Li Ting

What are your strengths as a language learner?

I: And what do you think, u:m, you bring to the class, u:m as strengths as a language learner?

LT:  (4) um (4) ((smiles))

I: What do you, what do you think you’re good at doing?

LT: I’m good at (2) think, listening I: Mm-hm LT: Cause, yeah, I heard a lot of Korean, like people speaking Korean when I was in high school, (1) so maybe that helps, a little bit

I: Mm-hm, Mm-hm, did you have a large number of Korean students where you were going to high school

LT: Yeah

I: And were they primarily from Korea, or were they Korean-Americans?

LT: No, they were primarily Koreans,

I: Mm-hm, and do you still have contact with these people now?

LT: Just one or two

I: Mm-hm, and do you use your Korean with them?

LT: No, I use English

I: You do? ha

LT: Yeah

I: Do you have any plans for going to Korea?

LT: Hum, not right now


Reflections – Are there certain strengths or weaknesses that you have observed as being characteristic of heritage or domestic language learners? If so, what were they and how did you adjust your teaching to meet their unique linguistic and or educational needs? What techniques do you use to evaluate your students strengths and weaknesses prior to formal assessments? What strategies do you use to capitalize on your students strengths? What strategies do you use to develop areas of weakness?

Several of the domestic learners in this section say they struggle with pronunciation and listening skills as a result of lack of input. On the other hand, not surprisingly, the heritage language learners identify these skills as strengths due to the authentic input of friends and family. To what extent do you incorporate authentic input into the course either in or outside of the classroom?

Skip to toolbar