ABSTRACT
In recent years, Heritage Language Programs have been attracting more and more attention in the European academic and educational policy contexts. In Germany, many efforts are being undertaken to foster the teaching of heritage languages in schools. This paper provides an overview of the teaching of Spanish as a Heritage Language in Germany through the long-established Program ‘Spanish Culture and Language Lessons’ (Aulas de Lengua y Cultura Españolas) funded by the Spanish Ministry of Education for school-aged Spanish heritage speakers. The principal objectives of the study are to analyze the main fostering and constraining factors to participate in this program and to propose improvement measures. To achieve these purposes, a mixed quantitative and qualitative research methodology has been used. The findings are discussed according to these main topics arising during the research process: reasons for students to participate and learning needs, teaching challenges, family implication, relationship with the regular formal education system, blended learning, linguistic and culture diversity. Moreover, improvement measures for this Spanish Heritage Language program are suggested. The main conclusions may be useful for heritage language teachers and program managers in other heritage language (HL) programs in Germany and more generally in Europe.
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Correction Statement
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Notes on contributors
Francisca Ferre-Pérez
Francisca Ferre-Pérez has worked as an Education Advisor at the Spanish Embassy in Germany, currently she teaches German and researches on Spanish as a Heritage Language in Germany.
Carmen Ramos Méndez
Carmen Ramos Méndez has a PhD in Education and ist a Spanish professor at the International University SDI München. She is the director of the Máster Internacional para Profesores de Español como Lengua Extranjera and author of publications in the field of Spanish as a foreign language. Her main research interests are: learners' and teachers' beliefs, Spanish as a Heritage Language in Germany and teachers' professional development.
María Sagrario Salaberri Ramiro
Maria Sagrario Salaberri Ramiro is a Lecturer at the University of Almería (Spain) and teacher trainer with a PhD in TEFL. She has leaded a research project on Internationalization in Higher Education and has participated in other research projects on bilingual education. Author of many articles and books in the field, she has been involved in the development of EFL curriculum designs in Spain and curricular material for international publishers.