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Spanish and Portuguese Language and Literature Commons™
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Full-Text Articles in Spanish and Portuguese Language and Literature
L2 Spanish Apologies Development During Short-Term Study Abroad, Todd A. Hernandez
L2 Spanish Apologies Development During Short-Term Study Abroad, Todd A. Hernandez
Spanish Languages and Literatures Research and Publications
The present study examined the apologies of 18 study abroad (SA) students during a short-term SA experience in Madrid, Spain. Apologies were assessed with a discourse completion task (DCT) consisting of five vignettes that varied across three variables: relative social status of the interlocutor, relative social distance, and seriousness of the offense. Based on performance ratings assigned to them by two native Spanish speakers, the students made significant gains in pragmatic appropriateness from pretest to posttest, on two out of the five individual vignettes, and on the five combined vignettes. Examination of the students’ apologies before and after SA further …
Short-Term Study Abroad: Perspectives On Speaking Gains And Language Contact, Todd A. Hernandez
Short-Term Study Abroad: Perspectives On Speaking Gains And Language Contact, Todd A. Hernandez
Spanish Languages and Literatures Research and Publications
Previous studies have shown that study abroad has a positive effect on second language (L2) learning outcomes for students who spend at least a semester abroad. It is unclear, however, whether a short-term experience also has a measurable impact on L2 development. The present study examines the relationship between speaking proficiency gains made by students during a short-term study abroad program and their target language use outside of class in the host environment. To determine the potential relationships between speaking gains and language use, a background information questionnaire, a two-part modified language contact profile (LCP), and a pre-program and post-program …
Promoting Speaking Proficiency Through Motivation And Interaction: The Study Abroad And Classroom Learning Contexts, Todd A. Hernández
Promoting Speaking Proficiency Through Motivation And Interaction: The Study Abroad And Classroom Learning Contexts, Todd A. Hernández
Spanish Languages and Literatures Research and Publications
This study investigates how motivation and interaction shape the speaking proficiency of study abroad (SA) and classroom or at home (AH) language learners. The author administered a motivation questionnaire, language contact profile, and pretest and posttest simulated oral proficiency interview. The data reveal that SA and AH students had similar motivational profiles. As expected, SA participants used the target language outside of class more than their AH counterparts. Furthermore, SA students improved their speaking proficiency more than the AH group. Student motivation and interaction were identified as important factors in the development of speaking proficiency in both learning contexts. Results …