Linguistic and Cultural Identity in Study Abroad
by Rick Kern, Associate Professor, Director, French Language Program & Timothy Wolcott, Graduate Student, School of Education
Empirical studies of study abroad that track language acquisition gains in terms of specific structures show mixed results. Many students report, moreover, that language acquisition is just a small part of their study abroad experience, which is often described as “transformative.” This presentation reports on a study in progress that explores the “transformation” question. Specifically, it looks at how students enrolled in UC Education Abroad Programs in Lyon and Grenoble acquired language and new academic methodologies, but in the larger context of how they negotiated their identities in multiple languages and multiple cultures during their year of study in France.
April 19, 2005
B4 Dwinelle Hall