Critical language awareness in the heritage language classroom: design, implementation, and evaluation of a curricular intervention

As Spanish heritage courses multiply all over the United States, the need to reexamine the curriculum and pedagogical approaches that are most appropriate to meet instructional goals is becoming increasingly pressing. Although several researchers have called for developing students’ critical language awareness (CLA) in the Spanish heritage classroom, this model has yet to make its way fully into the curriculum. A CLA approach is essential to help students become aware of issues of language and power and the privileging of certain dialects over others. Spanish language maintenance in the United States cannot be achieved unless learners develop this awareness in order to challenge dominant language ideologies that have been reproduced through education. This paper presents the design, implementation, and evaluation of a four-module curriculum designed to develop Spanish heritage learners’ CLA. The modules address (1) language variation and diversity; (2) language ideologies and linguistic prejudice; (3) Spanish in the United States and bilingualism; and (4) language maintenance. Pretest and posttest results show the curriculum effectively improved students’ level of CLA. Pedagogical implications and recommendations are discussed.