Posted on July 11, 2024 by Michelle Gaitan
Working to help students develop their language skills while preserving the cultural and linguistic traditions of Spanish-speaking communities in San Antonio, the faculty behind UTSA’s Spanish as Heritage Language (SHL) program has been making some changes including offering new courses this fall.
UTSA Herencia Students tabling
JULY 11, 2024 — Working to help students develop their language skills while preserving the cultural and linguistic traditions of Spanish-speaking communities in San Antonio, the faculty behind UTSA’s Spanish as Heritage Language (SHL) program has been making some changes including offering new courses this fall.
Stephanie González, SHL program director and a postdoctoral fellow in the UTSA Department of Modern Languages and Literatures, who has been expanding the program over the last two years, said it now offers a revised curriculum, and will provide its undergraduate and graduate students with free access to online textbooks, course projects and activities.
“A heritage program is designed to celebrate the knowledge, cultures and linguistic practices of our local communities, which is important in places like San Antonio,” González said. “The courses in our program are tailored to meet the needs of heritage learners — individuals who have grown up exposed to the Spanish language at home or in their communities.”
González continued, “Some heritage learners understand Spanish but may not speak it or may not be confident in their speaking abilities in Spanish.”
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— Michelle Gaitan
