Author: Vanda Pickett
Abstract: Investigating the experience of teachers at a community run heritage language (HL) school in the UK, this case study draws on research of HL education, complementary education and communities of practice. The close study of one small week-end school teacher cohort identified three key areas of interest for this type of setting: teachers’ need for pedagogical solutions in HL teaching practice, their professional identity creation and development, and the role of cooperation and communities of practice as a potential way forward for these educationally specific institutions.
Keywords: heritage, languages, complementary schools, teacher identity, heritage language teaching, communities of practice