Abstract Phrasal verbs (PVs) play an important role in informal and idiomatic communication for learners studying abroad. This multiple-case study tracked four Chinese learners in the United Kingdom over three timepoints in one academic year to investigate changes in their L2 contact and their PV gains. To assess their comprehension and production of PVs, students completed a receptive and productive PV test and an IELTS speaking test three times in a year. To understand changes in their L2 contact and social networks, each participant was also interviewed three times in a year. Results showed that PV development was achieved regardless of the sources of students’ L2 contact: either from social interactions or intentional self-study. Interview data revealed that those engaged in L2 socialization acquired PVs unconsciously and more effortlessly than self-study. This study highlighted the diverging paths of individuals’ study abroad experiences and how such experiences affected students’ formulaic language knowledge.
Abstract Study abroad (SA) scholars have called for greater investigation of writing development during SA and, particularly, for research on curricular features that afford the writing growth of students including Spanish heritage language learners (SHLLs). Responding to this gap, the present study documented the Spanish writing pedagogies employed by an island program in Madrid, Spain that served 13 U.S. university students, including six SHLLs, in spring 2023. Through inductive, qualitative analysis of interviews, field notes, and program artifacts, the study described stakeholders’ evaluations of the strengths and limitations of writing pedagogies. Students and instructors emphasized the value of process-based composition assignments with low-stakes writing components; portfolio assessment; and timely instructor written corrective feedback. SHLLs particularly valued writing by hand as a way to address their perceived need for improvement in orthographic accuracy. Results are discussed in terms of the potential of meaningful writing assignments for curricular developments in SA writing instruction.
Abstract Although the effects of a study abroad (SA) experience have been investigated, the impact of a SA experience in a multilingual setting is unknown. The present study examines oral lexical L2 development in Spanish as a foreign language over a three-month SA experience in a multilingual setting (Spanish, Catalan, and English). To track oral lexical development in Spanish, 18 international students spending a semester at a Catalan university were asked to explain a story in Spanish at the beginning and at the end of their stay. Data were examined quantitatively (lexical complexity) and qualitatively (through two different measures of incorrect lexical exchanges, one involving only Spanish words and the other one involving words from other languages). Results indicated that participants used more varied words and made fewer lexical exchanges involving other languages at the post-test. However, the qualitative results showed that, although participants learned more words, they did not use them appropriately.
Abstract Thirteen degree-seeking international students enrolled at a large private university in Italy participated in semi-structured interviews to investigate how volunteer experiences can help international students to better integrate socially. Data analysis was informed by the three stages of the volunteer process model: antecedents, experiences, and outcomes. The results suggest that students who identified with the role of volunteers and had prior volunteering experience were more likely to overcome barriers such as limited proficiency in the local language and a lack of connections and knowledge of volunteering opportunities in the host country. Students who interacted with other volunteers and community members described their service as highly formative in terms of language acquisition, cultural understanding, and achieving more profound integration with the new social and cultural environment. Higher education institutions could collaborate with community organizations to provide students with the best possible volunteering environment, connecting their internationalization and social responsibility agendas.
Abstract This special issue brings together articles which explore the highly contested, yet under-researched, impact of length of stay (LoS) of study abroad (SA) on the development of various aspects of the linguistic repertoire. It positions LoS as a significant complex variable interacting with myriad interconnected elements and which should be considered a central factor in all SA research. We argue for clearer specifications of LoS to be used throughout SA research, ensuring well-founded justifications for why different LoS may generate divergent linguistic outcomes. We start with an evaluation of how LoS is operationalized. We then provide a general overview of its impact, before turning our focus to how LoS relates specifically to the elements of the linguistic repertoire addressed by the papers in this special issue — namely oral proficiency, lexical, grammatical, and sociopragmatic development.
