Program Profiles
Complete List of Heritage Language Program Profiles (organized alphabetically by languages taught)
Arabic
PreK -12 and Adults:
Arabic
Bridge & Central Academies of Ohio
Toledo, Ohio
The program's goal is to ensure that students achieve language proficiency in Arabic. Our school offers daily Arabic language instruction in addition to the language instruction that is part of the standard Ohio state curriculum. Our mission is to offer daily mandatory Arabic language instruction. The instructors and students meet four to five times a week and have an hour class each time. Since 75% of the students come from homes where the heritage language is Arabic, many students have the ability to use conversational Arabic.
Community Based:
Arabic
Pacific Arabic Resources
San Francisco, CA
Pacific Arabic Resources is a secular, non-political institution dedicated to the advancement of Arabic in the Bay Area. Mainly for adults, courses are offered in the evenings and on weekends in downtown San Francisco. The program teaches Arabic with a full immersion technique, infusing oral drills and conversation practice in not only standard Arabic, but also a variety of dialects spoken across the Arab world. The program is on a constant quest to expand on the available Afro-Asiatic languages and cultures taught, and commits to offering the most comprehensive Arabic study in the Bay Area.
Chinese
Community Based:
Mandarin
Atlanta Contemporary Chinese Academy
Atlanta, GA
Atlanta Contemporary Chinese Academy (ACCA) was founded in 1992 and serves as the largest children's learning center for Chinese language and culture in metropolitan Atlanta. It has three campuses in the area, more than 1,200 students, and 65 well qualified teachers. ACCA promotes Chinese culture and language heritage as well as excellence in language academics. It offers students various classes including language, art, SAT verbal, and math.
Chinese - Cantonese and Mandarin
Chinese Language School of Columbia
Ellicott City, MD
Established in 1975, the Chinese Language School of Columbia offers the local community an opportunity to learn Chinese culture and language. The aim is that the school helps students preserve their customs, cultures, and language ability. To achieve these aims, the program offers Mandarin Chinese and Cantonese to mostly second-generation Chinese immigrants, and hosts cultural events for the local community members so that they can experience the rich Chinese culture.
Mandarin
Chinese Language School of the Chinese Cultural Center
Hartford, CT
The Chinese Language School strives to provide heritage students, adopted children from China and others interested in learning Chinese, with an environment to learn the language and culture.
Mandarin
Chinese School of Southern Westchester (CSSW)
Scarsdale, NY
Chinese School of Southern Westchester (CSSW) was funded in 1981 is a non-profit organization. CSSW promotes the teaching of Chinese language and arts, and the understanding of Chinese culture and traditions. The school is open to all students regardless of race, religion, or creed. Programs serve PreK-12 students on Saturday mornings at the facilities of Edgemont High School. CSSW devotes substantial resources to parent and adult education.
Mandarin
Chong Wa Education Society
Seattle, WA
One of the oldest Chinese schools in the state of Washington, the Chong Wa Education Society provides its students with an opportunity to become proficient in the Chinese language and culture.
Mandarin
Cleveland Contemporary Chinese School
Cleveland, OH
Founded in 1995, this community-based school teaches Chinese language and culture in order to promote cultural exchange between Chinese and American people. It also serves as a place for families to participate in local Chinese community activities and a way for children to maintain the language.
Mandarin and Taiwanese
Columbus Chinese Academy
Columbus, OH
This program was founded in 1973 to offer Chinese language and cultural classes for children from 3 to 18 years old.
Mandarin
Dayton Chinese Language School
Dayton, OH
The Dayton Chinese Language School was established in 1977 to provide Chinese language education and cultural enrichment to children (K-12) and residents of the greater Dayton area. The program consists of language classes and cultural activities.
Mandarin
Huaxia Chinese School of Lehigh Valley
Bethlehem, PA
This school was founded in 1998 by members of the local mainland Chinese community to address the growing need for a school that would teach simplified Chinese characters to their children. It now teaches Chinese language and culture to anyone interested, regardless of language background. Chinese as a second language classes and culture classes are offered in addition to heritage language classes.
Mandarin
Lansing Chinese School
Okemos, MI
This program was founded in 1986 to provide students with an opportunity to study Chinese language and culture. Additionally, the program seeks to provide support for individuals and organizations that share a common interest in Chinese ethnic and cultural heritage.
