Critical experiences in study abroad
Levi Durbidge
10.4225/03/5b35d7133a903
https://bridges.monash.edu/articles/presentation/Critical_experiences_in_study_abroad/6722882
<p><sub>Slides from a presentation to the 2015 JALT (Japanese Association of Language Teachers) Conference.</sub><br></p><p><b><br></b></p><p><b>Abstract</b></p>
<p> </p>
<p>The majority of research on Study Abroad (SA) has focused on the
outcomes and effectiveness of programs in a broader context of Second Language
Acquisition which DuFon and Churchill (2006) note "concentrated on gains
in specific skills" (p. 2), while neglecting the experience of the
individual. Recently there has been a movement to better account for
individuals’ experiences in SA through the use of sociocultural and identity
theory-based approaches such as Jackson (2008) and Kinginger (2013). </p>
<p> </p>
<p>This research has highlighted the impact that the crossing of borders and
the confronting of unfamiliar social and cultural practices places on the
individual. It is during these situations in SA that individuals' identities
are most heavily contested in what Block (2002) terms 'critical experiences'. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Through examples taken from a study completed in
November 2014, the presentation demonstrates how 'critical experiences'
provide insights into identity change in individuals during SA and suggest the
types of methodologies that can be adopted to both identify and analyse these
experiences. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Block, D. (2002). Destabilized Identities and Cosmopolitanism across
Language and Cultural Borders: Two Case Studies. Hong Kong Journal of Applied
Linguistics, 7(2), 1-19. </p><p><br></p>
<p>DuFon, M. A., & Churchill, E. (2006). Language learners in study
abroad contexts. Buffalo, NY: Multilingual Matters.</p>
<p>Jackson, J. (2008). Language, Identity and Study Abroad. London:
Equinox Publishing.</p><p><br></p>
<p>Kinginger, C. (2013). Identity and language learning in study abroad.
Foreign Language Annals, 46(3), 339-358.</p>
2018-06-29 06:52:01
Study Abroad
Identity
Language Learning
Critical Experiences
Language, Communication and Culture not elsewhere classified