Abstract The present study investigates the effects of study abroad (SA) immersion on second language (L2) learners’ on-line processing of lexically-selected mood morphology in Spanish. Twenty-five participants completed self-paced reading (SPR) tasks at the beginning and end of a fifteen-week SA program in Spain. To assess potential effects of morphological regularity on learners’ processing of mood, the SPR tasks included both irregular verbs, which were expected to be more salient for learners, as well as regular verbs, which were expected to be less salient and therefore more difficult to process. In the first session, learners did not exhibit sensitivity to mood with either irregular verbs or regular verbs. In the second session, however, learners displayed a clear sensitivity to mood — but only with irregular verbs. This novel finding suggests that the benefits of SA immersion for non-native morphosyntactic processing may be greater in certain, more noticeable subsets of the L2 verbal lexicon.
Given the increasing diversity of additional language (L2) learners in Europe, this study investigates the views and attitudes toward the use of English as a lingua franca (ELF) in learning and teaching L2 Greek among Erasmus+ participants (students and teachers) in a university setting in Greece. It further explores the pedagogical implications for L2 instruction within the Erasmus+ framework. Using questionnaires, interviews, and classroom observations, the study examines teachers’ and students’ attitudes and experiences with ELF in multilingual classrooms. Findings reveal positive attitudes toward ELF among both students and teachers, particularly during the initial stages of L2 teaching and learning. ELF is perceived as a valuable tool for fostering inclusivity, facilitating communication, and enhancing learning in multilingual classrooms. The study highlights the pedagogical benefits of translanguaging in ELF contexts, recognizing the positive impact of students’ full utilization of their linguistic resources, and argues that a mindful approach can promote plurilingualism.
In light of increasing internationalization and diversity in German higher education (HE), the key role of language proficiency in social and academic adaptation has been widely recognized. Acknowledging international students’ pro-active role in their language learning pathways, our study explored students’ language learning agency in German HE. Drawing on Bandura’s ( 1999 , 2006 , 2008 ) model of triadic reciprocal causation, we employed a qualitative approach to examine the interplay between personal factors, environment, and language learning behavior. Furthermore, we evaluated the practical applicability of Bandura’s theoretical model for studying the agentic behavior in a real-world setting. Our findings demonstrate its usefulness as an analytical lens, revealing that language learning agency is strongly shaped by the individual’s perception of the three factors. Insights from our study not only enhance our understanding of international students’ role in shaping their language learning pathways but also highlight the relevance of institutional offerings, their accessibility, and significant others.
Despite the growing body of literature on international student experiences, little attention has been paid to Kurdish students, a group whose study abroad experience is relatively new and largely driven by scholarship programs funded by the Kurdistan Regional Government. Through semi-structured interviews, this qualitative case study explores the intercultural experiences of Kurdish international students in multicultural classrooms in the United Kingdom, using Communities of Practice theory as a framework. The findings show that language proficiency considerably affected their intercultural experiences. The study also highlights the complex role of cultural differences and the limited interaction between Kurdish and native English-speaking students, reinforcing their sense of peripheral participation in the classroom. This study, therefore, contributes to the growing discourse on international student mobility and offers recommendations for enhancing international students’ integration into higher education.
Amid a shifting global cultural landscape, fostering global identity (GI) among students has become a critical focus in international education ( Hendershot & Sperandio, 2009 ). Japan’s surge in international student enrollment, driven by policies promoting global learning within a multicultural context, underscores the need to examine how international students navigate their experiences in Japan and manifest a GI. This study views international students as active agents, investigating multifaceted factors shaping their GI. Combining questionnaire data and semi-structured interviews, the analysis applies Identity Theory ( Stryker & Burke, 2000 ) to explore both personal and external influences during their time in Japan. The findings reveal that students’ regional backgrounds, language proficiency, and engagement with academic, multicultural, and local Japanese communities significantly relate to GI formation. This empirical evidence challenges the traditional view of GI as an inherent disposition, instead linking it to community dynamics within the unique context of a non-Western and non-English-language setting.
