Heritage Language Teachers’ Views of their Work: Hopes and Frustrations

This research paper presents heritage language (HL) teachers’ views of HL instruction which they provide in the Greater Reykjavík Area, Iceland. The aim of the study was to explore their professional and personal experience of teaching plurilingual students as volunteer teachers, as well as to understand their motivation. The methods were mixed and the theoretical background included research on heritage language education (Trifonas & Aravossitas 2014) and critical multiculturalism (Banks 2007), in particular the notion of empowerment (Freire 2005; Nieto 2010). Non-formal HL instruction in Iceland is mainly in the hands of Non Governmental Organizations and volunteers and it is only provided in the most populated areas of Iceland. The importance of HL instruction is formally recognized in local and national policies in Iceland, as well as confirmed by international research, but it is not provided by formal institutions. Conclusions of this research help to understand the strong motivation of volunteer HL teachers, which is both personal and professional, and show how well they understand the complex needs of plurilingual students and their families. At the same time, the HL teachers are aware of the shortcomings of the schooling of their students with regard to promoting plurilingualism and they aim at building bridges between students’ cultures and languages.