Heritage Language Programs - Ilokano
Ilokano at the University of Hawai’i at Manoa/Languages, Linguistics, and Literature/Hawaiian and Indo-Pacific Languages and Literatures
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Address: 255 Spalding Hall, 2540 Maile Way, Honolulu, HI 96822
Telephone: (808) 956-8405
Fax: (808) 956-5978
Web address: www.hawaii.edu/hipll/
Contact Person: Aurelio Solver Agcaoili, Coordinator
Email: aurelioa@hawaii.edu
Type of institution: Research University
Languages/dialects taught: Ilokano
Courses: 21 language and content courses
Program Description
Purposes and goals of the program: The program was established to respond to the community’s need for Ilokano trained professionals in the areas of health, social services, legal services, education, and commerce.
Type of program: A heritage track within a foreign language program
Students
Countries of origin: the Philippines, the United States
Age of students: 18 and above
How the program identifies heritage speakers: home language survey
How the program determines the language background and language proficiency of students: placement examination including oral interview
Faculty
Number of faculty in the program: 5
Languages in which faculty members are proficient: English, Filipino, Ilokano
Proficiency level: Superior
Credentials: M.A. and Ph.D.
Professional development opportunities faculty members need: Junior faculty needs doctoral degrees
Instruction
Student grouping: Students are grouped according to proficiency level in Ilokano.
Language skills
Skills developed by the program:
• Listening
• Speaking
• Reading
• Writing
Levels of language proficiency reached by the end of the program: Near-native proficiency
Culture
Aspects of culture taught:
• History
• Festivals
• Customs
• Traditions/beliefs
• Religion
• Folktales
• Arts/crafts
• Dances
• Songs
• Rhymes
• Social/cultural norms
• Cultural appropriateness
• Literature
Content courses offered for heritage speakers: Literature and culture
Kind of student identity fostered by program: Multi-ethnic identity
Methodologies
Methodologies and instructional strategies used in the program:
• Language labs
• Lectures
• Demonstrations
• Drama
• Festivals
Materials
Materials used for instruction:
• Textbooks
• Selected readings
• Computers
Technology used for instruction:
• Email
• Electronic Discussion Boards
• Chat sessions
• Telephone
• CD
Assessment
Assessments used to evaluate students’ progress:
• Weekly quizzes
• Chapter tests
• Midterm tests
• Final exams
Connections: Local high schools (Farrington High School)
Opportunities for using the heritage language and developing cultural knowledge outside the program: Students have many opportunities to use the heritage language in the community because Hawai’i has the largest number of Ilokano immigrants in the U.S.
How the program promotes involvement with the local heritage community: Cultural festivals
What the program has in place
Types of financial support the program receives:
• Institutional support
• Support from ethnic/cultural organizations
• Support from the government of the Philippines
Special challenges
Challenges the program has experienced: Securing funding has been a challenge because Ilokano is not considered to a national language and therefore does not qualify for federal support.
Insights: There is the need to continue redefining and revisiting the notion of heritage language in the U.S. The exclusion inherent in the concept of “national language” is of a politically-charged nature and privileges some languages while marginalizing others
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