Translingual and Transcultural Reflection in Study Abroad: The Case of a Vietnamese‐American Student in Guatemala

Abstract

How multilinguals reflect on and interpret their experiences abroad as they acquire an additional language has been undertheorized in study abroad research. Multilinguals navigate multiple identities, cross linguistic and social boundaries, and employ an array of resources to make meaning-that is, they engage in translingual practice. This article presents the case of Terry-a Vietnamese-American learner of Spanish-during a 13-week stay in Guatemala as she navigates and reflects on her sense of self. Employing translingual practice and symbolic competence as theoretical frameworks, this study examines how Terry drew on her cultural and linguistic background to understand her experiences abroad and in turn, how an abroad experience encouraged critical self-reflection. Through a thematic analysis of interviews, course assignments, and audio-recorded classroom observations, the findings illustrate how an abroad curriculum that emphasized structured critical reflection and local engagement encouraged Terry's development of critical translingual competence; an awareness of the symbolic significance of meaning-making resources across contexts; and the inextricable connections among identity, language, and culture.

Researching language-focused study abroad through an equity lens: A research agenda

“…Recent research in a different vein, however, has turned attention to alternative views on SA in terms of participants and research focus, examining participants from diverse backgrounds choosing to travel to destinations less covered in the previous literature, which, in turn, has led to varied research questions and methods. Using a case-study methodology, Quan and Menard-Warwick (2021), for instance, provided an in-depth, multi-layered analysis of a Vietnamese American university student who spent 16 weeks in Guatemala. The study offered a glimpse into how SA facilitated a sojourner's awareness of her own multilingual and multicultural resources from her upbringing in a working-class immigrant household.…”

“…While some research has examined marginalized students' SA experiences, as described above (e.g., Anya, 2017;Brown, 2016;Diao, 2021;Quan, 2018;Quan & Menard-Warwick, 2021), recent studies on language-focused SA have largely not focused on the types of sending institutions. In the US higher education system, some universities are categorized as minority-serving institutions, based on the percentage of undergraduate students who identify as Black, Indigenous, or Latinx: Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Tribal Colleges and Universities (TCUs), and Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSIs), respectively.…”

“…Further, training for host families to raise awareness about sociolinguistic diversity may help prevent linguistic discrimination toward multilingual students who speak contact or non-prestigious varieties of a language (Riegelhaupt & Carrasco, 2000). Finally, recognizing and celebrating the translingual practices of students from a recent immigrant background can facilitate those students' development of language awareness and flexibility in linguistic repertoire (Quan & Menard-Warwick, 2021).…”

“…Only a handful of existing studies have focused on language learners from marginalized groups who study abroad (e.g., Anya, 2017;Brown, 2016;Diao, 2021;Du, 2018;Quan & Menard-Warwick, 2021). Investigating the experiences of these students can enhance our understanding of language learning during SA, highlight marginalized students' unique competencies and strengths (e.g., Doerr, 2020;Hartman et al, 2020;Perkins, 2020;Quan & Menard-Warwick, 2021), and inform our efforts to make SA a positive and equitable experience for all students. More research is needed to spotlight the voices of marginalized students, as previous authors have advocated (Anya, 2020;Lee & Green, 2016;Thomas, 2013).…”

Returning to Normal?: Reimagining Study Abroad and Language Learning for a Sustainable and Equitable Future

“…One of the final course assignments in Ruiz Bybee et al ( 2018) was a Language Ecology Project, in which students had to use an audio recorder and camera to document their learning process as they navigated Guatemala's multilingual and multicultural context. Due in part to this Language Ecology Project, Terry, a Vietnamese American student on this Guatemala program, connected her multilingual (Spanish & Kaqchikel Maya) and multicultural SA experiences with her prior linguistic, racial, and class interactions in the United States (Quan & Menard-Warwick, 2021).…”