This chapter is an introduction to a number of issues surrounding heritage languages in the United States and would be of interest to any teacher or administrator who works with heritage students of Spanish. It describes a range of life circumstances associated with bilingualism and the associated linguistic profiles (e.g., change in language dominance during an immigrant's lifetime, generational change in bilingual communities). Turning specifically to the case of Spanish, the author signals the lack of research on heritage language teaching and learning and poses some fundamental questions that must be answered if language maintenance in bilingual individuals is to be successful (the role of direct instruction, the acquisition of prestige dialects by speakers of non-prestige dialects, etc.). Finally, the author proposes that the National Standards be used as a framework for a new pedagogy of heritage language learning, in which the focus becomes using heritage language for a the widest possible range of authentic communication, in stark contrast to previous approaches that focus on prescriptive grammar instruction.#TheoriesandMethods #HeritageLearners #Standards #All #BookSection #Substantialmention #Research #PolicyorAdministrative #Postsecondary #1.Communication #HighSchool