Service learning in Spanish for the health professions: Heritage language learners’ competence in action

Abstract

The present study examined the impact of a service learning activity on students’ perceptions of language, identity, and community in an advanced Spanish for the Health Professions course. Forty‐five advanced Spanish heritage learners (SHLs) participated in health fairs as assistants to health‐care providers as part of the curriculum requirements. The mixed‐methods analysis of students’ reflection essays shows that this experience had the greatest effect on participants’ confidence in the use of Spanish as a professional language, on their awareness and understanding of the local Hispanic communities’ needs, and on their emerging identity as Hispanic health‐care professionals. The findings also support the value of service learning as a domestic immersion experience, targeting the specific language and professional needs of SHLs.