We study the role of social capital in language acquisition during study abroad. Using data colle... more We study the role of social capital in language acquisition during study abroad. Using data collected from 204 participants in Japanese study abroad programs, we show that students who leverage social capital through bridging relationships feel they achieve higher levels of language improvement. Furthermore, an analysis of the topics participants discuss with locals suggests that there are significant differences between students who have a tendency to build close-knit networks and students who cast a broader net.
Frontiers: The Interdisciplinary Journal of Study Abroad, 2013
In this paper, we explore language use, social network development, and language acquisition by s... more In this paper, we explore language use, social network development, and language acquisition by second learners of Arabic in Jordan and Morocco. Students in these programs reported speaking, listening to, and writing as much English as Arabic during study abroad, but they reported reading more Arabic than English. While patterns indicated similar levels of use of English and Arabic in general, questions focusing on learners' use of language with more familiar friends and acquaintances indicated learners thought they used Arabic more than English with these native friends. Regarding English language use, learners felt that speaking English with natives often created opportunities to interact in Arabic as well. Students’ Arab social networks tended to be small, but there was considerable variation in these networks. The closer their friendships with natives, the more likely students were to report gains in Arabic. English proficiency of friends and acquaintances in one’s social...
Study Abroad Research in Second Language Acquisition and International Education, 2019
This study investigated the social networks developed by language learners during 14 weeks of an ... more This study investigated the social networks developed by language learners during 14 weeks of an intensive English as a second language (ESL) program using the Study Abroad Social Interaction Questionnaire (Dewey, Bown, Baker, Martinsen, Gold, & Eggett, 2014; Dewey, Bown, & Eggett, 2012). It also utilized native speaker judgments to evaluate ESL fluency development. Results showed that participants were successful in developing complex social networks, that their oral fluency increased significantly, and that fluency gains were related to L2 social networks. Density (average number of people in a social group) was the most important predictor of fluency gain when only social network variables were considered. In a hierarchical regression, initial proficiency level and percentage of native English speakers in one’s network were the most significant of the established variables in the first step, and overall network size and density were the most important of the added social network ...
This study investigated the relationship between out-o-f class L2 use and proficiency gains in le... more This study investigated the relationship between out-o-f class L2 use and proficiency gains in learners of English as a second language (ESL) in an intensive English language program. In contrast to previous studies on this topic, which have found weak, non-existent or even inverse relationsMps between outof- class language experience and L2 proficiency gains, this study took place over a longer period of time (31 weeks), involved a larger number of participants (61 ESL learners from 12 different language backgrounds at four proficiency levels), and found a statistically significant connection between out-ofclass language use and proficiency gains. Participants took a proficiency pre-test and post-test and responded to a questionnaire designed to elicit informationa bout out-of-class language use. In addition, six learners participated in semi-structured interviews. Data obtained from the questionnaire and interviews were compared to gains in proficiency between the pre-test and pos...
In this study, the authors evaluated the strengths and limitations of a self‐assessment based on ... more In this study, the authors evaluated the strengths and limitations of a self‐assessment based on ACTFL Can‐Do statements (ACTFL, ) as a tool for measuring linguistic gains over an internship abroad in Russia. They assessed its reliability, determined how its items mapped with the ACTFL scale, and measured the degree to which students' self‐evaluations matched oral proficiency interview (OPI) test results (i.e., predictive validity). Data revealed a high level of reliability. Furthermore, self‐assessment items ascended in the order of difficulty expected (i.e., Superior items were the most difficult, followed by Advanced), but differences between the means for items representing the ACTFL levels were not statistically significant. Finally, while students demonstrated significant gains from pre‐ to posttests on both the OPI and the self‐assessment, correlations between these measures were only moderate.
