Spanish heritage speakers as pre-departure conversation partners

Abstract Drawing on previous research showing the centrality of pre-departure interventions in the success of a study abroad (SA) program and on a translingual practice framework ( Canagarajah, 2013 ), the current study addresses the implementation of a pre-departure conversation exchange between peers from diverse racial/ethnic/cultural/linguistic background as an integral part of a four-week SA program in Spain. Reflections and survey data were collected from a mixed group of SA participants, both second language learners ( n = 14) and Spanish heritage speakers (SHSs; n = 4), as well as from their SHS conversation partners ( n = 5) to determine: (a) the perceived goals and challenges of the mixed SA cohort for studying abroad; (b) the perceived benefits of the pre-departure conversation exchange with SHSs on SA learners’ performative competence; and (c) the perceived benefits for SHS conversation partners on their identity formation, heritage language maintenance, and agency.