Mandarin
Lexington Chinese School
Lexington, KY
Lexington Chinese Schools, a non-profit organization, is committed to serving the Lexington community by providing an encouraging and unique environment for learning Chinese language and culture. While English is the most widely used language globally, Chinese is the most spoken language in the world. Between these two languages lies an enormous gap that separates western and eastern cultures and forms a daunting barrier for communication and understanding. It is this gap that we seek to help bridge.
Cantonese and
Mandarin
Los Angeles Chinese Learning Center
Alhambra, CA
Los Angeles Chinese Learning Center (LACLC) provides customized Chinese classes, online Chinese lessons, and Chinese group classes to educate Americans and Chinese who aim to function professionally in English and Chinese. With our experienced instructors, students not only learn Chinese and enjoy our Chinese tutoring service, but also learn about the business aspects of Chinese culture and explore opportunities in one of the fastest growing economies in the world. The size of class is between three and six. Classes meet once or twice a week for one and a half or three hours.
Mandarin
Los Angeles Chinese Learning Center
Los Angeles, CA
The Chinese Learning Center of Los Angeles works to provide students and professional companies with instruction and training. By making use of an extensive network of business specialists in China and local Chinese business specialists, the Chinese Learning Center customizes instruction for future business success. Staff teach their students how to learn Chinese by working with effective memory methods.
Mandarin
Northern Virginia Experimental Chinese School
Chantilly, VA
This community-based school provides the local community with the opportunity to acquire Chinese language and cultural knowledge and promotes awareness of cultural diversity and harmony. It also offers cultural, social, sports, and other extra-curricular activities.
Mandarin
Sunray Chinese School at Plano
McKinney, TX
This is a community-based school offers several levels of Mandarin for all ages of Mandarin speakers. The school has three different locations in Texas and more than twenty years of experience with heritage language education.
Mandarin
Xilin NU Chinese School
Wilmette, IL
The mission of the Xilin NU Chinese School is for all students to enjoy the experience of learning Chinese language and culture and to enhance students' academic competitiveness and social skills.
Mandarin
YingHua Language School
Princeton, NJ
YingHua Language School is committed to inspiring and facilitating Chinese language learning; promoting children’s linguistic, cognitive, and social development; and empowering local communities.
PreK -12 and Adults:
Mandarin
Chinese Program/Flushing High School
Flushing, NY
The purpose of this high school program is to develop high-level literacy skills in Chinese of students who speak Mandarin Chinese as a first language and to develop a full range of Chinese language skills of heritage language learners.
Mandarin
Chinese School of Delaware
Hockessin, DE
The school’s classes for high school students focus on strengthening basic Mandarin literacy and Chinese identity.
Higher Education:
Cantonese, Mandarin, and Taiwanese
University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia , PA
This program offers advanced level language classes for heritage speakers of Cantonese, Mandarin, and Taiwanese. The language track includes a special course of study for Business Chinese.
Mandarin
Carnegie Mellon University
Pittsburgh, PA
The university offers a dual-track Chinese program, with separate courses for heritage speakers of Mandarin and Cantonese. The heritage course are administered within a foreign language program.
Mandarin
University of Southern California
Los Angles, CA
This course focuses on developing heritage speakers’ basic reading and writing abilities in standard Chinese while enhancing listening and speaking proficiencies.
Danish
Community Based:
Danish
Himmelbjerget Danish Language Camp
Portland, OR
Himmelbjerget Danish Language Camp is a week-long language and culture experience in the mountains of Oregon. Three levels of language are taught for roughly ten hours during the week. Language instruction is complemented with cultural, historical, and heritage instruction, including dance, crafts, and songs. Some 55-60 students attend, with about 15 counselors. The program fosters a sense of what it means to be Danish and how Denmark and the United States differ.
French
PreK -12 and Adults:
French and German
Alabama School of Math and Science
Mobile, AL
This program teaches French and German on an accelerated track to prepare heritage speaking students for the Advanced Placement (AP) Examination. Additionally, the program seeks to provide students with examples of civilization and advanced literature during the learning process.
French
French Heritage Language Program
New York, NY
The French Heritage Language Program is designed to support and enrich the teaching and learning of French language, literature, and culture for students of Francophone background enrolled in New York City public schools.
Community Based:
French
Education Française à New York (EFNY)
New York, NY
Education Française à New York (EFNY) is the initiative of Francophone and Francophile parents connected to the French language and culture. They wish to share this language with their children by offering educational options that are practical and affordable.
