《an overview of issues and research in language learning in a study abroad setting》.pdf

An Overview of Issues and Research in Language Learning in a Study Abroad Setting1 B a r b a r a F . F r e e d Carnegie Mellon University I n t r o d u c t i o n It has long been assumed that the combination of immersion in the native speech community, combined with formal classroom learning, cre- ates the best environment for learning a second language. The power of this assumption is so great that there has evolved a popular belief, one shared by students and teachers, parents and administrators, that students who spend a period abroad are those who will ultimately become the most proficient in the use of their language of specialization. Consequently, hundreds of thousands of students depart annually for education abroad experiences with the expectation that they too will “pick up” if not become “fluent” in the target languages they have chosen to study, return- ing home with greatly enhanced language skills. Unfortunately, these popular perceptions aside, relatively little scholar- ly attention has been devoted to documenting changes in the communicative language proficiency of students who have studied abroad. Similarly, little research has focused on examining the actual experiences that students have in the context of their sojourn abroad. The purpose of this chapter therefore, is to review what is currently known about second language acquisition (SLA) in a study abroad context and to identify some of the issues that con- front those who wish to explore this topic in greater depth. 31 F r o n t i e r s : The Interdisciplinary Journal of Study Abroad Language Learning and Study Abroad It is, indeed, often the case that the experience of residing in a coun- try where the language spoken is other than one’s own results in the learn- ing of many aspects of the la