摘要：What do we know about heritage language speakers (HLSs). The literature does not provide a definitive answer to this question; this is most likely as a result of their being a highly diverse population where no single linguistic, social, educational, or ethnic background emerges (Wang & Garcia, 2002). Valdés (2001, pp. 37-38) defines HLSs as "individuals who appear in a foreign language classroom, who are raised in homes where a non-English language is spoken; who speak or merely understand the heritage language; and who are to some degree bilingual in English and the heritage language." What seems to be clear from this definition is that HLSs are also a heterogeneous population in terms of their language proficiency. In the United States, the largest community of HLSs consists of heritage Spanish speakers (HSSs). Thus, a great deal of research has focused on the situation of HSSs in particular
