Heritage learners are students with a personal, cultural, or familial connection to a language. They may have grown up hearing the language at home or in their communities, but they are still developing confidence and proficiency in speaking, reading, and writing it.

Wayside supports these learners by offering instructional content that honors their unique backgrounds and builds on the knowledge they already bring to the classroom. Through differentiated activities, culturally relevant themes, and targeted opportunities to strengthen skills in real-world communication, Wayside’s programs help heritage learners deepen their connection to the target language and progress toward proficiency.