German
Community Based:
German
German Language School of West Michigan
Grand Rapids, MI
The German Language School of West Michigan is a parent initiative promoting the German language and culture in the Grand Rapids area. The school offers children the opportunity to learn the German language in a formal classroom setting and provides a network for families to expand their knowledge of German culture and engage in cross-cultural exchanges. They offer immersion, partial immersion, bilingual, and foreign language programs, and a Saturday academy.
German
Sanne’s German Works
Ann Arbor, MI
Sanne’s GermanWorks after-school program focuses on teach as German for heritage speakers (full-immersion PreK-K and grades 1-12) as well as a foreign language. With the help of parents and other family members, this program hopes to build a lifelong love for languages (particularly German) and to increase understanding and tolerance of people and their differences.
Organizations:
German Language School Conference
Brunswick, NJ
The German Language School Conference (GLSC) is the national organization for private German language schools in the United States. It represents its member schools and their interests concerning German language and culture and serves as a forum for pedagogical, administrative, legal, social, and other concerns.
PreK -12 and Adults:
French and German
Alabama School of Math and Science
Mobile, AL
This program teaches French and German on an accelerated track to prepare heritage speaking students for the Advanced Placement (AP) Examination. Additionally, the program seeks to provide students with examples of civilization and advanced literature during the learning process.
German
International School of Tucson
Tuscon, AZ
The International School of Tucson offers an internationally-based and internationally-grounded bilingual program of instruction in Spanish/English, French/English, and German/English (full-immersion Pre-K-K; currently dual-immersion Grade 1-2 and projected Grade 1-5). They encourage students to develop social understanding and values for a global society by educating them under full or dual-language immersion. Some of the German students are heritage German speakers.
German
New School Prep
Orlando, FL
The New School Prep offers partial immersion, foreign language, content-based, and before- and after-school programs, and an extracurricular club. It also includes a service learning component through the innovative “New School to Namibia” program. The purpose of the New School Prep German program is for students to experience the joy and personal enrichment that learning this language brings. To complete these expectations, students need to face goals such as using German language effectively in written and oral communication, developing foreign cultural literacy and cross-cultural awareness, and developing aesthetic and interpretive capacities through engagement with authentic cultural materials and situations.
Hebrew
PreK-12 and Adults:
Hebrew
Melvin Berman Hebrew Academy
Rockville, MD
Melvin Berman Hebrew Academy is a PreK-12 school created by specialists at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and administered by Hebrew College, offering 4 years of mandatory Hebrew study. The program uses interactive techniques in 5-hour per week classes following the NETA program, an innovative Hebrew language curriculum designed for children in grades 7-12. Four levels of Hebrew are taught in classes ranging from 15-20 students. Credit is given for language study, and courses cover both language and culture.
Hindi
Community Based:
Hindi
The Hudson Valley Hindi School
Hopewell Junction, NY
The Hudson Valley Hindi School was started by individual volunteers with support from the World Hindi Foundation. The goal of the program is to offer instruction in reading, writing, and speaking Hindi with an emphasis on the conversational aspect.
Ilokano
Higher Education:
Ilokano
University of Hawaii
Honolulu, HI
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.
Indigenous Languages
Organization:
Indigenous Languages
Indigenous Language Institute
Santa Fe, NM
The Indigenous Language Institute (ILI) was founded in 1992 with the aim of assisting the language revitalization efforts of all indigenous tribes, and to create new generations of speakers. ILI facilitates various initiatives including development of language materials, public awareness and education, and research into language revival. ILI also facilitates communication on issues of indigenous language preservation between different programs and organizations across the country. ILI’s vision is to see the endangered indigenous languages spoken by people of all ages in everyday life within the next ten years.
Community Based:
Chinuk Wawa
Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde Language Program
Grand Ronde, OR
This Native American heritage language program on the Grande Ronde Reservation in Grande Ronde, OR, offers several different languages but focuses on Chinuk Wawa. The program’s main objective is to reestablish Chinuk Wawa as the main community language and preserve all of the other languages spoken on the Grande Ronde Reservation. The program includes education for grades K-5 and adult level classes.
IchChishKiin
Wapato, WA
This program teaches the Native American language, Yakama (IchChishKiin), to members of the Wapato heritage community. The class meets as a weekly club and focuses on developing primarily oral and conversational skills of Yakama for anyone who is interested.
