Teaching and Learning Resources for Ladino: Current Use and Needs for Further Development

Abstract

The present article explores the use of teaching and learning resources (TLRs) among 31 learners of Ladino, a Romance minority language traditionally spoken by descendants of Sephardic Jews who were expelled from the Iberian Peninsula at the end of the 15th century. The main purpose of the study is to provide a picture of current use of TLRs among learners. The study further discusses perceived needs for additional and/or updated TLRs, as expressed by learners and teachers of Ladino. The results show a mixed use of resources, encompassing traditional textbooks, grammars, and dictionaries, as well as an extensive use of resources not primarily produced as TLRs, such as articles, videos, chat groups, etc. Learners combine available resources and shape their own learning experience. A majority of the learners, as well as many teachers, point at enhanced opportunities for communication as a major need.