Abstract
Cabo Verde’s language policy is shaped by the coexistence of two languages that serve distinct functions for students of Cabo Verdean origin: Portuguese, as the official language, is used in schools, while Cabo Verdean Creole (CVC) is the mother tongue. This diglossic context is considered by scholars to be a major factor contributing to identity conflict within Cabo Verde’s bilingual population (Amado, 2023; Madeira, 2013;Timbane, 2023; Veiga, 2015). Such conflict often persists among Cape Verdean-origin immigrants in the United States, particularly those of the 1.5 generation (who immigrated after beginning school in Cabo Verde) and the second generation (U.S.-born children of Cabo Verdean parents). Experiential learning (EL) grounded in agency-focused language instruction offers opportunities for self-reflection that may help reduce this identity conflict. In classes of Portuguese as a foreign language in U.S. schools, Cabo Verdean students—whether 1.5 or second generation—often exhibit oppositional agency (Ahearn,2001), opting out of active participation, possibly due to the diglossic tension between Portuguese and CVC. When traditional teaching methods are used, this complex relationship can be further strained. However, the reflective process that leads to action(Bandura, 1997), as promoted through EL, can counteract students' avoidance behaviors and encourage greater engagement in the Portuguese language classroom. Drawing on the principles of critical pedagogy (Carreira & Kagan, 2018; Freire, 1987; Dewey, 1955;Kolb, 1984; Rogers, 1969), this study examines how students expressed agency before and after two experiential projects implemented at the beginning and end of the schoolyear. Findings suggest that experiential learning fosters agency in the language classroom and supports students in recognizing themselves as multilingual individuals. This, in turn, allows them to appreciate the diverse possibilities afforded by their linguistic repertoire. Additionally, the study contributes to a reconceptualization of the term heritage language, which may include languages not necessarily spoken in the home, thereby offering implications for language education and research in the U.S. context.