Second language (L2) gains during study abroad have been related to several variables including l... more Second language (L2) gains during study abroad have been related to several variables including length of stay (Llanes, 2011), language use (Martinsen, Baker, Dewey, Bown, & Johnson, 2010), and social network development (Isabelli‐García, 2006), among others. However, most studies have investigated only a few predictors in single study abroad programs. While these findings are helpful, larger scale studies are needed to better understand the variables that contribute to L2 gains across several different cultures and learner groups. The current study examines predictors of L2 gain of more than 100 native English speakers who participated in study abroad in Mexico, Spain, France, Egypt, Russia, and China. Participants were asked to complete an ACTFL Oral Proficiency Interview at the beginning and end of their study abroad program. Participants were then divided into “gainers” and “non‐gainers,” or those who did or did not make significant language gains from pre‐ to posttest. Their la...
... Learning Context and the Acquisition of French as an L2 277 ... description of fluency that i... more ... Learning Context and the Acquisition of French as an L2 277 ... description of fluency that included not only the ability to talk at length with few pauses (p+ 97) but also references to semantic density, socio-linguistic appropriateness, and creativity in language use+ These ...
Page 1. THE LANGUAGE CONTACT PROFILE Barbara F+ Freed Carnegie Mellon University Dan P+ Dewey Uni... more Page 1. THE LANGUAGE CONTACT PROFILE Barbara F+ Freed Carnegie Mellon University Dan P+ Dewey University of Pittsburgh Norman Segalowitz Randall Halter Concordia University Efforts to gather data of various sorts ...
A common predictor of language gains during study abroad (SA) is amount of language use. Yet litt... more A common predictor of language gains during study abroad (SA) is amount of language use. Yet little attention has been given to determining what factors influence the extent of language use while abroad. Studies in this area have mainly been case studies of learners in single locations. In this larger study, we seek to determine variables connected with language use by examining 118 learners studying abroad in Madrid, Mérida (Mexico), Paris, Moscow, Nanjing, or Cairo. These learners reported their second language (L2) use over a 1‐week period during their stay. Significant predictors of reported L2 use include SA program, age, pre‐departure language proficiency, number of native speaker friends, gender, and personality.
We study the role of social capital in language acquisition during study abroad. Using data colle... more We study the role of social capital in language acquisition during study abroad. Using data collected from 204 participants in Japanese study abroad programs, we show that students who leverage social capital through bridging relationships feel they achieve higher levels of language improvement. Furthermore, an analysis of the topics participants discuss with locals suggests that there are significant differences between students who have a tendency to build close-knit networks and students who cast a broader net.
Frontiers: The Interdisciplinary Journal of Study Abroad, 2013
In this paper, we explore language use, social network development, and language acquisition by s... more In this paper, we explore language use, social network development, and language acquisition by second learners of Arabic in Jordan and Morocco. Students in these programs reported speaking, listening to, and writing as much English as Arabic during study abroad, but they reported reading more Arabic than English. While patterns indicated similar levels of use of English and Arabic in general, questions focusing on learners' use of language with more familiar friends and acquaintances indicated learners thought they used Arabic more than English with these native friends. Regarding English language use, learners felt that speaking English with natives often created opportunities to interact in Arabic as well. Students’ Arab social networks tended to be small, but there was considerable variation in these networks. The closer their friendships with natives, the more likely students were to report gains in Arabic. English proficiency of friends and acquaintances in one’s social...
Study Abroad Research in Second Language Acquisition and International Education, 2019
This study investigated the social networks developed by language learners during 14 weeks of an ... more This study investigated the social networks developed by language learners during 14 weeks of an intensive English as a second language (ESL) program using the Study Abroad Social Interaction Questionnaire (Dewey, Bown, Baker, Martinsen, Gold, & Eggett, 2014; Dewey, Bown, & Eggett, 2012). It also utilized native speaker judgments to evaluate ESL fluency development. Results showed that participants were successful in developing complex social networks, that their oral fluency increased significantly, and that fluency gains were related to L2 social networks. Density (average number of people in a social group) was the most important predictor of fluency gain when only social network variables were considered. In a hierarchical regression, initial proficiency level and percentage of native English speakers in one’s network were the most significant of the established variables in the first step, and overall network size and density were the most important of the added social network ...
