The Alliance for the Advancement of Heritage Languages

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The Alliance for the Advancement of Heritage
Languages
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What is the Alliance?

• Individuals and organizations committed to
• working together to
• promote the conservation and development of the
  heritage languages in the United States
• promote the education of a citizenry that can
  function professionally in English and other
  languages

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Heritage language speakers

• Heritage language speakers include immigrant,
  refugee, and indigenous groups and their
  offspring.
• Their oral proficiency and literacy in the
  language may range from zero to native level.
• They may have uneven skills in listening,
  speaking, reading, and writing.

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Guiding Principles of the Alliance

• The United States is rich in diverse languages
  and cultures.
• These languages and cultures must be preserved
  and developed for enhancing our world language
  capacity and cultural diversity.

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Guiding Principles of the Alliance

• The United States must ensure that all citizens
  are equipped linguistically and culturally to
  communicate successfully in a pluralistic society
  at home and abroad.
• All students must develop oral proficiency and
  literacy in English and at least one other
  language.

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Guiding Principles of the Alliance

• Americans who have a language other than English
  as their heritage language should maintain and
  develop that language as they acquire English
• English-speaking Americans should study another
  language.

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• To promote the maintenance and development of
  heritage languages, we need policies, strategies,
  and resources.
• We need to develop structures through which we
  can collaborate to accomplish this vision. 

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• Current Alliance Efforts
• Infrastructure Building
• and
• Information Exchange
• Awareness and Public Relations

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Infrastructure Building and Information Exchange

• Profiles of heritage language programs (e.g.,
  heritage language schools and other language
  programs, curricula and materials, resources)
  Project in progress
• Information about language policy, teaching, and
  research
• Updates on innovation, experimentation, and
  linkages among different education sectors

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Public Relations and Promotion

• General public
• Heritage language communities
• District and state boards of education
• Language and other educators
• National education organizations
• Government agencies

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• Future Directions

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Policy Development and Advice

• Development of and influence on national, state,
  and local policy related to language maintenance
  and development
• Advice to groups seeking to engage in heritage
  language development projects

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Research

• First language literacy
• Transmission and maintenance of heritage
  languages
• Heritage language learning and attrition
• Heritage language communities and speakers
• Bilingualism in heritage language speakers
• Heritage languages in mainstream education
• Instruction of heritage language learners
  (curricula, instructional strategies, materials,
  assessments)
• Policy developments
• International comparisons

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Professional Development

• Pre- and in-service training and professional
  development for heritage language program
  teachers and administrators
• Interpreters and translators (e.g., medical,
  judicial, military)
• Educators and others working with heritage
  language communities and learners

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Coordination

• Language offerings
• Language-specific curricula and materials
• Learner assessment and program evaluation
• Policy activity

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• Community Settings
• Heritage communities and schools
• Related social, cultural, and business
  activities and organizations

• PreK-12 Education
• Teachers
• School and district administrators
• Local boards of education
• State departments of education
• Parents

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• Higher Education
• (universities and community colleges)
• Settings for language study, research, training
  and professional development of language educators

• Non-government Organizations
• Research and policy institutes
• Professional associations
• Labor organizations
• Advocacy organizations
• Private foundations

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• Federal Government
• Agencies
• Legislatures
• Courts

• Private Sector
• Business and industry
• Private corporations
• Language services industry
• Media

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Contribute to the work of the Heritage Languages
Alliance

• Submit a profile of your heritage language
  program (www.cal.org/heritage/programs/profiles/)
• Propose and conduct a project under the umbrella
  of the Alliance
• Let others know about the Alliance
• Serve as regional or local coordinator to promote
  the Alliance
• Interested? Visit www.cal/org/hertiage or
  contact Joy Kreeft Peyton, joy_at_cal.org