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Heritage Spanish Studies
Why offer Heritage Spanish at 小蓝视频?
The heritage Spanish language program focuses on the development of multilingual and multicultural literacies through the appreciation and use of the heritage language and on the development of four major types of competencies: Linguistic, communicative, cultural, and metalinguistic. This tailored instruction for Spanish heritage speakers can be effective in preparing them to tackle different work fields.
Why teach more Spanish to Heritage speakers?
Heritage speakers have the amazing advantage of being able to navigate among different languages and cultures, and the HSP wants to provide them with the opportunity to embrace these qualities, improve their language skills, and learn from one another.
Students who have grown up speaking both Spanish and English often have linguistic, cognitive and cultural advantages over monolingual speakers of either language, and they may be better prepared to face the challenges of a multilingual and multicultural world. (Center for Applied Linguistics, Washington, D.C.)
Heritage speakers may also find it valuable to learn about other varieties of Spanish. The Spanish speaking world is very large and there are some differences that exist from region to region.
Exploring language differences through assorted media and through classroom interaction is an opportunity to learn from other people鈥檚 perspectives. Inclusive learning environments create students that are comfortable with differences and better prepared at confronting challenging issues.
What are the features of our Heritage Spanish Program (HSP)?
The HSP consists of a sequence of courses that address the specific needs of heritage Spanish language students here at 小蓝视频. Its objective is to empower students like you to make deliberate use of your existing linguistic resources, and methodically exploit all the developmental advantages they offer. The HSP also provides a curricular and culturally enriched space where students can concurrently share their experience as insiders with students of similar backgrounds. Simply put, this program is about cultural enrichment and empowerment through language experience. Heritage Spanish courses鈥
- Include a broad range of contexts in which to use Spanish, including academic and professional contexts.
- Meet each student at their proficiency level to further develop their language skills for academic and professional purposes.
- Develop awareness of additional discourse styles and registers that are present in students鈥 rich backgrounds and experiences.
- Strengthen聽formal grammar and vocabulary knowledge as well as reading, writing, and speaking skills for academic and professional settings.
- Function as intellectual spaces that promote student sharing and appreciation of their cultural and linguistic experiences and aptitudes.
Heritage Spanish Course Offerings
- Span 321: Heritage Spanish I
- Span 322: Heritage Spanish II
- Span 331: Heritage Spanish III -聽Writing Across Our Cultures
Action Plan - Tu plan de acci贸n
What do I do from here? If you are interested in learning more about this program, or to register in one of our courses, follow this 3-step plan:
Paso 1: What is my first step?
Contact our WLC advisor at聽wlcprogramadvisor@american.edu聽so you can see if taking an HSP course is a good fit for your academic goals. Also, check the schedule for the semester to see which course(s) are offered, and when.
Paso 2: Who do I contact to talk about a specific course in the HSP?
贰尘补颈濒听hsp@american.edu
Paso 3: How do I get placement?
Contact CLEAR at聽clear@american.edu聽Subject line: HSP Placement so you can take a placement test to make sure that you join an HSP offering that is right for you.
Spanish Tailored to Fit the Linguistic Talents of Heritage Speakers of Spanish
Heritage language is a term commonly used for a language spoken at home that is different from the main language spoken in the society. Heritage Spanish students are those who have been raised in Spanish-speaking homes in the United States and schooled, for the most part, in English. Such students form a distinct population within the diverse fabric of our community. Their language learning needs are quite different from the needs of Spanish-speaking students from Latin America and Spain, as well as the language learning needs of students that want to learn Spanish as a second language.
Student Interviews
Student interviews.
So, do you consider yourself a heritage speaker of Spanish? Ask yourself the following questions:
- Do you understand some Spanish, but it is hard for you to communicate in Spanish the same way you communicate in English?
- Do you speak some Spanish at home with your parents, abuelitas or other immediate family?
- Have you studied in the United States since an early age, with most of your formal education conducted in English?
- Do you seek to learn Spanish not as a foreign language鈥攕ince you already understand it and speak it鈥攂ut because you feel you may benefit from formal Spanish training in an academic setting?
- Do you want to study Spanish to expand your academic language skills, and to (re)connect more deeply to your family鈥檚 culture?
If you answered S脥 to some of these questions, learn more with the Action Plan - Tu plan de acci贸n above!
Undergraduate Degrees
Spanish BA Degrees
- BA in Spanish Studies
- BA in Language and Area Studies: Spanish/Latin America
- BA in Foreign Language and Communication Media: Spanish track
- BA in Business, Language and Cultural Studies: Spanish track (with Kogod)
- Combined BA & MA in Spanish & Latin American Studies
Spanish Minors
Translation Certificates
Graduate Degrees
For More Information
General Program Info
wlcprogramadvisor@american.edu
Director of Heritage Spanish Language Programs
Professor Lilian Baeza-Mendoza
hsp@american.edu
202-885-2383
Undergraduate or Graduate Certificate in Spanish Translation
Professor Julia Isaac
jisaac@american.edu
202-885-2345