After study abroad: The maintenance of multilingual identity among Anglophone languages graduates
After study abroad: The maintenance of multilingual identity among Anglophone languages graduates
For L2 learners from English-dominant societies, study abroad (SA) is an especially significant opportunity for linguistic, sociocultural and personal development. Less is known about the durability of these SA-related developments, once Anglophone language specialists complete their home studies and then progress to graduate careers. This article reports a study of 33 specialist languages graduates from a UK university, 3 years post-graduation, who had previously participated in a longitudinal study tracking their linguistic, social and personal development through a 2-semester stay abroad. The follow-up study gathered further data on maintenance/development/attrition of their principal SA-related L2, on social and professional uses of L2 and other languages, and on attitudes and beliefs relating to language identity; personal biographies and career pathways were documented through questionnaires and interviews. This article provides insights into the career entry and related ongoing development of linguistic identity among Anglophone languages graduates, including the ongoing impact of SA-related influences. Implications are briefly drawn for management of the SA experience and post-SA education, so as to support participants’ ambitions for interculturality and a full multilingual identity.
Careers, identity, multilingualism, study abroad
327-344
Mitchell, Rosamond
de2eabed-7903-43fa-961a-c16f69fddd7e
Tracy-Ventura, Nicole
1b747538-5a2a-4ef1-ad1e-0ab516b89ac0
Huensch, Amanda
d1649654-6df1-4ce0-80fa-2055681ac083
1 June 2020
Mitchell, Rosamond
de2eabed-7903-43fa-961a-c16f69fddd7e
Tracy-Ventura, Nicole
1b747538-5a2a-4ef1-ad1e-0ab516b89ac0
Huensch, Amanda
d1649654-6df1-4ce0-80fa-2055681ac083
Mitchell, Rosamond, Tracy-Ventura, Nicole and Huensch, Amanda
(2020)
After study abroad: The maintenance of multilingual identity among Anglophone languages graduates.
The Modern Language Journal, 104 (2), .
(doi:10.1111/modl.12636).
Abstract
For L2 learners from English-dominant societies, study abroad (SA) is an especially significant opportunity for linguistic, sociocultural and personal development. Less is known about the durability of these SA-related developments, once Anglophone language specialists complete their home studies and then progress to graduate careers. This article reports a study of 33 specialist languages graduates from a UK university, 3 years post-graduation, who had previously participated in a longitudinal study tracking their linguistic, social and personal development through a 2-semester stay abroad. The follow-up study gathered further data on maintenance/development/attrition of their principal SA-related L2, on social and professional uses of L2 and other languages, and on attitudes and beliefs relating to language identity; personal biographies and career pathways were documented through questionnaires and interviews. This article provides insights into the career entry and related ongoing development of linguistic identity among Anglophone languages graduates, including the ongoing impact of SA-related influences. Implications are briefly drawn for management of the SA experience and post-SA education, so as to support participants’ ambitions for interculturality and a full multilingual identity.
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Accepted/In Press date: 2 February 2020
e-pub ahead of print date: 29 April 2020
Published date: 1 June 2020
Additional Information:
Funding Information:
The LANGSNAP project was funded from 2011–2013 by the UK Economic and Social Research Council (Grant no. RES‐062‐23‐2996).
Funding Information:
The follow‐up study was conducted with a Language Learning Small Grant and funding from the University of South Florida.
Publisher Copyright:
© National Federation of Modern Language Teachers Associations
Keywords:
Careers, identity, multilingualism, study abroad
Identifiers
Local EPrints ID: 438854
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/438854
ISSN: 0026-7902
PURE UUID: bc67d722-a6db-47c2-8b22-a9bbed8ddd1a
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Date deposited: 25 Mar 2020 17:32
Last modified: 06 Jun 2024 04:16
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Author:
Nicole Tracy-Ventura
Author:
Amanda Huensch
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