Article: UCLA’s Heritage Language Resource Center Focuses on Teenagers

From http://www.scpr.org/blogs/education/2013/08/12/14429/program-keeps-lesser-used-languages-alive-by-teach

Program keeps lesser-used languages alive by teaching immigrants' kids
Deepa Fernandes
August 12, 2013

Christina Deirmenjian is on a mission to learn all she can about her cultural heritage. Born in San Francisco and raised in Los Angeles, the 17-year-old began her summer with a two week trip back to her parent’s native homeland of Armenia. Her twin sister and two brothers had other summer plans, so Deimenjian and her father went alone.

Upon returning from what she described as an “incredible” experience the high school senior threw herself into a five-week intensive Armenian language course at UCLA.

It’s a unique class run by the university's Heritage Language Resource Center. Rather than focus on Spanish or French, the program is meant to keep lesser-known languages alive among the children of immigrants. Among the languages taught: Hindi-Urdu, Persian, Russian and Arabic. All of them target teenagers.

Read the full article at http://www.scpr.org/blogs/education/2013/08/12/14429/program-keeps-lesser-used-languages-alive-by-teach