The Alliance for the Advancement of Heritage Languages (the Alliance) is committed to building a language-proficient society in which individuals can function professionally in English and other languages, including the languages they speak as a result of family and community connections (heritage languages). Partners in the Alliance include the Center for Applied Linguistics (which hosts the Alliance website), National Foreign Language Center, National Heritage Language Resource Center, and University of Maryland Baltimore County.
Programs to develop the language proficiency and cultural knowledge of heritage language speakers take place in K-12, university, and community-based program settings and include programs for U.S.-born students, immigrants, and refugees. The Alliance gathers and disseminates information about the languages spoken in the United States, speakers of those languages, and programs to develop those languages – with a focus on community-based and K-12 settings in the United States.
The Heritage Language Programs Database documents language programs in community-based and K-12 settings in the United States. Visitors can search the collection on online programs by language, program type, and state to learn about heritage language programs across the country. Additional information includes staff contact information, curricula and materials used, challenges, and successes. Information can be included in the database through an easy online form.
