Mixed Class University Sample Response
Based on this information, what heritage language learner characteristics should Dr. Reyes consider in this situation?
Because Dr. Reyes has a mixed classroom of college-age students, he should consider the ways in which the heritage and non-heritage students might differ, including:
- Identity and personal relationships to the language or culture
- Differences in skill or domain proficiencies (metalinguistic awareness, understanding of structure, vocabulary)
- Different varieties of Tagalog represented
What implications might this situation have for assessment?Â
- Dr. Reyes will need to make sure that the assessment he chooses is inclusive of all the students in his course, and that it will accommodate the different skill profiles of heritage and non-heritage learners. If there is a high degree of learner diversity in his classes, he might need to develop a variety of assessment options that can be personalized and individualized for different students.
- Because this assessment is being used as an evaluation of the course after the fact, Dr. Reyes already has a good idea of how his students perform. This means that he already has a lot of information that might help him choose or create an assessment that includes all the course participants.
- However, Dr. Reyes also wants to make sure that the assessment accurately reflects what the students have been learning in the course and demonstrates the value of his program. He will need to make sure that his assessment methods are recognized and approved of by the university.
