Translingual and Transcultural Reflection in Study Abroad: The Case of a Vietnamese‐American Student in Guatemala

How multilinguals reflect on and interpret their experiences abroad as they acquire an additional language has been undertheorized in study abroad research. Multilinguals navigate multiple identities, cross linguistic and social boundaries, and employ an array of resources to make meaning—that is, t...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:The Modern language journal (Boulder, Colo.) Colo.), 2021-03, Vol.105 (1), p.355-370
Main Authors: QUAN, TRACY, MENARD–WARWICK, JULIA
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Asian Americans
Assignments
Classroom Observation Techniques
Communicative Competence (Languages)
critical reflection
Cultural Background
Cultural heritage
Cultural identity
Educational Experience
English (Second Language)
Foreign Countries
Intercultural Communication
local engagement
Metacognition
Multilingualism
Reflection
Second Language Instruction
Second Language Learning
Self Concept
Spanish
Spanish as a second language
Student Attitudes
Study Abroad
translingual practice
Vietnamese
Vietnamese People
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Summary:How multilinguals reflect on and interpret their experiences abroad as they acquire an additional language has been undertheorized in study abroad research. Multilinguals navigate multiple identities, cross linguistic and social boundaries, and employ an array of resources to make meaning—that is, they engage in translingual practice. This article presents the case of Terry—a Vietnamese‐American learner of Spanish—during a 13‐week stay in Guatemala as she navigates and reflects on her sense of self. Employing translingual practice and symbolic competence as theoretical frameworks, this study examines how Terry drew on her cultural and linguistic background to understand her experiences abroad and in turn, how an abroad experience encouraged critical self‐reflection. Through a thematic analysis of interviews, course assignments, and audio‐recorded classroom observations, the findings illustrate how an abroad curriculum that emphasized structured critical reflection and local engagement encouraged Terry's development of critical translingual competence; an awareness of the symbolic significance of meaning‐making resources across contexts; and the inextricable connections among identity, language, and culture.
ISSN:0026-7902
1540-4781
DOI:10.1111/modl.12701