Long-term language use by US-based study-abroad alumni: Activity types and program effects

This article presents selected results from a large-scale, mixed-methods, federally funded investigation of U.S.-based language study-abroad alumni of all ages, which included a nationwide survey (N = 4,899) followed by professional life history interviews with 54 participants. Here, we focus on three questions heretofore unaddressed: (a) How do these alumni continue to use their additional languages?, (b) How is long-term language use associated with various study-abroad program features?, and (c) How is the role of program features reflected in life history narratives? We found that 79% of participants use their languages in at least one of the activities listed on the survey, though this use is generally confined to informal, interactive tasks. Our examination of program features using multiple regression revealed that while all features were statistically significant predictors for long-term language use, those involving engagement with local communities (e.g., close personal relationships) showed more relative importance. Contextualized with a sample of our qualitative data, findings from this study offer a macrolevel confirmation that local engagement during study abroad retains its significance for language use over the long term and provide implications for designing study-abroad programs that involve language learning.

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Work Title Long-term language use by US-based study-abroad alumni: Activity types and program effects
Access
Open Access
Creators
  1. Jingyuan Zhuang
  2. Celeste Kinginger
Keyword
  1. Alumni
  2. Long-term language use
  3. Program design
  4. Study abroad
License In Copyright (Rights Reserved)
Work Type Article
Publisher
  1. The Modern Language Journal
Publication Date February 7, 2024
Language
  1. English
Publisher Identifier (DOI)
  1. https://doi.org/10.1111/modl.12909
Deposited March 12, 2024

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  • Created
  • Updated
  • Updated Description, Publication Date Show Changes
    Description
    • This article presents selected results from a large-scale, mixed-methods, federally funded investigation of U.S.-based language study-abroad alumni of all ages, which included a nationwide survey (N = 4,899) followed by professional life history interviews with 54 participants. Here, we focus on three questions heretofore unaddressed: (a) How do these alumni continue to use their additional languages?, (b) How is long-term language use associated with various study-abroad program features?, and (c) How is the role of program features reflected in life history narratives? We found that 79% of participants use their languages in at least one of the activities listed on the survey, though this use is generally confined to informal, interactive tasks. Our examination of program features using multiple regression revealed that while all features were statistically significant predictors for long-term language use, those involving engagement with local communities (e.g., close personal relationships) showed more relative importance. Contextualized with a sample of our qualitative data, findings from this study offer a macrolevel confirmation that local engagement during study abroad retains its significance for language use over the long term and provide implications for designing study-abroad programs that involve language learning.
    Publication Date
    • 2024
  • Added Creator Celeste Kinginger
  • Added Creator Jingyuan Zhuang
  • Added Zhuang & Kinginger 2024 MLJ.pdf
  • Updated Keyword, Language, Publisher, and 1 more Show Changes
    Keyword
    • alumni; long-term language use; program design; study abroad
    Language
    • English
    Publisher
    • Modern Language Journal
    License
    • https://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/
  • Published
  • Updated Keyword, Publisher, Publisher Identifier (DOI), and 1 more Show Changes
    Keyword
    • alumni; long-term language use; program design; study abroad
    • Alumni, Long-term language use, Program design, Study abroad
    Publisher
    • Modern Language Journal
    • The Modern Language Journal
    Publisher Identifier (DOI)
    • https://doi.org/10.1111/modl.12909
    Publication Date
    • 2024
    • 2024-02-07
  • Updated Creator Celeste Kinginger
  • Updated Creator Jingyuan Zhuang
  • Updated