“Hindsight is 20/20:” Student Perceptions of Language Learning and the Study Abroad Experience
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.36366/frontiers.v10i1.132Keywords:
Student Perception, Language Learning, Study AbroadAbstract
Gathering student opinions about study abroad experience proves an effective way to address some of the issues these assumptions raise. In this project, 31 students who attended UMass Amherst (UMass) 2002 Salamanca Summer Program (four weeks) and 14 students who attended the UMass 2002 Granada Fall Program (14 weeks) agreed to participate. Five of these students, who studied abroad a second time with the UMass 2003 Oviedo Spring Program (18 weeks), also participated in a follow-up to the main study.
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References
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Brecht, R.D., & Robinson, J.L. (1993). Qualitative analysis of second language acquisition in study abroad: The ACTR/NFLC Project. NFLC Occasional Papers. Washington, D.C.: National Foreign Language Center.
Brecht, R.D., Davidson, D.E., & Ginsberg, R.B. (1995). Predictors of foreign language gain duringstudy abroad. In B. Freed (Ed.), Second language acquisition in a study abroad context (pp. 37-66). Philadelphia: J. Benjamins.
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La Brack, B. (2003). What’s up with culture? On-line cultural training resource for study abroad. Retrieved February 7, 2004, from http://www3.uop.edu/sis/culture/index.htm
Lafford, B. (1995). Getting into, through and out of a survival situation: A comparison of communicative strategies used by students studying Spanish abroad and ‘at home’. In B. Freed (Ed.), Second language acquisition in a study abroad context (pp. 97-122). Philadelphia: J. Benjamins.
Laubscher, M.R. (1994). Encounters with difference: Student perceptions of the role of out-ofclass experiences in education abroad. Westport, CT: Greenwood Press.
Liskin-Gasparro, J.E., & Urdaneta, L. (1995). Language learning in a semester abroad: The spring 1995 University of Iowa universidad del los andes program in Mérida, Venezuela. In Proceedings of the annual symposium on research perspectives in adult language learning and acquisition (RP-ALLA) (pp. 138-180). Columbus: The Ohio State University National Foreign Language Resource Center.
Mendelson, V.G. (2004). Spain or bust? Assessment and student perceptions of out-of-class contact and oral proficiency in a study abroad context. Unpublished doctoral dissertation, University of Massachusetts Amherst.
Miller, L. & Ginsberg, R.B. (1995). Folklinguistic theories of language learning. In B. Freed (Ed.), Second language acquisition in a study abroad context (pp. 293-315). Philadelphia: J. Benjamins.
Paige, R.M., Cohen, A.D., Kappler, B., Chi, J., & Lassegard, J. (2002). Maximizing study abroad: A students’ guide to strategies for language and culture learning and use. Minneapolis: Center for Advanced Research on Language Acquisition, University of Minnesota.
Parr, P. (1988). Second language acquisition and study abroad: The immersion experience. Unpublished doctoral dissertation, University of Southern California.
Pedersen, P. (1995). The five stages of culture shock: Critical incidents around the world. Westport, CT: Greenwood Press.
Spada, N. (1984). The interaction between type of instruction, informal contact, learner opinions and second language proficiency. Unpublished doctoral dissertation, University of Toronto.
Storti, C. (2001a). The art of crossing cultures (2nd ed.). Yarmouth, ME: Intercultural Press.
Wilkinson, S. (1995). Foreign language conversation and the study abroad transition: A case study.
Unpublished doctoral dissertation, Pennsylvania State University.
Wilkinson, S. (1998a). Study abroad from the participants’ perspective: A challenge to common beliefs. Foreign Language Annals, 31(1), 23-40.
Wilkinson, S. (1998b). On the nature of immersion during study abroad: Some participant perspectives. Frontiers: The interdisciplinary journal of study abroad, 4(2), 121-138.
Yager, K. (1998). Learning Spanish in Mexico: The effect of informal contact and student attitudes on language gain. Hispania, 81(4), 898-914.
Brecht, R.D., & Robinson, J.L. (1993). Qualitative analysis of second language acquisition in study abroad: The ACTR/NFLC Project. NFLC Occasional Papers. Washington, D.C.: National Foreign Language Center.
Brecht, R.D., Davidson, D.E., & Ginsberg, R.B. (1995). Predictors of foreign language gain duringstudy abroad. In B. Freed (Ed.), Second language acquisition in a study abroad context (pp. 37-66). Philadelphia: J. Benjamins.
Breiner-Sanders, K., Lowe, P., Miles, J., & Swender, E. (2000). ACTFL proficiency guidelines – speaking, revised 1999. Foreign Language Annals, 33(1), 13-18.
Carlson, J., Burn, B., Useem, J., & Yachimowicz, D. (1990). Study abroad: The experience of American undergraduates. New York: Greenwood Press.
