Studies of Heritage and Academic Languages & Literacies (SHALL) Program

Studies of Heritage and Academic Languages & Literacies (SHALL) is a model program intended to promote academic success among linguistic/cultural minorities. The model was developed and implemented over three years (2002 – 2005) at Farrington High School, Kalihi, Hawai`i which serves predominately low-income Filipino, Samoan, and Hawaiian students. The goals of SHALL are to help students experience heritage languages as resources, develop Academic English language and literacy abilities, and become active agents of change in their communities.

In heritage language (Samoan/Ilokano) and English-based courses, teachers utilized pedagogical approaches such as student-as-ethnographer, composition as social process, and critical language awareness to promote language and literacy development. In acknowledging multiple language and literacy resources, students were encouraged to effectively and strategically use their languages (e.g. English, Hawai`i Creole English, and heritage languages) both in and out of school.

Language and literacy abilities were further developed through student directed research projects and video productions. Students chose topics that impacted their lives: discrimination, teen pregnancy, drug abuse, teen violence, environmental neglect, poverty, and low school performance. Students became investigative reporters “getting the story” on their topics by conducting library/website research and interviewing key experts, witnesses, and participants. They explored multiple perspectives and analyzed the values driving each perspective. The students also practiced drawing conclusions and generating ideas for change. Through scaffolded and process-oriented instruction, they transformed their findings into professional academic research reports. Most importantly, the students situated themselves as active community members and agents of change. While writing their reports, they worked in groups to produce public service announcements (PSAs) that would raise community awareness about their topics of investigation. The PSA projects involved writing treatments and scripts, filming, editing, and producing videos that were aired on Hawai`i public television (`Olelo). In sum, through an investigative approach to learning, SHALL supported students’ development of a multiple language, literacy, and technology repertoire. Students not only achieved school success, but they also realized critical awareness of social justice issues and the agency to transform schools and communities (see Davis et. al. 2005a, 2005b).