As we move through a rapidly changing world, it’s important to remember why we teach languages and why language learning matters. In an age of increasing reliance on AI for everything from writing to translation, ELL and heritage learners remind us about the real purpose of learning a new language— accessing new ways of living, understanding, and adjusting to new cultures.
Unlike typical language learners, ELL students face the urgency of language and cultural acquisition. Their language classroom extends not just through school, but through their entire lives.
Tapping into the Culture of Heritage Learners
ELL students also often bring a novel perspective to their school classrooms. Many ELL students come from Central America, the home of ancient cultures and vibrant communities that continue to persist in the face of economic, political, and environmental hardships. Heritage students have any range of connections to these communities, from the tenuous to the deeply felt, and all students can benefit from learning about them.
The Pulsera Project is a nonprofit fair-trade organization that partners with schools to provide free educational resources and meaningful connections with artisans in Central America. Incorporating the Pulsera Project into your heritage or ELL classroom is a great way not only to encourage your students to get more in touch with their own roots, but also to educate the entire school about an often-misunderstood region of the world.
A Tactile Connection to Culture
The Pulsera Project primarily partners with schools through the sale of handwoven fair-trade bracelets (pulseras en español). Students or groups sell the bracelets for $5 in their schools and communities, raising funds to support nearly 200 artisans in Nicaragua and Guatemala.
Each pulsera comes tagged with a photo and the signature of the artist who made it, and students can go online not only to see the artisans, but also to hear them and get a sense of who they are and where they live. Every artisan has a mini social media page, with audio and written interviews, video greetings, and a map showing where they live. Many of these artisans don’t just make pulseras; they also advocate for women’s rights, sustainability, and the preservation of their culture. The younger artisans may be wearing a traditional Guatemalan huipil, but they also share their love of karaoke, kick-boxing, and their dreams. These stories help connect American students to Central Americans in a direct and meaningful way.
Lessons with a Lift
The free educational resources the Pulsera Project provides to all schools are adaptable and comprehensive, ranging from quick bellringer activities to in-depth units on immigration and indigenous culture. Since all the activities connect directly back to the artisans and communities that pulsera sales support in Central America, the lessons can make a major impact.
To date, over 4,000 schools across the US have brightened their classrooms and hallways with pulsera sales, in many cases highlighting heritage and ELL learners who lead the sales. In addition to fostering language skills, students learn real-life skills like leadership, planning, and getting the word out.
Changing the Narrative
When people think of Central America, poverty and social disruption usually predominate, even (and perhaps especially) among heritage speakers. The Pulsera Project does not undermine the real and painful realities that many Central Americans confront; instead it shines a light on some of the truly amazing things that Central Americans share: a profound sense of community, solidarity, and resilience in the face of difficult circumstances.
Even better, pulsera sales allow for students to participate directly in creating economic stability and mobility for dozens of communities in Central America, knowing that they are helping to create jobs, education, and housing for many of the region’s most vulnerable.
Our Partnership with Vista Higher Learning
Our partnership with VHL has been a great help in spreading the word about how educators can bring their language instruction to life through our pulsera sales. In addition to helping spread the word, VHL provides the opportunity for us to bring two participating teachers to meet the artisans in Guatemala each year. Not only is this experience a reward for our valued educators who volunteer their time to facilitate pulsera sales, it also helps to deepen their personal understanding and enlivens their instruction with real-life stories.
As one of this year’s winners shares in her application, the Pulsera Project helps “students from diverse backgrounds unite.” We believe this is the first step in building global citizenship, which is key to our collective future, here and abroad.
Pulsera sales are a great way to elevate your students’ appreciation of Central American culture and art. They raise awareness for the entire school community through participation in a real cultural exchange, with opportunities to speak to artisans directly during their sale.
Learn more at pulseraproject.org or contact the Pulsera Project at pulseraproject@gmail.com. And make sure to subscribe to Vista’s newsletter to learn more about how you can host a sale next year!
By Chris Howell, Co-Founder of the Pulsera Project
Also Read:
The Language Imperative Podcast Series: The Pulsera Project’s Educational Purpose
The Learning Imperative Podcast Series