This study investigated the relationship between out-o-f class L2 use and proficiency gains in le... more This study investigated the relationship between out-o-f class L2 use and proficiency gains in learners of English as a second language (ESL) in an intensive English language program. In contrast to previous studies on this topic, which have found weak, non-existent or even inverse relationsMps between outof- class language experience and L2 proficiency gains, this study took place over a longer period of time (31 weeks), involved a larger number of participants (61 ESL learners from 12 different language backgrounds at four proficiency levels), and found a statistically significant connection between out-ofclass language use and proficiency gains. Participants took a proficiency pre-test and post-test and responded to a questionnaire designed to elicit informationa bout out-of-class language use. In addition, six learners participated in semi-structured interviews. Data obtained from the questionnaire and interviews were compared to gains in proficiency between the pre-test and pos...
In this study, the authors evaluated the strengths and limitations of a self‐assessment based on ... more In this study, the authors evaluated the strengths and limitations of a self‐assessment based on ACTFL Can‐Do statements (ACTFL, ) as a tool for measuring linguistic gains over an internship abroad in Russia. They assessed its reliability, determined how its items mapped with the ACTFL scale, and measured the degree to which students' self‐evaluations matched oral proficiency interview (OPI) test results (i.e., predictive validity). Data revealed a high level of reliability. Furthermore, self‐assessment items ascended in the order of difficulty expected (i.e., Superior items were the most difficult, followed by Advanced), but differences between the means for items representing the ACTFL levels were not statistically significant. Finally, while students demonstrated significant gains from pre‐ to posttests on both the OPI and the self‐assessment, correlations between these measures were only moderate.
Second language (L2) gains during study abroad have been related to several variables including l... more Second language (L2) gains during study abroad have been related to several variables including length of stay (Llanes, 2011), language use (Martinsen, Baker, Dewey, Bown, & Johnson, 2010), and social network development (Isabelli‐García, 2006), among others. However, most studies have investigated only a few predictors in single study abroad programs. While these findings are helpful, larger scale studies are needed to better understand the variables that contribute to L2 gains across several different cultures and learner groups. The current study examines predictors of L2 gain of more than 100 native English speakers who participated in study abroad in Mexico, Spain, France, Egypt, Russia, and China. Participants were asked to complete an ACTFL Oral Proficiency Interview at the beginning and end of their study abroad program. Participants were then divided into “gainers” and “non‐gainers,” or those who did or did not make significant language gains from pre‐ to posttest. Their la...
... Learning Context and the Acquisition of French as an L2 277 ... description of fluency that i... more ... Learning Context and the Acquisition of French as an L2 277 ... description of fluency that included not only the ability to talk at length with few pauses (p+ 97) but also references to semantic density, socio-linguistic appropriateness, and creativity in language use+ These ...
Page 1. THE LANGUAGE CONTACT PROFILE Barbara F+ Freed Carnegie Mellon University Dan P+ Dewey Uni... more Page 1. THE LANGUAGE CONTACT PROFILE Barbara F+ Freed Carnegie Mellon University Dan P+ Dewey University of Pittsburgh Norman Segalowitz Randall Halter Concordia University Efforts to gather data of various sorts ...
A common predictor of language gains during study abroad (SA) is amount of language use. Yet litt... more A common predictor of language gains during study abroad (SA) is amount of language use. Yet little attention has been given to determining what factors influence the extent of language use while abroad. Studies in this area have mainly been case studies of learners in single locations. In this larger study, we seek to determine variables connected with language use by examining 118 learners studying abroad in Madrid, Mérida (Mexico), Paris, Moscow, Nanjing, or Cairo. These learners reported their second language (L2) use over a 1‐week period during their stay. Significant predictors of reported L2 use include SA program, age, pre‐departure language proficiency, number of native speaker friends, gender, and personality.
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