Advancing Greek Heritage Language Education in Canada

Dr. Themistoklis Aravossitas teaches Modern Greek at the University of Toronto and York University, Toronto, Canada. His research examines bilingual rights and heritage language pedagogy, focusing on sustainable models of intergenerational transmission and policy support for minority language communities in Canada.Marianthi Oikonomakou is an Associate Professor at the Department of Primary Education, of the University of the Aegean. She holds a PhD in Linguistics from the Department of Linguistics of the University of Athens and a master’s in general and applied Linguistics from University René Descartes-Paris V, France. Her post-doctoral studies (University of the Aegean, 2019) focus on the development of language skills in Greek primary education. She teaches Linguistics (at an undergraduate and post graduate level) at the University of the Aegean and the Hellenic Open University and Greek as a second/foreign (or heritage language) in various educational settings. She is a member of the editorial committee of the latest L1Curriclum (2022) for Greek language teaching in Greece and participates in several actions aiming at the professional development of teachers in collaboration with the Greek Institute of Educational Policy. She has published books and articles in international and major Greek peer-reviewed journals. Her research focuses on language teaching, literacies in education, critical literacy, and curriculum studies.

• 1. Introduction to the Study – Themistoklis Aravossitas.- 2. Construction and Functions of Ethnic Identity in the Diaspora – Michael Damanakis.- 3. Languaging and Bilingualism in Greek Diasporas – Eleni Skourtou.- 4. Greeks and Greek Language Education in Canada – Michael Damanakis & Themistoklis Aravossitas.- 5. Methodology of the Study – Dionysios Arkadianos, Themistoklis Aravossitas, Vasilios Paraschou.- 6. Greek Language Education in Canada from the Perspective of Educators – Marianthi Oikonomakou, Emmanouela Tisizi, Themistoklis Aravossitas.- 7. Greek Language Education in Canada from the Perspective of Parents – Aspasia Chatzidaki.- 8. Greek Language Education in Canada from the Perspective of Principals – Michael Damanakis.- 9. Greek Language Education in Canada from the Perspective of Students – Themistoklis Aravossitas, Marianthi Oikonomakou, Evangelia Daskalaki, Dionysios Arkadianos.- 10. Learning Communities – Vasilia Kourtis-Kazoullis, Aspasia Chatzidaki, Themistoklis Aravossitas.- 11. Discussion – Michael Damanakis, Themistoklis Aravossitas.- 12. Conclusion and Recommendations – Themistoklis Aravossitas.