PreK-12 and Adults:
Denaakk’e Athabascan
The Yukon-Koyukuk School District
Fairbanks, AK
The Literacy Program at the Yukon-Koyukuk school district provides Heritage language immersion for heritage and native speakers. Yokun-Koyukuk school district teaches students basic Denaakk’e (Koyukon or Lower Tanana Athabascan) through daily instruction. Students learn how to greet one another, use Denaakk'e in the classroom setting, and honor their elders. Our mission is for students to gain an appreciation of their native language and culture.
Hupa, Karuk,
and Yurok
Hoopa, CA
The Indian Education and Native American Language Program at Klamath-Trinity Joint Unified School District at Hoopa, California, is designed to meet the needs of heritage language learners of Hupa, Karuk, and Yurok. The program aims to revitalize these three languages as well as to foster respect and appreciation of the Klamath Basin culture. The program has three goals: 1) to learn and use best practices in language instruction; 2) to help students progress beyond their instructor’s own language abilities; 3) to assist in creating a process that enables native language teachers to obtain certification by the state of California. It is through achieving these goals that tribal members reconnect with their culture and language.
Navajo
Magdalena Municipal School District
Magdalena, NM
The purpose of the program is to create biliterate, bilingual Navajo students and to build cross-cultural connection within the school and the community.
Italian
Community Based:
Italian
Dante Alighieri Society of Massachusetts
Cambridge, MA
The Dante Alighieri Society of Massachusetts is a non-profit organization seeking to develop a consciousness of Italian Achievement in the arts, literature, science, and industry. Dante Alighieri Society promotes and fosters Italian language and culture through language courses for children from Pre-K to grade 12 on Saturday mornings and adult classes on Tuesday and Wednesday evenings throughout the year.
Japanese
Community Based:
Japanese
Kodomo no Ie Saturday Japanese Language School of the First Methodist
Church of San Gabriel
San Gabriel, CA
The goal of the program is to provide children with learning experiences that they feel are relevant to themselves and their lives. The curriculum does not aim at learning language, per se, but rather learning academic subject matter. The curriculum is standards-based and utilizes hands-on and an inquiry learning approach to increase motivation.
Higher Education:
Japanese
California State University
Long Beach, CA
This course is designed to assist learners of Japanese as a heritage language to further their language skills and socio-cultural knowledge. The course intends to strengthen the students’ oral language at a formal level, and to develop literacy skills by utilizing the Japanese language in the community through community service learning.
Korean
Community Based:
Korean
Korean Academy of Language and Culture
Normal, IL
The Korean Academy of Language and Culture, located in Bloomington-Normal, is a non-profit organization affiliated with the Korean Church in Bloomington, IL. The goal of the academy is to promote a greater understanding of the Korean culture and language to the community at large. Membership is open to the public. No prior knowledge and association with Korea is required. However, two fifths of the students are from Korea.
PreK-12 and Adults:
Korean and Spanish
Granada Hills Charter High School
Granada Hills, CA
This is a series of special classes in the Foreign Language Department of Granada Hill Charter High School for heritage speakers of Korean and Spanish. The program focuses on developing the written and oral proficiencies of these speakers and fosters a strong sense of pride in their cultural background.
Higher Education:
Korean
University of Maryland, Baltimore County
Baltimore , MD
The university has a six-course program of study for heritage speakers of Korean, focused on speaking, listening, reading, and writing skills. Additionally, the program seeks to foster an awareness of Korean culture and politics.
Norwegian
Community Based:
Norwegian
Norse Hall
Portland, OR
A Scandinavian community center, Norse Hall holds Norwegian language and culture classes for adults and children. These classes teach the basics of Norwegian grammar, usage, and vocabulary and give the cultural background of the Norwegian language. Adult students take this course to be able to converse in understandable Norwegian with native Norwegians. Children obtain a sense of Norwegian culture and become familiar with the Norwegian language. The classes are taught weekly for one hour as well as once a week. Class size is fewer than 15 students.
Community Based:
Persian
Khayam Persian School Foundation
Irvine , CA
The foundation is an after-school program to develop the Persian language skills of Iranian-American children in the area. The program strives to promote basic Persian proficiency and Iranian culture awareness in its K-6 students.
Polish
Community Based:
Polish
Polish School of Jan Matejko
Wauconda, IL
The Polish School of Jan Matejko functions as a Saturday Academy for the local Polish community. Every year the program introduces new components to enhance the educational experience of the students enrolled. The mission of the Polish School of Jan Matejko is to create an environment for students to prosper and develop their knowledge of Polish language and culture. Students are immersed in a community that in addition to offering language instruction also immerses the stud cultural activities, sports, contests, and drama and art courses. Founded in 2002, the program’s dedicated staff continue each year to develop new instructional methods for an enjoyable and educational environment.
