engleski

Evolution of plurilingual identity during study abroad: a COST/SAREP study

Student mobility is a global phenomenon, and within Europe, 300, 000+ students participate annually in Erasmus+ schemes. The European HE environment is typically highly multilingual, with English widely used as medium of instruction and as international lingua franca, alongside local languages and the plurilingual repertoires of individual mobile students. Yet study abroad (SA) research by linguists has mostly not caught up with this multilingual reality (see e.g. Kinginger, 2009 ; Perez-Vidal, 2014). The COST Action “Study Abroad Research in European Perspective” has enabled collaborative research into the multilingual nature of contemporary SA, and the corresponding development of students’ language identity. We report on a longitudinal study of the evolution of plurilingual identity among Erasmus+ participants of varied nationalities, in eight European settings. Participants were interviewed before, during and after SA, concerning their personal language biography and language repertoire, SA language learning experiences, lingua franca usage, translanguaging, and language values. Analysis followed the language identity framework of Benson et al (2013). Participants generally possessed a well-developed linguistic self-concept when starting SA, referring to a range of languages already known, and evaluating them for usefulness and for emotional/personal value. They all judged English essential for employability, and regardless of destination, many viewed SA as key in developing their English further. Overall, the SA experience consolidated and enriched rather than transforming participants’ language identity. For most this remained centred on home language(s) and English. However, SA supported the transition from “language learner” to “language user”, at least with reference to one major L2 (usually English). Participants reported progress in English proficiency, but often also in other languages, in valued domains (both academic and leisure/social). Most could reflect more fully on the value of home language(s), showed greater sensitivity to plurilingualism and intercultural awareness, and seemed more open to additional language learning to support future mobility.

study abroad, plurilingual identity

nije evidentirano