heritage language education for iranian-american children
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Heritage Language Education for Iranian-American Children. Hoori Ghahremani Khayam Persian School Foundation Irvine, California A non-profit 501c3 organization www.persianschool.org. Our Mission. - PowerPoint PPT PresentationTRANSCRIPT
Heritage Language Education for Iranian-American Children
Hoori GhahremaniKhayam Persian School Foundation
Irvine, CaliforniaA non-profit 501c3 organization
www.persianschool.org
Our Mission
1. To provide Iranian-American children with the Persian language skills necessary for proficient communication and comprehension
2. To develop more effective and creative methods for teaching Persian.
3. To raise Iranian-American awareness & support for Persian heritage language learning.
4. To encourage young Iranian-Americans to pursue and help develop Persian language teacher training.
5. To provide Persian cultural arts programs for Iranian-American children
The Persian language
• Official language of Iran, Afghanistan, and Tajikestan
• 32 letters in alphabet; 6 vowels
Our HL Learners
• Ages: 6-12 years• Most are US born• One parent or both
parents are native speakers• Most HL learners speak English at home:– Although parents speak to them in Persian, HL
learners respond in English.
Differentiation
• Based on age group• Different proficiency levels:– High proficiency: Schooling in HL country (Iran)– Medium proficiency: Speaking with family and
community members– Low proficiency: Not speaking at all
• Each group is given appropriate instruction and activities
Teaching strategies• Small groups with single instructor• Associate language with cultural knowledge:– Social customs– Special occasions (e.g., celebrations and festivals)– Geography – learning about parents’ birthplace
• Comparison of Persian and English sentence construction
• Memorizing poetry• Singing national anthem• Learning and practicing traditional Persian dance• Theatrical performances
Special projects
Cultural activities: Persian New Year (Norooz) Celebration
Persian cultural workshop for Irvine public school teachers