Polish
St. Casimir Polish Supplementary School
Newark, NJ
The St. Casimir Polish Supplementary School is a Polish for Polish Speakers program in Newark, New Jersey. The school focuses on teaching Polish language and culture to approximately 50 students each year. Since most students are the children of parents who come from Poland, their family members speak Polish at home, parents get involved in their children’s education, and many go to Poland for vacation. The school also fosters many cultural and community activities that reinforce the Polish language and identity.
Polish
Stefan Cardinal Wyszynski Polish School
Chicago, IL
The Stefan Cardinal Wyszynski Polish School was designed by a local Roman Catholic Church’s parishioners and priests to enrich the Polish language skills of their children. Their goal is to teach them about Poland’s history, culture, geography, and religion, in addition to developing confident and knowledgeable Polish-Americans. The program makes an active contribution to the local Polish community and takes part in the Polish Teacher Association and the Commission of Education of the Polish Language.
Portuguese
Community Based:
Portuguese
Escola Portuguesa Novos Horizontes
Ontario, Canada
Escola Portuguesa Novos Horizontes is a community-centered school in Toronto, Canada, for students in elementary, middle, and high school. The program concentrates on developing literary skills for students who are heritage speakers of Portuguese. About 80 to 100 students attend the school on Saturdays. In addition to an interactive learning environment that helps foster student awareness of culture and identity, the program helps prepare students for the Centro de Avaliação de Português Língua Estrangeira (CAPLE) examination for certification in Portuguese proficiency.
Higher Education:
Portuguese
University of California – Fullerton
Turlock, CA
The program offers Portuguese as a heritage language in support of the large Portuguese immigrant population close to the university. This allows students to study in close proximity with the heritage language community and pursue a minor in the Portuguese language.
Russian
PreK -12 and Adults:
Russian
Russian Maryland Cultural Center: Matryoshka
Clarksville, MD
The Russian Maryland Cultural Center: Matryoshka provides an enriched educational experience for adults and children through the study of the Russian language, traditions, history, and through performance of choral music and national folk dance presented to the Maryland community. Matryoshka was founded in September 2008, and focuses on Russian language and literature (reading). A wide selection of topics of study is offered in Russian History, Amazing Math, Russian Literature, Art, Theater Studio, Folk Dance, and Russian Music.
Community Based:
Russian
Russian Cultural Center
Washington, DC
The Russian Cultural Center provides cultural, humanitarian, and language programs for Russians and Americans. It presents the lifestyle and historic heritage of Russia to interested students by offering courses to both heritage and non-heritage speakers. The Russian Cultural Center was founded in 1999 as a part of the Rusintercenter—an independent agency within the structure of the Russian Foreign Ministry, which promotes international cooperation in science, culture, and education. The main goal of the Russian Cultural Center is to develop positive relations between Russia and the United States in the 21st century and to preserve the Russian culture and language.
Higher Education:
Russian
Stony Brook University
Stony Brook, NY
Since many heritage Russian speakers have different levels of fluency, it is hard to place these students in a normal language track. This course is designed to strengthen the spoken, written, and grammatical skills of students so they can be integrated into the standard Russian course with nonnative speakers.
Russian
Temple University
Philadelphia, PA
The program was founded in 2006 by the Russian program at the university to provide heritage learners of Russian a foundation for literacy.
Samoan
PreK -12 and Adults:
Somoan
University of Hawai’i at Manoa GEAR UP Project
Farrington High School/Honolulu School District
The GEAR UP program offers classes in the Samoan language, taught by Farrington High School in Honolulu and the University of Hawaii Manoa. The program seeks to strengthen students’ knowledge of Samoan and to establish a lifelong tradition of practicing Samoan culture and language. The program is intended for students in grades 9-12.
Scandinavian Languages
Community Based:
Scandinavian Languages
Scandinavian Language Institute
Seattle, WA
The Scandinavian Language Institute is located in the Nordic Heritage Museum in Seattle, Washington. The Institute offers language instruction primarily for adults, at four levels, in Norwegian, Swedish, Danish, and Icelandic. 200 students are enrolled in language classes at the Institute. Language instruction is supplemented with cultural programming that ranges from naming traditions and food to the arts, music, and film. Particular strengths are conversation and translation. In 2009 the Institute celebrates its 30-year anniversary.
