Second Language and Heritage Learners in Mixed Classrooms: (112 New Perspectives on Language and Education)

This book addresses the complexity of mixed language classroom learning environments in which heritage learners (HL) and second language (L2) learners are concurrently exposed to language learning in the same physical space. Heritage speakers, defined widely as those exposed to the target language at home from an early age, tend to display higher oral proficiency and increased intercultural proficiency but lesser metalinguistic and grammatical awareness than L2 learners. The theoretical and pedagogical challenges of engaging both types of learners simultaneously without polarizing the classroom community dictates the need for well-defined, differentiated learning strategies; in response this book offers best practices and reproducible pedagogical initiatives and methodologies for different levels of instruction. The chapters address themes including translanguaging, linguistic identity, metalinguistic awareness and intercultural competence, with contributions from Europe, Africa and the United States.

Table of Contents:
Contributors          Elena García-Martín: Introduction: Addressing the Cognitive, Affective and Sociolinguistic Challenges in the Mixed Language Classroom Part 1: Language Pedagogy: Promoting Student Engagement through Differentiation Chapter 1. Patricia Bayona: Bi-Directional Scaffolding: Heritage Speakers and L2 Learners Complementing Each Other in the Mixed Classroom Chapter 2. Ruben Benatti: Advanced and Heritage Learners of Italian in Mixed Language Classrooms: Methods and Strategies to Teach Derivational Morphology Chapter 3. Paola Guerrero-Rodríguez and Avizia Long: Feedback in the Mixed Classroom: What are Students’ Preferences and Perceptions? Part 2: Sociolinguistic and Psychological Investigations: Language Identity in Mixed Classrooms Chapter 4. Marta Ramírez Martínez: Bridging Gaps in Mixed-Class Settings   Chapter 5. Evelyn Gámez and Mirna Reyna: Dismantling Raciolinguistic Ideologies: Más Allá del Aula de Herencia Chapter 6. Rosti Vana: Countering Negative Attitudes toward Heritage Students’ Spanish in Mixed L2-H2 Classes Chapter 7. Naraina de Melo Martins Kuyumjian: Intercultural Education in Early Childhood Education or How to Enhance Language Learning and Social Cohesion in a Mixed Language Classroom Part 3: Cognitive Approaches to Language Learning: Metalinguistic Competency and Language Variation Chapter 8. Justin P. White and Paul B. Mandell: Processing Instruction in Mixed Language Classrooms Chapter 9. Eftychia Damaskou: Promoting Multilingual Metalinguistic Awareness within Young Foreign Language Learners Chapter 10. Emily Bernate: Incorporating Lessons on Language Contact for Grammar Instruction in HL and L2 Mixed Classrooms Part 4: Plurilingualism, Translanguaging and Translation: Enhancing Language Learning through Multilingualism Chapter 11. Sibhekinkosi Anna Nkomo and Erasmos Charamba: Translanguaging for Academic Success: A Strategy for Accessing Disciplinary Discourse in a Multilingual Undergraduate Classroom Chapter 12. Anna Krulatz, MaryAnn Christison and Koeun Park: Implementing the Multilingual Approach to Diversity in Education (MADE) as a Tool for Instructional Design in Mixed-Language Classrooms Chapter 13. Sandra Martini and Jacopo Torregrossa: Developing Compound Awareness by Translanguaging: The Design of Learning Activities for Multilingual Classrooms Index

About the Author :
Patricia Bayona is Associate Professor of Spanish, Elementary Spanish Coordinator, and Director of the Language Resource Center in North Central College, USA. Her work focuses on serving Spanish heritage students by providing theoretical knowledge and empirical wisdom to pre-service and professional teachers. She is the author of “Saber español sí sirve” Academic Validation of Spanish as a Heritage Language (De Gruyter, 2018). Elena García-Martín is Associate Professor of Spanish and Coordinator of the Professional Spanish Minor at North Central College, USA. Her research explores issues of cultural identity and multilingualism. Some of her latest work deals with performative teaching and cultural proficiency, crucial aspects to heritage language acquisition. 

Review :
This much-needed volume presents key research and practical applications for addressing the challenges and reaping the rewards of mixed classes. Written by specialists from different educational levels, language backgrounds, and geographical locations, this is a must-read for current and future language teachers. More than an anthology, this volume is a masterful resource for teachers, scholars, and administrators faced with a mix of heritage and second-language speakers in the same learning environment. The contributions, ranging from theory to praxis, provide a first-ever handbook for navigating the social and linguistic complexities of multilingual classrooms. Heritage speakers cannot always be in separate language tracks; this volume gathers a range of theory and tools that will help teachers best meet students’ needs in mixed classrooms. Notably, it includes critical language awareness as well as a range of age contexts and world locations. Particularly useful are the concrete recommendations for practice and for department-wide workshops. A timely and important collection. Second Language and Heritage Learners in Mixed Classrooms contributes to the scarce literature on the complex issue of teaching language in mixed classrooms with learners with very different types of knowledge, motivation and needs [...] the volume will certainly offer both a strong theoretical background, and inspiration and ideas for practical classroom implementation.