Heritage Language Learners: Specialized Pedagogy
Course Description:
This course provides an introduction to the specialized pedagogy needed to effectively serve heritage language learners (HLLs), students who have grown up with exposure to a language through family or community and arrive in the classroom with linguistic and cultural knowledge that differs significantly from that of traditional second language learners. Participants will examine current research on HLL profiles, identity, and language development; explore instructional approaches for both mixed HLL/L2 classrooms and dedicated heritage language courses; and develop practical, classroom-ready materials including differentiated lesson plans and authentic assessments. The course uses a Language Arts framework as the model for dedicated HLL instruction and emphasizes asset-based, identity-affirming pedagogy throughout. Readings draw primarily from the Spanish heritage language context, though the frameworks and instructional approaches are applicable across heritage languages. The course culminates in a capstone unit plan with two complete lesson plans and a reflective teaching statement.
ADDITIONAL NOTES:
All Idioma courses receive letter grades.
As soon as you are granted course access, please review the syllabus for any required textbooks.
HOW TO ACCESS YOUR COURSE MATERIALS:
Within 1-2 business days of your Ashland registration, you will receive an email from your course content provider, Idioma, containing instructions on how to access your course materials. A note, their emails are sometimes forwarded to junk or spam folders.
You will be working with Idioma, through their Learning Management System, to complete the course, after which, your instructor will record your grade on your AU transcript. We will notify you by email once this is done, with instructions on how to view and order transcripts.
Meeting Times
- Location of Meeting:online with Idioma Education
