Language learning and study abroad

The aim of this review is to synthesize empirical studies on undergraduate language learners’ experience abroad during a time period of a year or less. To help provide a framework to this synthesis, we begin our review by tracing the recent evolution of empirical mixed-method research on the learner...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Published in:Language teaching 2018-10, Vol.51 (4), p.439-484
Main Authors: Isabelli-García, Christina, Bown, Jennifer, Plews, John L., Dewey, Dan P.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Anxiety
Applied Linguistics
Behavioral Objectives
Cultural Capital
Distance learning
Educational Policy
English (Second Language)
Foreign language learning
Global Approach
Higher Education
Hispanic American Students
Hispanic Americans
Individual Differences
Language Acquisition
Learning environment
Learning Motivation
Linguistics
Official Languages
Participant Characteristics
Personal Autonomy
Program Development
Resistance (Psychology)
Role
Second Language Learning
Self Concept
State-of-the-Art Article
Student Attitudes
Student Mobility
Study Abroad
Teaching Methods
Undergraduate Students
Citations: Items that this one cites
Items that cite this one
Online Access:Get full text
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
Description
Summary:The aim of this review is to synthesize empirical studies on undergraduate language learners’ experience abroad during a time period of a year or less. To help provide a framework to this synthesis, we begin our review by tracing the recent evolution of empirical mixed-method research on the learner, identifying problems and characteristics that language learners generally encounter in the study abroad (SA) experience. We take a closer look at variables related to individual difference such as anxiety, motivation, and attitudes to more recent views of learner identity in language learning. We highlight the shift to language learner agency, a topic that merits more discussion in SA literature. We then review how the SA learning environments are treated. This review takes a closer look at research informed by socially grounded theories. Finally, we review the role that SA plays in undergraduate language curricula, where the objectives of the experience are aligned with at-home (AH) curricula, a topic that has not been fully discussed in SA literature. The conclusions offer suggestions for keeping pace with the broader field of applied/educational linguistics.
ISSN:0261-4448
1475-3049
DOI:10.1017/S026144481800023X