What is heritage language learning? Who are heritage learners? If you’ve ever wondered where this comes from and think you might fall into this group of Serbian language learners, you have come to the right place!
What Is Heritage Language Learning
Heritage language learning (HLL) is learning from an ethnolinguistic group that traditionally speaks the language, or from those whose family historically spoke the language. Usually, these languages are minority languages in society and are learned at home during childhood. A heritage language is also known as community language, home language, and ancestral language.
Who Are Heritage Learners
Being a heritage learner means being on a spectrum when it comes to language level and proficiency. This signifies you might have excellent proficiency, or you might struggle with writing, comprehension, and speaking your heritage language. Heritage language learners typically fall into some of the following categories:
- Individuals with personal or cultural ties to a language
- Children of immigrants
- Members of Indigenous or minority language communities
- Second-generation and later-generation speakers
If you feel like you fall into one of these categories and you have no idea where to start, we will explain how we approach students who are just like you.
Our Approach to Serbian for Heritage Learners
The best approach for heritage language learners is individual or in pairs. Our tested approach is based on building confidence and correcting mistakes because one of the most common issues with heritage learners is unstructured or incomplete knowledge (gaps in knowledge).
Our professional advice: Start with the trial – this will help both you and us check your level and knowledge. It aids us in making thorough and structured lesson plans that are created around listening, writing, pictures, and some grammar. Considering you are a heritage learner, you probably have great conversation skills and understand the cultural context, yet struggle more with grammar, structure, and confidence. Lucky for you, we know how to focus on your strengths and tackle the challenges that will surely lead you to improve your Serbian language level.
Take Your Next Steps
Taking the next step might seem overwhelming, but you can trust us! At AboutSerbian, we have taught and followed numerous heritage learners through their journey to Serbian proficiency. You can find our contact information here, and more about our lessons here. Make 2025 the year you start your adventure and improve your Serbian language level with us!
