Sem:Study Abroad Lg Developm

3 Credits · Level: Graduate

Language Development in Immersive Contexts Abroad Recent approaches to SLA, including neurocognitive approaches, suggest that only ‘immersion-like’ conditions lead to an electrophysiological signature typical of native speakers. However, contrary to expectations, SA research often finds minimal or no effects of immersion experience on linguistic development. Traditionally, studies have compared SA vs L2 classroom contexts and have focused on fluency and lexical and grammatical development. The last decade however has seen significant growth in the number of publications with more diverse populations and programs and more robust research designs. Of special interest to us in this course are the multiple interactions among internal and external factors that work together or against each other to affect L2 development in immersive contexts. The following will receive special attention: 1. context: study vs stay abroad; program characteristics; living arrangements; 2. individual differences: general cognition; aptitude, memory; motivation, anxiety; attitudes, identity; 3. targets: how is language development operationalized and measured?; 4. methods: cross-sectional vs longitudinal; SA vs. at home; SA vs SA; qualitative, quantitative and mixed methods.