Social interaction, identity and language learning during residence abroad

Edited by Rosamond Mitchell, Nicole Tracy-Ventura, Kevin McManus

Eurosla Monographs Series, 4 (2015). Amsterdam: The European Second Language Association.
ISBN: 978-1-329-43044-0

Study and residence abroad are significant contexts for second language learning and development, which are known to promote oral skills, fluency and sociopragmatic competence in particular, alongside broader intercultural competence. However learner achievements during residence abroad are variable and cannot be fully understood without attention to the social settings in which learners engage, and the social networks they develop.
This edited collection sets out to explore the relationship between sociocultural experience, identity and second language learning among student sojourners abroad. Three broad themes are identified: the contribution of different types of setting (host families, student exchanges, work placements etc) to language learning opportunity; the role of social networks in sojourners’ language practices and learning success; and the evolving social identities of sojourners. The book is relevant for a readership interested in adult second language acquisition in informal settings, as well as for those concerned more specifically with the development and management of residence abroad programmes.

Introduction

Section 1: Setting the scene
The Impact of Temporary Study Abroad
Ulrich Teichler

Social Circles During Residence Abroad: What students do, and who with
James Coleman

Section 2: Placement types and learning consequences
Language Socialization in the Home Stay: American high school students in China
Celeste Kinginger

Promoting Oral Proficiency Gains in Study Abroad Homestay Placements
Francesca Di Silvio, Anne Donovan and Meg Malone

The Affective Benefits of a Pre-Sessional Course at the Start Of Study Abroad
Jean-Marc Dewaele, Ruxandra S. Comanaru and Martine Faraco

Placement Type and Language Learning During Residence Abroad
Rosamond Mitchell, Kevin McManus and Nicole Tracy-Ventura

Erasmus Community: From a community of practice to a learning community
Agnès Bracke and Sandrine Aguerre

Section 3: Social networks and social interaction
Acquisition of Sociolinguistic Variation in a Study Abroad Context: The impact of social network
Rozenn Gautier and Jean-Pierre Chevrot

Teacher Language Learning and Residence Abroad: What makes a difference? Perspectives from two case studies
Annelies Roskvist, Sharon Harvey, Deborah Corder and Karen Stacey

Student Interactions During Study Abroad in Jordan
Jennifer Bown, Dan P. Dewey and R. Kirk Belnap

Meeting in the Virtual Middle: blending online and human resources to generate a year abroad community
Cathy Hampton

Life Post-Study Abroad for the Japanese Language Learner: Social networks, interaction and language usage
Rikki Campbell

Section 4: Social networks and social identities
Negotiating Gendered Identities and Access to Social Networks During Study abroad in Egypt
Emma Trentman

Intercultural Identity-Alignment in Second Language Study Abroad, Or the More-Or-Less Canadians
John Plews

About the authors

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© Eurosla & The Authors 2015. Published under the Creative Commons “Attribution Non-Commercial No Derivatives 3.0” license