Spanish
Community Based:
Spanish
El Círculo Juvenil de Cultura
Pittsburgh, PA
El Círculo is a project-based approach to heritage language education and addresses multi-level and multi-age needs by integrating language and culture. The program taps into the human resources available on the Carnegie Mellon campus and from the greater community. At the end of a 10-week cycle, participants in each workshop present their final product; for example, a play written by the children, a video production project, or song and poetry recitals.
Spanish
Escuela Bolivia
Arlington, VA
This program is a Saturday academy focused on developing the Spanish language skills of both heritage language speakers and non-native speakers of Spanish, from pre-school through 12th grade. The curriculum is aimed at getting students acquainted with Bolivian heritage and incorporates history, geography, literature, arts, music, and dance. The program also offers English classes to adults.
Spanish
Nuestra Lengua
Fairfax, VA
Spanish for Young Heritage Speakers: Nuestra Lengua, is a program sponsored by George Mason University that focuses on heritage learners of Spanish. The program, founded in September 2005, is designed to enhance children’s literacy skills and oral fluency in Spanish and build pride in their heritage language and culture. The program seeks to build intergenerational and community bonds by creating dialogue with family and community-based partners. Parents are encouraged to use the Nuestra Lengua program as a stepping stone to larger social advocacy, including in mainstream school units like the PTA and organizations in the community like the Tenants and Workers’ United organization.
Spanish
Programa de Alfabetización Hispano/Latino
Washington, DC
The program’s mission is to teach non-literate Spanish-speaking immigrant adults to read and write in their native language, as well as other basic skills, so that they can achieve functional literacy. Indirect goals include facilitating their later acquisition of English and the preservation of the Spanish language among younger bilingual generations.
PreK-12 and Adults:
Korean and Spanish
Granada Hills Charter High School
Granada Hills, CA
This is a series of special classes in the Foreign Language Department of Granada Hill Charter High School for heritage speakers of Korean and Spanish. The program focuses on developing the written and oral proficiencies of these speakers and fosters a strong sense of pride in their cultural background.
Spanish
Beardstown Dual Language Enrichment Program
Beardstown, IL
Beardstown Dual Language Enrichment Program promotes additive bilingualism, biliteracy in Spanish and English, and multiculturalism for all students including heritage language learners. We strive to help graduates of Beardstown High School be well equipped to participate in the multi-lingual life of Beardstown and be successful in their chosen careers in an increasing global society.
Spanish
Bellevue School District
Bellevue, WA
The program focuses on developing the proficiency of Spanish heritage language speakers in both Spanish and English. The program strives to prepare students for the Spanish Advanced Placement (AP) examination and further language learning on a university level.
Spanish
Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools
Raleigh, NC
This program seeks to provide language learning opportunities for heritage Spanish speakers that would not be readily available to them in the normal course of study. Students are encouraged to perfect their Spanish speaking abilities and their personal knowledge of Hispanic culture and heritage.
Spanish
Creekside High School
Fairburn, Georgia
Creekside High School heritage Spanish language program was funded in August 2007. The program aims to improve the overall communication skills of heritage speakers as well as to expand their awareness and cultural connections with their countries of origin.
Spanish
Español para Hispanohablantes
Egg Harbor Township, NJ
This is an academic Spanish course that is intended for heritage speakers of Spanish who have traditionally been placed in a Spanish 1 foreign language course.
Spanish
Gateway Charter High School
San Francisco, CA
This program teaches heritage Spanish high school speakers on an advanced university language curriculum. The course of study includes various topics and examples of Hispanic literature and culture.
Spanish
Heritage Language Literacy Club
Fairfax, VA
The Heritage Language Literacy Club (HLLC) provides literacy instruction after school for students in grades 1-5, while providing community service opportunities and job experience in a supportive environment for tutors in grades 6-12.
Spanish
High School of Science and Technology
Springfield, MA
The program tries to enhance native speakers’ knowledge of the Spanish language and culture. Furthermore, we try to help them become proficient in all aspects of the language to prepare them for taking the Spanish Advanced Placement (AP) exams.
Spanish
Hispanohablantes, Enid Public Schools
Enid, OK
This is a special language track of the Enid Department of Foreign Languages. This class is designed to perfect the Spanish skills of fluent Spanish heritage speakers through an advanced course of study.
