ABSTRACT
The present article explores Korean heritage language (HL) and learners from the learners' perspective, and calls for further discussion and/or collaborative work from the field of HL education. This is a survey study that aimed to address seven aspects regarding HL and learning from the learners' perspectives. These included issues of HL learner identity and the benefits and challenges of studying their HL in an academic environment. The qualitative responses were collected through an online anonymous survey of heritage students (N = 22), who took a heritage track intermediate language course at a private university in the United States during the academic years 2014–2016. Findings from the data collected accounted for whom and where the learners are in terms of their HL identity and motivation in learning. This allows Korean language educators to gain insight into HL learners' perceptions and learn which language-learning strategies students find most useful. By the same token, the students' learning goals and self-identified strengths and weaknesses should be reflected in all respects in developing an appropriate HL curriculum and learning materials.
