Language Learning, Heritage, and Literacy in the USA: The Case of Arabic

Abstract

Over 3 million people speak Arabic as a first language in the USA and almost all of them are native-born Americans. Efforts in recent decades to provide support, at both local and governmental levels, for the teaching of Arabic as a heritage language are described. Reflecting on the development of his own personal literacies and his teaching experiences, the author develops a rationale for the acquisition and teaching of languages in general, whether first, second, foreign, global, indigenous, or heritage, and applies it to Arabic as a heritage language of the USA. Three general themes emerge: (1) the unique demands made by heritage languages on parents, (2) the central role of culture and literacy in the maintenance of heritage languages, and (3) the need to think of heritage language learning as a variety of language learning that must constitute a ‘dialogue’ in a deeper-than-usual sense if it is to be successful.

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