Spanish
Literacy Squared
San Diego, CA
This program strives to maintain and improve the Spanish language ability of heritage Spanish speakers and other community members who are not Spanish dominant, as they learn English.
Spanish
Olympic High School
Charlotte, NC
This program meets the education and literacy needs of many Hispanic first-generation immigrants. The program seeks to provide students with opportunities to study Spanish literature and grammar.
Spanish
Omaha Public Schools
Omaha, NE
The goal of the program is to increase the literacy and communication skills of Spanish-speaking students in grades 6-12.
Spanish
Ossining Union Free School District
Ossining, NY
This program seeks to develop written and oral skills of heritage speakers, in grades 6-8.
Spanish
Ottumwa High School
Ottumwa, IA
This program focuses on literacy development for Spanish speaking high school students.
Spanish
Redondo Union High School
Redondo Beach, CA
This course is an integrated language arts program designed to provide native Spanish speaking students with cognitive academic language proficiencies. Students develop the four language skills by participating in communicative activities, which allow the skills to develop naturally within the context of a linguistic and literature-based curriculum.
Spanish
Cross Keys High School Spanish for Native Speakers
Atlanta, GA
Spanish for Native Speakers is a program that builds the linguistic and cultural experiences of Native Spanish Speakers in Atlanta Georgia. The program was established in the fall of 1997. It serves mostly Mexican and Central American students, but also students from Cuba, Colombia, the Dominican Republic, and Puerto Rico. Students who take Spanish for Native Speaker courses develop a high level of proficiency in Spanish, as well as a strong cultural pride in their culture. Students take Spanish for Native Speakers I and II and improve their reading, writing, listening and speaking skills. Students become familiar with Spanish and Latin American history, culture, and literature, and can receive university credit if they pass the AP Spanish and Literature tests.
Spanish
Storm Lake High School
Storm Lake, IA
This program seeks to develop heritage Spanish speaker’s Spanish and English skills to a level of fluent bilingualism. Additionally, the program attempts to incorporate other academic subjects into the curriculum, for example science, math, and history.
Spanish
The Literacy Program at Wilcox High School
Santa Clara, CA
The Literacy Program at Wilcox High School provides a heritage language immersion program for heritage and native speakers. The program serves mostly second-generation heritage Spanish speakers and seeks to build and develop students’ academic language.
Spanish
West Windsor-Plainsboro School District
Plainsboro, NJ
This program seeks to develop the Spanish skills of heritage Spanish speakers and strengthen community ties with families. The program also draws on heritage family members to teach various topics related to Spanish culture and language.
Higher Education:
Spanish
Colorado Mountain College
Edwards, CO
The program prepares students to transfer to other universities at the junior level. The primary goal of the program is to develop students’ cultural awareness and proficiency in Spanish literacy.
Spanish
Florida Atlantic University
Boca Raton, FL
The program seeks to accelerate heritage students’ study through the normal language requirements and into a course of study for the Spanish major. Students who complete the major are expected to be able to speak on a professional level.
Spanish
Georgia State University
Atlanta, GA
This program offers a diverse selection of courses for heritage speakers of Spanish. The program seeks to foster bilingualism and motivate students to continue their language study at the graduate level.
Spanish
Purdue University
Lafayette, IN
This program seeks not only to develop the literacy skills of its heritage Spanish students, but also to raise awareness of the different cultural and dialect differences of Spanish in the United States. Additionally, the university offers both undergraduate and graduate levels of Spanish.
Spanish
State University of New York (SUNY)
New Paltz, NY
This program offers advanced literacy courses for heritage Spanish speakers. The aim of the program is to perfect students’ oral and written Spanish skills and promote a global awareness of U.S. Latino and Hispanic culture. The program is offered to any qualifying undergraduate at the university.
Spanish
The Sabine Ulibarrí
University of New Mexico
Albuquerque , NM
The program was founded in the 1950s, by a professor at the university, out of a need for a special language class for bilingual students. The program develops students’ confidence in their ability to speak their different varieties of Spanish.
Spanish
University of Houston
Houston , TX
This program was created to meet the needs of an overwhelmingly growing population of heritage Spanish speakers on the university’s campus. The focus of the program is the acquisition of academic Spanish skills and includes graduate level seminars on heritage language education and research.
Spanish
University of Illinois at Chicago
Chicago , IL
The university offers one official heritage course of study in Spanish, but also offers several smaller language classes in Polish, Hindi-Urdu, and Arabic. These classes are often populated with heritage speakers and are tailored to meet specific needs.