Center for Advanced Research on Language Acquisition. (2003). Maximizing study abroad: Strategies for Language and Culture Learning and Use. Retrieved February 7, 2004, from http://www.carla.umn.edu/mxsa/guides.html
Citron, J.L. (2002). U.S. students abroad: Host culture integration or third culture formation? In W. Grünzweig & N. Rinehart (Eds.), Rockin’ in Red Square: Critical approaches to international education in the age of cyberculture (pp. 41-56). Münster, Germany: Lit Verlag.
DeKeyser, R. (1990). From learning to acquisition? Monitoring in the classroom and abroad. Hispania, 73, 238-247
DeKeyser, R. (1991). The semester overseas: What difference does it make? ADFL Bulletin, 22(2), 42-48.
Freed, B. (1990). Language learning in a study abroad context: The effects of interactive and non-interactive out-of-class contact on grammatical achievement and oral proficiency. In. J. Alatis (Ed.), Georgetown University Round Table on Languages and Linguistics (pp. 459-477). Washington, D.C.: Georgetown University Press.
Freed, B. (1995b). What makes us think students who study abroad become fluent? In B. Freed (Ed.), Second language acquisition in a study abroad context (pp. 123-148). Philadelphia: J. Benjamins. Institute of International Education. (2003). Open Doors 2003: American students studying
abroad. Retrieved February 7, 2004, from http://opendoors.iienetwork.org/?p=36524
Kalamazoo College. (2003). Kalamazoo project for intercultural communication (KPIC). Retrieved February 7, 2004, from http://www.kzoo.edu/cip/kpic
Kaplan, M.A. (1989). French in the community: A survey of language use abroad. The French Review, 63(2), 290-301.
La Brack, B. (2003). What’s up with culture? On-line cultural training resource for study abroad. Retrieved February 7, 2004, from http://www3.uop.edu/sis/culture/index.htm
Lafford, B. (1995). Getting into, through and out of a survival situation: A comparison of communicative strategies used by students studying Spanish abroad and ‘at home’. In B. Freed (Ed.), Second language acquisition in a study abroad context (pp. 97-122). Philadelphia: J. Benjamins.
Laubscher, M.R. (1994). Encounters with difference: Student perceptions of the role of out-ofclass experiences in education abroad. Westport, CT: Greenwood Press.
Liskin-Gasparro, J.E., & Urdaneta, L. (1995). Language learning in a semester abroad: The spring 1995 University of Iowa universidad del los andes program in Mérida, Venezuela. In Proceedings of the annual symposium on research perspectives in adult language learning and acquisition (RP-ALLA) (pp. 138-180). Columbus: The Ohio State University National Foreign Language Resource Center.
Mendelson, V.G. (2004). Spain or bust? Assessment and student perceptions of out-of-class contact and oral proficiency in a study abroad context. Unpublished doctoral dissertation, University of Massachusetts Amherst.
Miller, L. & Ginsberg, R.B. (1995). Folklinguistic theories of language learning. In B. Freed (Ed.), Second language acquisition in a study abroad context (pp. 293-315). Philadelphia: J. Benjamins.
Paige, R.M., Cohen, A.D., Kappler, B., Chi, J., & Lassegard, J. (2002). Maximizing study abroad: A students’ guide to strategies for language and culture learning and use. Minneapolis: Center for Advanced Research on Language Acquisition, University of Minnesota.
Parr, P. (1988). Second language acquisition and study abroad: The immersion experience. Unpublished doctoral dissertation, University of Southern California.
Pedersen, P. (1995). The five stages of culture shock: Critical incidents around the world. Westport, CT: Greenwood Press.
Spada, N. (1984). The interaction between type of instruction, informal contact, learner opinions and second language proficiency. Unpublished doctoral dissertation, University of Toronto.
Storti, C. (2001a). The art of crossing cultures (2nd ed.). Yarmouth, ME: Intercultural Press.
Wilkinson, S. (1995). Foreign language conversation and the study abroad transition: A case study.
Unpublished doctoral dissertation, Pennsylvania State University.
Wilkinson, S. (1998a). Study abroad from the participants’ perspective: A challenge to common beliefs. Foreign Language Annals, 31(1), 23-40.
Wilkinson, S. (1998b). On the nature of immersion during study abroad: Some participant perspectives. Frontiers: The interdisciplinary journal of study abroad, 4(2), 121-138.
Yager, K. (1998). Learning Spanish in Mexico: The effect of informal contact and student attitudes on language gain. Hispania, 81(4), 898-914.
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Published
2004-08-15
How to Cite
Mendelson, V. G. (2004). “Hindsight is 20/20:” Student Perceptions of Language Learning and the Study Abroad Experience. Frontiers: The Interdisciplinary Journal of Study Abroad, 10(1), 43–63. https://doi.org/10.36366/frontiers.v10i1.132
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Section
I. Second Language Acquisition Abroad
