Using object-based activities and an online inquiry platform to support learners’ engagement with their heritage language and culture

Heritage language education is distinct from the field of second language acquisition due to having the concept of identity always at its core (Leeman, Rabin, & Roman-Mendoza, 2012). This paper draws on this concept and presents an action research study focusing on the teaching and learning of Greek as a heritage language in the context of Supplementary Education in the UK. The main aim of the study is to support young learners in gaining an understanding of how language is intertwined with social and cultural aspects. The study took place in two Greek Supplementary Schools in UK during the academic year 2015-16. The participants are learners of Greek language attending pre-GCSE, GCSE and A’Level classes (13-17 years old). For the purposes of this study, the learners used mobile and web-based technologies, i.e. nQuire-It platform (http://www.nquire-it. org), to explore their environment through specific missions. The study involved a number of classroom sessions, attendance of an inter-generational objecthandling workshop run by educators based at the British Museum at each of the two schools, and also participation in a museum visit. The paper presents this study and shares some preliminary findings and insights regarding the integration of mobile technologies within heritage language learning and teaching.