Spanish
University of Maryland, Baltimore County
Baltimore, MD
Founded in 1990, the purpose of the Spanish for Heritage Speakers course is to promote the maintenance and revitalization of the language and culture.
Spanish
University of Maryland College Park
College Park , MD
This program focuses on the acquisition of basic grammar and oral skills of heritage Spanish heritage speakers who lack these basic language skills.
Spanish
University of Washington
Seattle, WA
This program is designed to build upon the language base that students have acquired outside of the educational system so that they may attain greater literacy and grammar and writing skills. Additionally, the program will create cultural awareness of the Hispanic World.
Southeast Asian Languages
Community Based:
Southeast Asian Languages
Southeast Asian Studies Summer Institute
Madison, WI
The Southeast Asian Studies Summer Institute at the University of Wisconsin teaches Hmong, Lao, Vietnamese, Lao, Burmese, Filipino, Indonesian, Javanese, Khmer, Thai to heritage students. Instruction is intensive, 4.5 hours per day, occurs over an 8 week period in the summer, and encompasses three levels. There are roughly 175 students in the program. Completion rates are quite high. As part of a consortium of twelve schools, SASSI is able to assist many students through some tuition support.
Swedish
Community Based:
Swedish
Trollbacken Swedish Camp
Portland, OR
The Trollbacken Swedish Camp is a one-week camp for students aged 7-13 to learn about Swedish language and culture. Students are divided into four groups from Beginner to Bilingual. Both language and culture are combined in an intensive learning environment. All camp instructors are native Swedish speakers and are aided by the counselors, who are primarily repeat attendees of the camp.
Tibetan
Community Based:
Tibetan
CATA Tibetan School
Vienna, VA
The CATA Tibetan School was founded by parents of the local Tibetan community. It is a part of the US Capital Area Tibetan Association (CATA) and functions as a Sunday school for children and teens in the Tibetan community. Its main purpose and goal is to educate students on the language, culture, and religion of Tibet, as well as to create an atmosphere for students to feel comfortable with their heritage.
Tongan
PreK-12 and Adults:
Tongan
West High School/Salt Lake City School District
Salt Lake City, Utah
The program was founded in the fall of 2006 to interest heritage Tongan speakers in the class so they would stay in school, successfully complete their other classes, and graduate.
Ukrainian
Community Based:
Ukrainian
T. Shevchenko School of Ukrainian Studies
Parma, OH
T. Shevchenko School of Ukrainian Studies is a Saturday program that stresses language, geography, history and culture. The school is located in Parma, Ohio, and is sponsored by St. Vladimirs Ukrainian Orthodox Cathedral. It is a member since 1999 of the Ukrainian Congress committee of America (UCCA), Educational Council in New York City, and United Ukrainian Organizations (UZO) of Greater Cleveland. About 70 students and 22 teachers participate in the program's language immersion education. Classes meet for 3.5 hours per week and cover the four basic skills of comprehension, speaking, reading, and writing.
Ukrainian
Ukrainian Heritage School
Jenkintown, PA
The main objective of the Ukrainian Heritage School is the education of its students in Ukrainian language and culture in order that they may retain their Ukrainian heritage. The school has been able to instill in these students a strong sense of their identity as Americans of Ukrainian descent and an understanding of their responsibility to carry forward the Ukrainian tradition.
Multiple Languages
Organizations:
World Languages Network
Arlington , MA
The World Language Network supports heritage language programs within the K-12 Massachusetts School System. Additionally, the Network strives to build community contacts and resources for newly settled immigrant families.
PreK-12 and Adults:
Chinese - Mandarin, French, German, and Spanish
International School of Tuscon
Tuscon, AZ
The program was founded in 2005 to provide an environment for students to develop confidence and pride in their language skills.
French, Italian, Portuguese, and Spanish
Bristol Warren Regional School District
Bristol , RI
This school specializes in the development of Portuguese, Italian, Spanish, and French literacy in high school students in the Bristol School System. The program’s curriculum covers an intensive university language track and offers the possibility of college credit.
Higher Education:
Arabic, Hindi, Persian, Russian, Spanish, Tagalog, Urdu, and Vietnamese
Portland State University
Portland , OR
The university offers heritage language classes in Arabic, Hindi, Persian, Russian, Spanish, Tagalog, Urdu, and Vietnamese. The program seeks to create a bilingual community by meeting to the specific needs of it diverse heritage language community.
