Dr. Román Mendoza was invited to speak at the inauguration of the academic year at the Universidad de Salamanca in Spain on September 23, 2024.
In her talk, Dr. Román Mendoza described the characteristics of Spanish heritage language learners, the challenges they face, and effective pedagogical approaches. She emphasizes the importance of critical pedagogy in heritage language teaching, focusing on student empowerment, diversity celebration, and challenging social injustices.
In her presentation, she also highlighted the need to raise awareness about heritage language learners' unique needs and incorporate strategies like curriculum enhancement, service-learning, and self-directed learning. It discussed the use of technology, such as ChatGPT, to create engaging and interactive learning experiences, and provided examples of assignments and projects that promote critical thinking and language development.
Dr. Román Mendoza concluded by emphasizing the importance of ongoing research and collaboration among educators to enhance heritage language education and support heritage language learners in their language journey.
September 23, 2024