Are heritage speakers of Spanish significantly better at speaking than at writing? Results of an experiment on writing and speaking proficiencies—Actual and perceived

Abstract

AbstractIt is often assumed that heritage language learners (HLLs) speak better than they write—by themselves and by educators alike. This article draws on data from writing and oral proficiency ratings plus self‐evaluations of 35 Spanish HLLs to investigate: (i) whether Spanish HLLs actually tend to receive higher ratings in speaking than in writing; (ii) if this is the case, how large the distance in proficiency is; and (iii) to what extent HLLs are accurate in identifying their better modality. Results do show higher ratings in speaking on average, but to a degree that is smaller than might be expected: ratings indicate that subjects performed the same functions in both modalities even when one of the two was rated higher than the other. Additionally, fewer than half the subjects were able to accurately evaluate whether or not they are better at speaking or writing. Implications for instruction are also discussed.