Spanish for Heritage Speakers

LALIS offers two tracks (Track 1 and Track 2) for heritage speakers, defined here as students with at-home Spanish experience during childhood in the United States. If you grew up speaking Spanish and/or “Spanglish” with your parents and/or other guardians/caretakers, then you are a “heritage speaker” of Spanish (yes, even if you are more comfortable with English!) and, therefore, eligible for one of the two heritage speaker tracks.

While both tracks offer students the opportunity to take LAIS 310: Spanish for Heritage Speakers, Track 1 requires students to take a 300-level elective (e.g., LAIS 301-308) before enrolling in LAIS 310. (Note: In some circumstances, Prof. Giancaspro may ask Track 1 heritage speakers to take LAIS 221 before enrolling in a 300-level course.) Track 2 heritage speakers, whose prior at-home and educational experience with Spanish is typically more extensive than it is for Track 1 heritage speakers, can enroll directly in LAIS 310 without having taken any other LALIS courses.

In order to determine their track, students must meet with Prof. David Giancaspro (dgiancas@richmond.edu) for a brief language evaluation in Spanish. At the conclusion of this short evaluation, which typically lasts no longer than 10-15 minutes, Prof. Giancaspro will recommend that a student be placed in Track 1 or Track 2, depending on their overall proficiency level and educational goals.

LALIS Minor

Track 1 (6 units)

  • 1 course between LAIS 301-308
  • LAIS 310
  • One unit of an Area of Inquiry taught in LALIS
  • 3 elective units (above LAIS 310)

Track 2 (6 units)

  • LAIS 310
  • One unit of an Area of Inquiry taught in LALIS
  • 4 elective units (above LAIS 310)

LALIS Major

Track 1 (9.5 units)

  • 1 course between LAIS 301-308
  • LAIS 310
  • One unit of an Area of Inquiry taught in LALIS
  • 3 400-level seminars
  • 3 elective units (above LAIS 310)
  • Student Research Symposium

Track 2 (9.5 units)

  • LAIS 310
  • One unit of an Area of Inquiry taught in LALIS
  • 3 400-level seminars
  • 4 elective units (above LAIS 310)
  • Student Research Symposium 

All of the other information below our major/minor (“Additional requirements for minors”) is the same for heritage speakers as it is for other students.