Spanish for Heritage Speakers Resources

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  • Empowering Learns of Spanish Authors: Claudia Holguín Mendoza, Robert L. Davis, Munia Cabal Jiménez, Julie Weise, and Kelley León Howarth.  (CC BY-NC-SA 4.0)
    This collection of activities as Google documents introduces heritage and L2 students to a range of concepts in sociolinguistics and encourages critical inquiry into language ideologies.  Activities and resources are written in both English and Spanish.  It includes 8 lessons on topics such as sociolinguistics, alfabetos ilegales, el corrido, la historia del español, la resistencia a través de la música, and others.
  • Español para hablantes nativos: Lenguaje en acción.  Authors: Amalia Carter, Joe Romero, and Cecelia Monto.  (Open Oregon Educational Resources, CC BY-NC-SA)
    Este libro fue elaborado teniendo en cuenta las necesidades del estudiante de habla hispana.  El contenido combina elementos gramaticales con diversos y relevantes temas del mundo de hoy.
  • Heritage Spanish.  Authors: José Esteban Hernández and Yanina Hernández. (licensing varies)
    Shared resources include syllabi, activities, lessons, etc. and information about events within the community. “The text of COERLL’s Heritage Spanish website is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License. Please be aware that some of the outside content listed on the site is copyrighted. See licensing page for more details.”
  • Linn-Benton Community College OER Spanish Heritage Speakers. In LibreTexts Author: Margarita Casas. (Linn-Benton Community College, CC BY-NC-SA)
    Los siguientes materiales han sido escritos para usarlos en cursos de hablantes de herencia del español. Las primeras 3 unidades (.doc) fueron creadas como OER y las comparto a continuación, esperando que les sean de utilidad.
    La filosofía detrás de estos materiales es:
    1. Fortalecer la capacidad de los estudiantes de usar registros formales y distinguirlos de los coloquiales.
    2. Fortalecer la identidad cultural.
    3. Entender las diferencias entre el “espanglish” y el español normativo y aprender a “traducirlo” para alguien que no hable inglés.
    4. Aprender sobre la diversidad lingüística y cultural de los países hispanos.
    5. Mejorar el conocimiento metalingüístico de los estudiantes.
    6. Ampliar su vocabulario y, en general, su dominio del idioma para discutir y analizar temas más allá de la vida diaria.
  • Saber es poder.  Author: Vianey Cabrera.  (CC BY-SA)
    These activities for heritage learners explore students’ perceptions of their heritage and linguistic strengths while raising consciousness about social varieties used throughout the Spanish-speaking world (Google drive).  Additionally, these materials seek to raise awareness of the social, cultural, and political dynamics of language use. There are 6 lessons: 1. Introducción, 2. Historia y evolución del español, 3. El español en los Estados Unidos, 4. Diferencias dialectales, and 5. Registros lingüísticos.
  • Spanish for Heritage Speakers 2 (CUNY Academic Commons) (CC BY-NC-SA)
    This is a beginning course with emphasis on elements of grammatical structures and practice in reading, writing, and oral exposition. Spanish 114 is the second level of a course designed for bilingual or Spanish heritage students to allow these students to obtain and develop the necessary skills to communicate in standard or academic Spanish. Spanish 114 is designed for students who have been reared in a Spanish-speaking environment and speak or understand some Spanish as a result of having heard it in the home and community by parents or grandparents, family, friends, and neighbors.
  • Trayectos Author: Gabriela Zapata. (2017, Texas A&M University) (licensing varies)
    Volume 1: Mi vida en la universidad (textbook and workbook [included in textbook chapters as “Práctica individual” using H5P activities]).
    Volume 2: Más sobre mí (textbook and workbook [included in textbook chapters as “Práctica individual” using H5P activities]).
    Voces de nuestro mundo
    Trayectos teacher’s manual
    The Open Educational Resources (OER) Trayectos initiative was established in Fall 2017 with three specific objectives:
    • To develop theoretically-sound digital, open-source instructional material for second language (L2) Spanish teaching;
    • To investigate the pedagogical, linguistic, and institutional dimensions that can play a role in instructional innovations of this kind; and
    • To train undergraduate and graduate students as L2 researchers and materials developers.
  • Mi idioma, mi comunidad: español para bilingües Authors: Elena Foulis and Stacey Alex (CC BY-NC-ND 4.0) 
    Mi idioma, mi comunidad: español para bilingües, is an open-access textbook for Heritage Language Learners of Spanish that centers on students’ experiences with language, identity, and belonging in the Midwest through real-world applications. It uses a project-based approach that outlines how students engage in real-life applications by exploring culturally relevant topics in language use, arts, festivals, food, ethnography, oral history, digital lives, and the university. Through multimedia such as podcasts, videos, neighborhood maps, and music, we promote interactive exploration of culturally relevant content while supporting students’ language maintenance and growth. [This text was created at Ohio State, and some activities are OSU-focused, although many allow students to reflect on their own community or experience.]
  • Reflexiones sobre nuestra lengua. Authors: Yanina Hernández y José Esteban Hernández (CC BY-NC-SA 4.0)
    Reflexiones sobre nuestra lengua se compone de ocho unidades temáticas pertinentes a la realidad social de los hablantes de español como lengua de herencia en los Estados Unidos. Además de enfocarse en la escritura como un proceso, se enfatiza el desarrollo de una conciencia sociolingüística y crítica del lenguaje en esta población estudiantil.
  • El español en los EE.UU  Authors: Karen Acosta and the University of Kansas Spanish Language Program. (CC BY-NC-ND)
    Supplementary materials for beginning Spanish that focus on issues of cultural identity of Spanish speakers in the United States.  Note: contains flash-based activities.