This study explores how study-abroad learners perceive and interpret gaps in their L2 pragmatic knowledge. While previous research focuses on pragmatic development in specific speech acts or pragmatic phenomena, this research adopts a learner-centered approach, emphasizing pragmatic challenges noticed by learners themselves during naturalistic interactions. Data were collected through learning journals and interviews with five Chinese students studying in the United Kingdom over one academic year. Results reveal that learners predominantly notice pragmatic gaps in three scenarios: (1) encountering unfamiliar sociopragmatic and pragmalinguistic features, (2) experiencing difficulties in negotiating social or moral meanings, and (3) receiving implicit feedback from interlocutors regarding their pragmatic choices. Pragmatic awareness was particularly triggered in rapport-sensitive interactions with tutors and non-transactional conversations like small talk. While noticing sometimes led to metapragmatic reflection, learners often overgeneralized or misinterpreted sociopragmatic norms. The findings highlight the need for specialized pragmatics instruction in ESL/EFL contexts to support SA students.
In this article, we reflect on how stay-abroad data and research have contributed to the field of second language acquisition and on what form future contributions could take. To do so, we use a recent model of second-language interaction ( Geeslin, 2020 , 2023 ) as a framework, focusing on two components of the model: learner characteristics (i.e., gender, identity) that shape language use and input available to learners. For each component, we reference empirical research on sociolinguistic and phraseological development in stay-abroad contexts to formulate six testable hypotheses. We show how these hypotheses may fruitfully guide future research, with the goal of refining this model of second-language interaction and informing theory building within the field of second language acquisition more generally.
This study investigated the experiences of 24 international students from eight countries studying Arabic as a second language at a university in the Occupied Palestinian territories. Five native Arabic instructors who taught the students were also interviewed. The study attempted to answer the following research question: what challenges in communication did Arabic as a foreign language learners report when using Palestinian colloquial Arabic (ammya) with Palestinians (locals) outside of the university classroom? Data was collected using semi-structured interviews and analyzed using qualitative thematic analysis. Findings show that students preferred using ammya to communicate with locals, that locals were willing to speak ammya, and that effective communication requires increased cultural awareness. Implications for Arabic study abroad second language learning programs are provided.
This article draws on a larger research project investigating Swiss adolescents’ study abroad (SA) experiences and offers a detailed case study centered on the social integration of a 16-year-old student, Lily, during her year in England. A highly sociable individual and a skilled basketball player, Lily’s narrative sheds light on the intricate challenges associated with social integration during a SA program, revealing complex power dynamics among teenage high school students, with bullying emerging as a poignant manifestation. It challenges the prevailing discourse that often idealizes language learning during immersion as a straightforward and enjoyable process within a friendly and supportive host environment. Instead, it delves into the sensitive issue of adolescents abroad facing instances of bullying. Communities of practice and othering provide valuable insights into the unfriendly attitudes exhibited by the hosts and Lily’s defensive response, contributing to a nuanced understanding of the dynamics at play during adolescent SA experiences.
Abstract This article documents language development in the context of studying abroad with English as the lingua franca. In particular, it examines whether and how lexical sophistication in English as a foreign language changes during a semester abroad. Given the advances in the conceptualization and operationalization of lexical sophistication, this study applies indicators of lexical sophistication that have not previously been used in study abroad research. A statistically significant improvement was found in two measures of lexical sophistication in oral production — familiarity and meaningfulness — and in one measure in written production — meaningfulness. Comparing the differences between the pre- and post-test results showed that respondents performed better in the oral production in terms of range and familiarity, that is, they produced more lexis that occurs in fewer texts and is less familiar, while they performed better in the written production in terms of imageability, in other words, they used less imageable lexis.
