Much research into the field of teacher cognition in language teaching centers on mainstream school teachers (Borg, 2015). Few studies have focused on what heritage language school (complementary schools) teachers think, know, and believe about their teaching of heritage language learners. This presentation attempts to fill the gap in the research field to better understand how teachers in Heritage Language (HL) schools perceive their role in developing HL learners’ multiple languages. In particular, it focuses on the teachers’ perceptions of HL learners’ linguistic environments and social conditions for language learning, the parental role in supporting HL, and the role of mainstream teachers in relation to their status and position in HL students’ language learning and education experience. Involving five heritage language schools in the UK, the study provides comprehensive information on the legitimacy of HL schools in the formal educational system. Data sources include two parts: 1) a questionnaire; and 2) in-depth interviews with selected teachers. The survey covers three main topics on perceived values of HL schools in the formal educational system, including children’s linguistic environment in the current UK; the parental role in collaborating with HL school teachers; and the role of mainstream school teachers in supporting multilingual development. The interviews provide in-depth information about the challenges and difficulties encountered by HL school teachers. The findings suggest that educating HL learners is a collaborative endeavor between parents, HL schools and Mainstream schools. HL teachers alone cannot produce a competent HL speaker, and much effort is needed to facilitate HL learner’ multiple language development, including recognizing their learning in and out of formal educational contexts, children’s multiple language competences, and the complex linguistic and educational changes experienced by HL learners.

Borg, S. (2015). Teacher cognition and language education: Research and practice. London & New York, Bloomsbury.