Second and Third Generation Heritage Speakers

1. Carolyn Hudson
TESL 6476 Advanced Pedagogy

3. Introduction
Definition
English Language
Learners are defined
as students with
limited English
proficiency who
speak a language
other than English at
home.
(NCELA, 2006)
This report looks at the
phenomenon of
English Language
Learners who were
born in the United
States, but for various
reasons have not
mastered the English
Language.

4. The number
of English
Language
Learners in
United States
public
schools has
been
consistently
rising since
1989.

5. U.S. born ELL’s do
not conform to the
Three-Generation
Expectation
The ThreeGeneration
Expectation
basically states
that a family’s
native language
is lost by the
third generation
.
(Fishman, 1966;
Veltman, 1983)

Current demographics show
that the native language is
not lost and replaced with
English by the third
generation.

6. A Preference for
English
Studies show that
although second
generation heritage
speakers seek to
maintain their
heritage language,
there is a strong
preference for
English.
https://www.google.com

8. The Role of ESL
Teachers in
Supporting Heritage
Language Speakers
ESL teachers can
play a role in
supporting heritage
language
maintenance by
becoming strong
advocates for biliteracy.
(Grant & Wong, 2003)

9. Fishman, J. (1966). Language loyalty in the United States. The Hague:
Mouton.
Grant, R., & Wong, S. (2003). Barriers to literacy for language minority
learners: An argument for change in the literacy education profession.
Journal of Adolescent and Adult Literacy, 46(5), 386-394.
National Clearinghouse for English Language Acquisition and Language
Instruction Educational Programs (NCELA). (2006). Frequently asked
questions. Washington, DC: George Washington University. Retrieved
May 4, 2007, from http://www.ncela.gwu.edu/expert/faq/
Veltman, C. (1983). Language shift in the United States. Berlin: Mouton
de Gruyter.