Abstract This study investigates which types of target language (TL) use best explain the development of phraseological sophistication (mean pointwise mutual information of verb + direct object collocations) in argumentative essays written by second language learners of French during a nine-month sojourn abroad. Using data from the LANGSNAP corpus (Tracy-Ventura et al., 2016), we built a series of regression models to predict development on the basis of the learners’ self-reported social networks and engagement in various activities (e.g., small talk, reading newspapers). Our findings show that quantity of TL interaction and use on their own were not strong predictors of development. Rather, development was related to the types of activities that learners reported being engaging in while abroad, specifically reading. These results shed more light on the development of phraseological sophistication and speak to the importance of connecting linguistic development to the specific activities learners engage in while abroad.
Abstract The variability of speaking proficiency outcomes in study abroad (SA) is often thought of as confounding, as conclusions regarding even the most basic assumptions are not agreed upon. While instruments such as language contact and social network surveys shed light on target language engagement, comparisons across studies are often obscured by individual differences, SA program variability, and differences in study design and instruments. Qualitative approaches to understanding learners’ contexts for interaction can provide a fuller picture of what actually occurs during SA. From an interactionist perspective centering learners’ reflections about their interactions in journals, this article presents ten university students’ experiences in an eight-week language program in Turkey. The program’s unstructured nature (no language pledge or homestay) allowed for diverse interactional patterns to emerge. Findings highlight the central role of service encounters in providing learner access to speaking opportunities.
Abstract Drawing on the concepts of desire from applied linguistics and Deleuzian perspectives, this study investigates the desires encapsulated in a Japanese woman’s English learning sojourn in the Philippines. Data were collected using an open-ended questionnaire and through two semi-structured interviews. The participant’s retrospective narrative provides insight into her perceptions of the Philippines compared to Canada. While previous research has primarily examined the sociolinguistic aspects of studying abroad in the Philippines, the current study expands this focus to encompass other dimensions, such as material factors. The findings illuminate how the Philippines, as a study-abroad destination, is experienced and remembered by students. Further, the findings unveil the participant’s ambivalent yet irresistible akogare for the West. The marginal desirability of the Philippines as a study-abroad destination represents how the historically and economically constituted global hierarchies of power have been reproduced in the discourse and practice of transnational English learning.
Abstract This study provides greater understanding of the student characteristics and practices that affect the success of a study abroad experience as evidenced by students’ adjustment. Two personal characteristics of students, grit and cultural intelligence (CQ), and one learning behavior, reflective thinking, were investigated. The study was conducted among undergraduate students from the United States participating in study abroad semester programs with 309 matched/completed surveys returned. Results show that grit, entailing consistency of interest and perseverance of effort, has a positive effect on student adjustment when abroad. Also, three of the four dimensions of CQ (metacognitive, cognitive, and motivational) positively influenced study abroad; however, behavioral CQ did not have a significant effect. Furthermore, this study demonstrates that reflection and critical reflection have a positive impact on students’ adjustment when abroad. These results can inform the design of study abroad orientation programs to better facilitate cultural adjustment.
Abstract With a well-established bedrock of literature exploring the benefits of study abroad (SA) in second/foreign/additional language learning contexts (e.g., Anderson et al., 2006; Smith & Mitry, 2008; Williams, 2005), Spanish as a heritage language scholars have only recently begun to explore SA settings (e.g., Pozzi et al., 2021; Quan et al., 2018; Shively, 2018). This short-term longitudinal multiple case study examines the experiences of four Mexican American college students during a SA program in Mexico, their heritage country, and their interplay with their evolving identities. We draw from social identity theory concepts and tools (e.g., Bucholtz & Hall, 2005; Hogg & Abrams, 1988) to compare the students’ individual expectations, experiences, and outcomes of participating in the program. Data were collected using personal reflections and individual interviews at three stages (prior to, during, and after completing the program). Results reveal general positive experiences at the superficial level, with changes in each individual’s ethnic identification, supporting the need to further examine individual differences in future SA research. Finally, drawing from these findings, we make recommendations to prepare students, host families, and instructors to engage practices that will aid in SA program success.
