As part of learning experiences under the unit “Modern and Traditional Occupations”, students interviewed a physician, Dr. Nivedita Sharma. It was a rich experience for them to interact with an expert from the field of healthcare who actively serves as a frontline worker during the ongoing pandemic, and is also a native speaker of Hindi. The children not only learned about the life of our invited guest but also gained insight into her field of expertise. Language learning for heritage language learners has to be with a dual purpose- to learn language skills and to gain knowledge on a specific topic. HLA takes pride in providing such unique opportunities to come face to face with members of the community and to use the Hindi language for real world purposes.

We are filled with gratitude for Dr. Nivedita Sharma for taking time out from her busy schedule that demands a fair balance between treating patients at the hospital and at her private clinic. She makes sure to reserve some quality time for her lovely family. Dr. Sharma kindly and patiently answered our students’ questions for a full hour! Children were left inspired by her work and her philosophies.