Maximizing the Strengths of Low-Proficiency College-Level Heritage Learners Alla Smyslova Columbia University NHLRC Conference 2010

Born and raised in the US or arrived at a pre- school age (Kagan & Dillon 2004) Newly arrived. Attended a Russian elementary school (Kagan & Dillon 2004) Changes in the classification of Russian heritage speakers in the USA Born in the US to Russian speaking families—without any schooling in Russian and newly arrived with up to three years of schooling in Russian (Bermel and Kagan 2000) Newly arrived. Completed or nearly completed high school in Russian: Native speakers (Bermel and Kagan 2000) Newly arrived. Completed up to eight years of secondary education in Russian (equivalent to a junior high education in the US) (Bermel and Kagan 2000) © 2009 Alla Smyslova

МИНА ЗАВООТ.... МНЕ 18 LИТ. Я РАДИЛАС В КIEVE И Я ПАЩЬЛА В ЩЬОLО В АМЕРIКЕ. МНЕ ВЕLE 3 ГОДА КАГД Я ПРЕЯ(HA)LА В АМЕRIКО. ОU МЕNЯ NET ВРАТЕS И COCTES. Я ГАVAРОU ПА РУССКУ С МУЕ МАМА И С МУЕМЕ ДРОUГЕМЕ РОТСVENИКАМЁ. Я LOUBLOU ЧЕТАТ И ПЕСАТ И OUVLИКАOUS ТИАТРАМ. © 2009 Alla Smyslova

Methodology  audio and visual images of the language  dictation  izlozhenie © 2009 Alla Smyslova

У мен_____ зазвон____л телеф___н. Кт____ говор____т? У м__н__ з__зв__н__ л т__л__ф___н Кт__ г__в__р____т? У _______ _______________ ______________. _________________________________ ? © 2009 Alla Smyslova

Contact hours by group  HS I - 42 (10 students)  HS II – 84 (10 students)  2 nd year students – 280 (9 students)  3 rd year students – 392 (7 students) © 2009 Alla Smyslova

ACTR Advanced Placement Examination  listening comprehension (36 recordings)  reading comprehension (45 texts)  integrated tasks and dialogue completion © 2009 Alla Smyslova

Listening Comprehension Chart (second- and third-year learners, heritage speakers I & II) (%) © 2009 Alla Smyslova

Listening Comprehension (heritage speakers 0, I & II, second- and third-year learners (%) © 2009 Alla Smyslova

Listening Comprehension (heritage speakers 0, I and II, second- and third-year learners) (%) correctincorrectmissing 2nd rd HS HS I HS II © 2009 Alla Smyslova

Reading Comprehension Chart (heritage speakers I & II, second- and third-year learners) (%) © 2009 Alla Smyslova

Reading Comprehension (heritage speakers I & II, second- and third-year learners) (%) correctincorrectmissing second-year learners third-year learners heritage speakers I heritage speakers II © 2009 Alla Smyslova

Integrated tasks (second- and third-year learners, heritage speakers I & II) © 2009 Alla Smyslova

Integrated tasks (heritage speakers I & II, second- and third-year learners) (%) NHILIMIH/A 2 nd year learners rd year learners heritage speakers I heritage speakers II © 2009 Alla Smyslova

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