This document discusses the role of a Turkish Saturday school in New York City in maintaining the Turkish language and culture among children of Turkish immigrants. The school serves children ages 4-14 from October to June, where they recite a pledge of allegiance in Turkish and follow a content-based curriculum while their parents socialize. A study of the school concluded that it helps children connect to their heritage and family abroad, builds their confidence, and teaches them that cultural diversity is positive.

2. Heritage Language Schools
• These community based schools have been opened to help
children of immigrants maintain their heritage language and
culture.

3. • This school serves children of Turkish
descent from ages 4-14 every Saturday
from October to June.
• The children follow a routine in which
they recite their pledge of allegiance
(Adimiz) at the beginning of every day
and proceed to follow a content based
curriculum while their parents socialize
with other members of the same
cultural community.
The Turkish School in
New York City

4. “What is the role and function of a Turkish Saturday school
in the United States in maintaining and developing the
Turkish language and forming a Turkish cultural identity?”
The Question

5. The authors of the study concluded that this school and ones like
it are “helping children position themselves in a healthier way in
American society” by:
• Allowing them to connect with children that share their
heritage
• Helping them remain connected to their families here and
abroad
• Giving them the confidence and self-esteem to make new
connections in their mainstream schools
• Learning that their own diversity and the diversity of others is
a good thing
The Answer

6. • Otcu, B. (2010). Heritage language maintenance and
cultural identity formation: the case of a Turkish Saturday
school in NYC. Heritage Language Journal, 7(2),112137.
References