learner groupingsMy great-grandmother. I ______liked to have known her, a wild, horse of a woman, so wild she ________ marry. Until my great-grandfather _________ a sack over her head and ________ her off. Just like that, as if she ________a fancy chandelier. That's the way he did it. And the story goes she never forgave him. She _________ out the window her whole life, the way so many women sit their sadness on an elbow. I wonder if she _______the best with what she got or was she sorry because she ________be all the things she wanted to be.

Say it Write it

Sample activities(HL + L2 learners)

• Cloze activity• KWL chart

The KWL chartWhat I know about the (fill in a grammar topic, or a chapter objective):

What I want to learn about (the above grammar topic or chapter or chapter objective):

What I have learned about (the above grammar topic or chapter or chapter objective):

KWL charts by HL and L2 learners

• What I know: I know the conjugation of regular past tense verbs. I can write most verbs correctly.

• What I want to learn: Irregular verbs and how use past tense in conversation without having to think too much or make too many mistakes.

• What I have learned:

• What I know: I know how to talk about things in the past and I can understand when people when they talk about the past.

• What I want to learn: How to write the verbs and how to say some verbs that are different.

• What I have learned:

In sum…

• The Cloze test and the KWL chart make it possible to make strategic use of the skills that HL and L2 learners bring to the classroom.

In addition…

• The KWL chart helps learners understand where they are, relative to the learning goals for a given unit of instruction. In so doing, they help to differentiate instruction by learner needs.

• But knowing where they stand is not enough…

Closing the gap

• Students also need to know how to reach the goals of instruction- that is, how to close the gap between where they are and where they need to be.

• To close this gap, HL learners and L2 learners sometimes benefit from different strategies and approaches…

THIS BRINGS US TO THE THIRD DOMAIN


The three domains of instruction✔Socio-affective ✔LanguageBuild on HL learners’ language skills. Target specific features known to be missing from HL learners’ repertoire, use tools

such as the KWL chart to individualize instruction.Strategy for mixed classes: Take advantage of HL and L2

learners’ complimentary skills.

Learning approaches

How many times has this happened to you?

• You want to practice the past tense…• You ask students…What did you do last night?• The L2 learner answers…

I studied, I had dinner, I talked to my mom…• The HL learner answers…

Oh, I don’t know – not much, I’m always tired in the evening. I prefer to work early in the morning.

HL and L2 learners approach learning tasks in very different ways.

• A study by Julio Torres, found that HL learners were oriented primarily to the content of the task – i.e. they were concerned with interpreting the meaning of the prompts rather than learning language ( grammar). In contrast, L2 learners were more focused on form during the task. In this particular study, they recognized that the task presented contrasting forms of the subjunctive and indicative.

• In short, “HLLs processed the input provided by the task as authentic content rather than directing their attention to establishing new form-meaning connections” (Torres, 2013).

A picture is worth a thousand words

Why does this happen? – Two reasons

• HL learners approach language like “normal” people;

• L2 learners approach language like language teachers and textbooks.

L2 TEXTBOOKS USE MICRO APPROACHES (BOTTOM UP)

Micro approaches

• Isolate grammar, lexical, and pronunciation items;

• Use discrete activities to practice items;• Are bottom up, moving from simple to

complex;• Deal with conscious knowledge of the

language;• Occur more frequently at lower levels;

Micro (bottom-up) approaches

Communication (authentic tasks and materials)

Form (grammar,

vocabulary)

Macro approaches

• Focus on developing functional ability - the wide variety of discourse in the professions, social life, and the community;

• Can be discourse-based, content-based, genre-based, task-based, or experiential;

• Are top-down and build on global, background knowledge;

• Are more common at the advanced levels

Macro (top-down) approaches

Communication

FORM

The problem with mixed classes

To further complicate things

Communication

Form

• Micro (bottom-up) approaches require knowledge of grammatical terminology.

• While L2 learners know this terminology, HL learners do not.

Cloze activity: HL-L2 learner groupingsMy great-grandmother. I ______liked to have known her, a wild, horse of a woman, so wild she ________ marry. Until my great-grandfather _________ a sack over her head and ________ her off. Just like that, as if she ________a fancy chandelier. That's the way he did it. And the story goes she never forgave him. She _________ out the window her whole life, the way so many women sit their sadness on an elbow. I wonder if she _______the best with what she got or was she sorry because she ________be all the things she wanted to be.

Say it Write it

In sum

• Micro-based teaching – the approach of most foreign language classes - puts HL learners at a disadvantage, relative to L2 learners.

• There is a need to address this imbalance.What to do?How to do it?

What to do?

• Give HL learners the tools they need to derive benefit from micro-based teaching;

• A map of learning;• Grammatical terminology

A graphic organizer

Two ways of talking about

the past

Preterit(comí,

hablé,viví)

Imperfect(comía,

hablaba, vivía)

Unpack the learning objectives

• In this unit, you should focus on the past tense (preterit and imperfect).

• In particular, you will need to know how to (1) conjugate irregular verbs, (2) spell the verbs on the list, and (3) understand the rules that govern the use of the preterit and the imperfect.

How to do it

• Thus far, we have looked at the value of having HL and L2 learners work together using their complimentary skills.

• Another option: separating HL and L2 learners.

The mini-lesson

• HL learnersMap of learning;Grammatical

terminology;Key points to notice

What about L2 learners?

This is what we want them to do.

What about L2 learners?

• This is what they will do unless we manage them…

Tools for managing mini-lessons

• Agendas• Learning centers

Agendas

• What it is: A to-do list;• What it does:

Make it possible to vary pacingSupport mini-lessons / flexible grouping

Sample agenda from my class (an HL class)

Date due: (usually in 1-2 weeks)Work to be completed:• Workbook # 7, 8, 9, 10 (HOMEWORK) • Textbook, read “xxxxx” and answer questions1-7. Use a spell check. (HOMEWORK) • Prepare a “Sum it up” card for this unit.

(HOMEWORK)• Blackboard, #1, 2. Must be completed with agrade of 90% or better. (ONLINE EXERCISES, CENTER)

Agendas

• What it is: A to-do list;• What it does:

Make it possible to vary pacingSupport mini-lessons / flexible groupingVary content??????

Tools for managing mini-lessons

• Agendas• Learning centers

Learning Centers

• What it is: A space, either physical or virtual, offering a variety of activities and materials for students to work independently or with other students to review and expand on the material presented in the classroom.

• What it does: Differentiate process by providing any

number of additional resources. Support mini lessons / flexible grouping

A virtual center

• Activities• Authentic materials• Old tests• Samples of student work

L2 learners

• Also benefit from mini-lessons;• Scaffolding for

authentic materials and tasksskills that L2 learners need to work

alongside HL learners

SUMMARIZING


The three domains of instruction Socio-affective

Address HL learners’ social and affective needs.

LanguageBuild on HL learners’ language skills.

Learning approachesMake instruction accessible.

Socio affective Language

List of topics List of language topics(general + language-specific)

Tools for finding and incorporating additional topics when teaching (text-to-x connection, exit cards)

Tools for identifying and teaching additional topics (the KWL chart, learning centers, the exit card)

In mixed classes, draw on HL and L2 learners’ personal experiences to create a community of experts.

In mixed classes, take advantage of the complimentary strengths and needs of HL and L2 learners.

Learning styles – Separate HL and L2 learners to prepare them to work together and benefit from all instructional activities. Use mini-lessons, agendas, and learning centers to support learning.

The exit card

• What strategies, ideas, etc. from this presentation do you think will be most useful in your teaching?

GRACIAS!!!

when heritage and second language learners come together: leveraging learner diversity in mixed...

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