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Many students arrive at school with rich linguistic backgrounds, joining peers from other cultures while cherishing their own traditions. A new Hindi Heritage Language Program in the Bellevue School District seeks to nurture this unique skill set, providing students with language proficiency and a sense of belonging within their culture.
Across Washington, dual language programs help students learn literacy and content in English and another language by integrating students of different linguistic backgrounds. Heritage language programs, on the other hand, prioritize the preservation and development of minority languages that students speak at home and in their communities.
Recognizing the value of these programs, the Legislature continues to expand language learning opportunities for all students statewide. The state supports 85 heritage and 36 tribal language programs across school districts, which focus on preserving students' cultural and Indigenous language connections.
“Heritage language programs are often the first time a student encounters the language they use at home, with their families, or in their communities in our schools, providing the rich educational experience that fosters literacy and belonging,” said Ema Shirk, (former) Heritage and Dual Language Program Supervisor at the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI).
Developed in close partnership with families and community members, the Hindi Heritage Language Program will be launched at Ardmore Elementary School for incoming kindergarteners in the 2024–25 school year. Students will be taught in Hindi for 90 minutes of instruction during language arts, social studies, and social-emotional learning.
"These programs are driven by the families in the driver's seat, based on what they want as immigrants and their own cultural experiences," said Chitra Bhardwaj, Director of Multilingual Programs for Bellevue School District. "And families are now saying that we want students to learn English but not at the cost of losing our own language."
The program was initiated after a student's presentation at a school board meeting, where he asked to see language programs that are more representative of the student population in Bellevue. Program leaders, led by Bhardwaj, also continue to shape conversations around multilingual learners based on their own experiences as immigrants, which has resonated with the community.
"It's very clear that we are not using the full potential of the depth of knowledge that our students are capable of sharing and the rigor that they are able to meet," said Pushpanjali Sengupta, Multilingual Facilitator and Hindi Heritage Language Coach for Bellevue School District. "But for the first time, we're hearing that it is now not an afterthought. It is a part of the program and the curriculum. And that is incredible."
In the Bellevue School District, families speak over 115 languages, with 45% of students speaking a first language other than English. The district currently offers Mandarin, Spanish, and Arabic language programs, which informed the approach for the new initiative.
Throughout the process, Bhardwaj emphasized the importance of creating a program that is reflective and responsive to community needs. A family listening session hosted in October 2023 led to heartfelt discussions about the Hindi learning experience and informed the framework of the program.
"We started it out with a core design principle of really listening to the families because one program is not going to fit all," said Bhardwaj. "Based on this, we integrated the Hindi curriculum without compromising any of the other content areas."
Bellevue School District received funding through the Dual, Tribal, and Heritage Language Seed Grants, which use state funds to help cover initial costs associated with planning language programs.
“When I'm looking at districts to determine who will benefit, one of the things I'm looking for is, do they have two-way communication to build their program with a community?" said Shirk. "In the case of Hindi, we are really fortunate to have a significant number of Hindi speakers in this state, and a significant portion of those people are teaching or are interested in teaching."
Bellevue's diverse population includes many Hindi-speaking educators who are already teaching in the school system. A professional learning community of educators is working on curriculum development and discussing instructional practices that would benefit students in the program.
"Educators from the community are not only advocates, but they are great teachers," said Sengupta. "They are really good at building up parent communication and knowing traditions that are prevalent in the community."
As the program grows, additional grade levels will be added to accommodate students who want to acquire new language skills and build global citizenship. Students in grades 6–-8 can register for the Hindi program during the spring 2025 registration period and earn world language credits.
"Heritage language programs have flexibility, but also the purpose is around identity and multiliteracies," said Bhardwaj. "We want all students to have an opportunity to learn this other language because this multilingual ecology is ultimately going to elevate all languages."
To remain flexible and adapt to the needs of students and their families, a steering committee consisting of district leaders and multilingual experts is developing a five-year plan for the program.
"Our task is doing empathy interviews, listening to students and the community, and then coming up with a plan about how we are going to sustain it," said Bhardwaj. "We're really thinking about students in this program from the time they enter kindergarten and graduate from the Bellevue School District."