A Curriculum for Teaching Indonesian in Classes with Diverse Learners

Abstract

Language classes enrolling heritage language learners are characterized by great student diversity, e.g. different proficiency levels in the target language and culture, as well as in English. This is true for heritage language classes (i.e. classes populated only by heritage language students), as well as mixed-background classes (i.e. classes enrolling both heritage and second language (L2) learners). Attending to the needs of all learners in these classes presents significant pedagogical challenges. In this paper we present a curriculum for classes with diverse student populations. Implemented at a mixed-background Indonesian class at UCLA, this learner-centered curriculum 1 has the built in flexibility to attend to the needs of students of different backgrounds and proficiency levels. This curriculum's focus on immigrant Indonesian communities in the United States makes it particularly well suited for heritage language learners, who frequently study this language to communicate with family and friends in the United States (Heritage Language Survey Report, 2007). Following the presentation of this curriculum, we discuss modifications for different student populations, languages, and learning formats.

Keywords

• Curriculum
• Indonesian
• Classes
• Diverse Learners
• heritage
• proficiency