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Multicultural America
Embracing diversity leads to growth of "heritage" language courses
The face of America is changing. In large part, the metamorphosis can be traced to rapid growth of the United States' immigrant population—a boom the likes of which has not been seen since the "Great Wave" of the early 20th century.
And as the nation's ethnic and racial identity becomes less homogenous, a similar shift naturally occurs within society's major institutions. To understand how shifting demographics are beginning to impact the cultural and academic climate at the UI, consider this: In 1998, 17 percent of incoming freshmen surveyed (almost one in six) reported speaking a language other than English at home. More than half of those freshmen spoke one of three languages: Spanish (24 percent), Chinese (16 percent), or Korean (14 percent). Another 16 percent reported speaking one of several languages from the Indian subcontinent—Bengali, Gujarati, Hindi, and Urdu among them.
The survey was prepared for the Office of the Provost by then-associate provost Susan Gonzo, a professor of English as an international language, and sociology professor Gillian Stevens.
A trend away from assimilation and toward multiculturalism has spurred a growth in language courses that emphasize reading and writing skills.
Gonzo, who now directs academic programs for the Second Language Acquisition and Teacher Education program in the UI's Division of English as an International Language, was instrumental in launching an initiative for the Provost's office that funded the development of "heritage language" sections in Korean and Chinese.
"Along with Spanish these are the most commonly spoken heritage languages of our undergraduates," Gonzo says.
The definition of a heritage language used most often among linguists, Gonzo says, is: "People who have some background in the language because it's the language of their parents."
Now LAS offers two heritage courses in Spanish, two in Korean, and four in Chinese. Students who enroll in the classes—which focus on acquiring reading and writing skills—typically have some degree of fluency in the language.
According to Nestor Quiroa, a graduate student who has taught the two heritage courses offered by the Department of Spanish, Italian, and Portuguese, heritage speakers in his classes generally had good listening and speaking skills. But because they had little formal training in the language, they often spoke a colloquial Spanish, or "Spanglish," and had limited literacy skills.
"When I meet with a class, the first thing I don't do is tell them that their Spanish doesn't work. That is the key," says Quiroa, a Guatemalan native who moved to Los Angeles with his family at age 14. Because of his own background and shared cultural experiences, students often relate to him not just as a teacher, but as a mentor and role model as well.
"Many of them don't want to speak Spanish because they feel ashamed," he says. "They associate speaking Spanish with the person on the corner selling oranges."
In his cheerleader role, Quiroa attempts to tame those attitudes. "I tell them, 'You're lucky; you've made it. Now you have to improve. You have to know both the colloquial and academic language.'"
In his teaching, Quiroa places an emphasis on grammar, but adds a cultural component to make the learning experience more engaging.
"When I teach this course, I try to bring in topics that are important to them and to me. We talk about immigration, education for Hispanics, celebrations, food, and holidays."
"From multiple perspectives, we want the university to be a place where people can grow and develop and find out about themselves," Gonzo says. "This is one area in which people have an opportunity to develop something that's not just a skill. It is an understanding of a culture that makes people who they are."
As an executive associate dean in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, Charles Stewart is acutely aware that the UI will continue to enroll increasing numbers of heritage speakers in the future. He cites a recent report that projects a 50 percent increase in the combined number of African American, Asian American, and Hispanic students who will graduate from Illinois high schools between 2000 and 2007.
Educators must be prepared to respond not just to changing demographics but to new cultural norms that accompany them, Stewart says. "The assimilation of yesteryear has given way to multiculturalism. What that is is something I don't think anyone is too clear about."
One thing is clear, he says: The old "melting pot" concept of America is rapidly dissolving and is being replaced with a greater emphasis on preserving cultural identities. Heritage language courses and campus cultural centers are just the most visible effects of that change.
By Melissa Mitchell, A.B. '80,
English
Fall 2001