L2 reading and vocabulary development after a short Study Abroad experience

Abstract

This study explores the development of L2 reading and vocabulary as a result of a short (3-week) SA experience. Given the growing literature on Study Abroad (SA) research, this investigation attempts to shed some light on two rather under-researched areas such as L2 reading and vocabulary, and it does so with a group of adolescents (n= 52), a population often neglected by the SA research despite being one of the most common participants in SA programmes. The participants, Spanish learners of English (L2), were administered a placement test to determine their initial L2 level, a reading text (from which fluency and comprehension were calculated), the Updated Vocabulary Level Test to measure their receptive vocabulary knowledge, and a written essay to capture their productive vocabulary development in terms of lexical accuracy, fluency, density and sophistication. The results indicate that short SA experiences are positive for both reading fluency and comprehension as well as for receptive vocabulary development. Findings are not so positive in terms of productive vocabulary skills. Finally, results failed to show a direct relationship between gains in reading, and initial proficiency and vocabulary level.

Erasmus+’ın Yabancı Dil Gelişimi Üzerine Etkileri

“…In addition to these studies, some researchers emphasized the significance of the time spent on mobility. While even a short period of stay is explored as influential on reading comprehension and fluency (Borras & Llanes, 2020;Khoroshilova et al, 2015), many other studies claim that the longer the sojourns are, the more functional and efficacious they are because of the extra exposure to the host community, its culture, and its language (Issa & Zalbidea, 2018;Fraser, 2002). Savage and Hughes (2014) examined 140 Chinese learners before and after a 20-hour of short-term summer intensive language course covering in China.…”

Language Learning in Study Abroad: Social, Cultural, and Identity-Related Factors. Erasmus Students in Northern, Southern, and Eastern-European English as a Lingua Franca Contexts

“…Many of the studies that came after had a clear shift towards the sociolinguistic facet of study abroad: the majority were qualitative in nature (e.g., Kinginger, 2009 andJackson, 2008;Pelegrino Aveni, 2005). However, another strand of studies continued focusing on language-related gains, most of them of a quantitative type (Borràs & Llanes, 2020;Köylu, 2021Serrano et al, 2011.…”

Summer school evaluation applied to Chinese Turcology students: "The Turkish Language Caravan of the Silk Road” Project

“…Araştırmanın bu bölümünde Çinli Türkoloji öğrencilerine uygulanan yaz okulunun değerlendirilmesiyle ilgili alt problemlere yer verilmiştir. (Borràs ve Llanes, 2020;Gong, Ma, Hsiang ve Wang, 2020;McNair, Friginal ve Camacho, 2020;Karacan, 2014;Küçükçene ve Akbaşlı, 2021;Özdem, 2013;Rodríguez, 2019) yurt dışında kısa süreli dil öğrenme deneyimi yaşayan öğrencilerin hedef dile olan motivasyonlarının arttığı ve yine hedef dilin konuşulduğu ülkeyi tanıma fırsatı buldukları, kültür ve yaşayış hakkında bilgi edindikleri, dört dil becerilerinde (yazma, konuşma, dinleme, okuma) gelişmeler olduğu bu çalışmayla benzer oranda görülmüştür.…”