Heritage language learning for contesting the model minority stereotype: The case of Korean American college students

This chapter presents a qualitative study of a group of eight second-generation Korean American college students who appeared to fit the model minority stereotype: high academic achievers who had adjusted to the American culture at the expense of their heritage language and culture. Contrary to what the model minority stereotype predicts about Asian Americans' assimilation into mainstream society, these college students chose to take Korean language classes in an attempt to relearn the language they were exposed to while growing up in Korean immigrant households. These Korean American students, rather than being passive recipients of language instruction, brought their hybrid, transnational life experiences to the language classroom interactions. The findings regarding the students' development and maintenance of their heritage language while achieving academic success challenge the prevalent model minority stereotype and suggest a promise of bilingualism and multiculturalism in a multiethnic society such as the United States.