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Article published In: Study Abroad Research in Second Language Acquisition and International Education
Vol. 8:1 (2023) ► pp.1–23

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Studying abroad during and before the COVID-19 pandemic

A comparison of target language use and self-reported linguistic progress

 | Stockholm University
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Available under the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) 4.0 license.

For any use beyond this license, please contact the publisher at rights@benjamins.nl.

Open Access publication of this article was funded through a Transformative Agreement with Stockholm University.

Published online: 30 March 2023
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https://doi.org/10.1075/sar.21029.arv
Abstract
The study abroad (SA) context is assumed to be ideal for second language (L2) learning because of the opportunities it provides to use the target language (TL) and to socialize with TL speakers. Although research conducted before the COVID-19 pandemic generally confirms this assumption, little is known about how the COVID-19 pandemic modified conditions for L2 learning in a SA context. This study contributes by documenting Swedish French language students’ patterns of TL use and perceived linguistic progress in a SA context in France during the COVID-19 pandemic (spring 2021) and compares these data with data from an equivalent group of Swedish French language students who studied in France before the pandemic. The results suggest that the SA context provided advantageous learning conditions even during the pandemic.
Article outline
  • 1.Introduction
  • 2.Background
    • 2.1TL use in SA
    • 2.2Language learning in SA
    • 2.3The French SA context during a pandemic
  • 3.The study
    • 3.1Participants
    • 3.2Data overview and data collection procedure
    • 3.3Data
    • 3.4Data analysis
  • 4.Results
    • 4.1Frequency and type of TL use
    • 4.2Self-reported linguistic progress
  • 5.Discussion
  • Notes
  • References
References (34)
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2025. Informal language contact and formulaic language development of Chinese students abroad during a global crisis. Australian Review of Applied Linguistics 48:2 ► pp. 224 ff. DOI logo
Heinzmann, Sybille, Robert Hilbe, Kristina Ehrsam & Lukas Bleichenbacher
2024. Oral proficiency gains of study abroad students before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. Study Abroad Research in Second Language Acquisition and International Education 9:2 ► pp. 127 ff. DOI logo

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