English Immersion Camps as an Alternative Strategy for Pre-and In-Service EFL Teachers’ Aural/Oral

Abstract

This study examines the effects of three English language immersion camps on the participants. Capitalizing on Participatory Action Research, and informed by Experiential Learning and Social Constructivism, these campsconstitute an attempt by a Brazilian Amazonian university to mitigate the lack of fluency and proficiency in English among EFL initial teacher education students and state school teachers of English in the region. Data gathered through interviews and participant observation notes were analyzed following a thematic analysis approach. Results suggest expansion of the participants' English vocabulary and knowledge of the American culture, and development of listening and speaking skills. Additionally, a comparison of discourse themes emerging from this study with those from other similar investigations indicates high resonance between them, suggesting that these programs may be a reliable alternative mode of instruction for additional language education, and reinforcing the theory that massive target language comprehensible input and output generate language learning.