Take Action

To tell your Story, simply follow the steps below:

1. Read the HLSP Consent Form below and sign it.

2. Read over the questions below and think about them. You can print out the questions and jot down notes about them.

3. When you are ready, record yourself responding to the printed questions. Don’t worry about editing your video, we can do this.

4. Send the video to us at

5. You will receive an email thanking you for the submission within 48 hours.

Questions: Please review the questions prior to responding to them via video or in writing. You can print them out and make notes. We recommend you video yourself using — or —. If you choose to respond in writing, please email your responses to ——. Thank you for participating and helping to protect heritage languages.

1. Introduce yourself with your name (or a name you chose to use for the video) and your age, if you want to share it.

2. What is your heritage language or languages and what is the dominant language in your social environment (country/geographic area)? 

3. Who spoke the heritage language in your home and from what age were you exposed to it? How did you use the language with the family member(s)? Could you describe a typical day in terms of how you used the language with the family member(s)?

4. Did your parents or other family members have expectations about your use of the heritage language or languages? If so, what were these and  how were these expectations transmitted to you?

5. Did you know other people in your community that had the same heritage language or languages? If so, were there many who spoke it? How often did you meet them? What language or languages did you use with them when you met them?

6. What are your earliest memories of your heritage language and your feelings about it?

7. Did your feelings about your heritage language or languages change as you aged? If so, how? 

8. Did you have different feelings about or comfort level with using your heritage language or languages within the home versus outside of the home?

9. Was your heritage language or languages supported at school or in your community? Was it offered as a language or a heritage language class in school or through some other organization, such as a religious group or community group? If so, did you take any of these classes? If not, why not?

10.  Do you feel affiliated with the Heritage Language country or countries? If so, how did this affiliation develop? For example, did you visit the family with or without family once or many times, do you watch them play sports, do you read a newspaper from this nation, do you keep in touch with family from the country, ect.?

11. How proficient are you in your heritage language or languages today? How does this make you feel?

12. Looking back, how has your heritage language or languages helped/supported you? How has it hindered you?

13. Regardless of your proficiency in your heritage language or languages, what does it mean to you today?  Do you want to improve your skills and continue to use it?

14. Do you have any messages or recommendations you wish to share with other heritage language speakers?