Study Abroad (SA): Student views on multilingualism, interculturality and formal and informal language learningStudy Abroad (SA) programmes have gained substantial interest in higher education research. The extent to which they impact proficiency, attitudes towards the linguaculture of the target country, and students’ use of English when this is not the main language of communication (Mitchell 2023) remains to be fully explored. This study aims to provide insights into students’ experiences during SA stays with particular attention to the perceived learning of a foreign language and of English, the multilingual and intercultural dimension of the experience and informal contact with the target linguaculture and/or with English. In parallel, students’ motivations for participating in an SA programme are investigated. The study surveys a sample of 99 undergraduate and postgraduate students from Italian universities who have taken part in SA programmes through a questionnaire with multiple-choice and open ended items. Results show the highly multilingual and multicultural nature of SA experiences. Students overall perceive the experience as beneficial for improving their language competences in the target L2, which they also engage with extensively in informal contexts. English is often used even in cases when it is not the main language of instruction, and students believe their competence can benefit from informal contact with the language. Multilingualism is an asset of the SA experience, and SA is perceived to have intercultural, linguistic and social advantages in addition to enhancing emotional intelligence, problem-solving and coping skills.
Costa, F. G., Ghia, E., Study Abroad (SA): Student viewson multilingualism, interculturality and formaland informal language learning, in Argondizzo, C., Mariotti, C., Rossi, E. (ed.), Il ruolo dei Centri Linguistici nell’internazionalizzazione delle università italiane, Pavia University Press, MILANO 2025: 67- 93 [https://hdl.handle.net/10807/326656]
Study Abroad (SA): Student views on multilingualism, interculturality and formal and informal language learning
Costa, Francesca Giuseppina;
2025
Abstract
Study Abroad (SA): Student views on multilingualism, interculturality and formal and informal language learningStudy Abroad (SA) programmes have gained substantial interest in higher education research. The extent to which they impact proficiency, attitudes towards the linguaculture of the target country, and students’ use of English when this is not the main language of communication (Mitchell 2023) remains to be fully explored. This study aims to provide insights into students’ experiences during SA stays with particular attention to the perceived learning of a foreign language and of English, the multilingual and intercultural dimension of the experience and informal contact with the target linguaculture and/or with English. In parallel, students’ motivations for participating in an SA programme are investigated. The study surveys a sample of 99 undergraduate and postgraduate students from Italian universities who have taken part in SA programmes through a questionnaire with multiple-choice and open ended items. Results show the highly multilingual and multicultural nature of SA experiences. Students overall perceive the experience as beneficial for improving their language competences in the target L2, which they also engage with extensively in informal contexts. English is often used even in cases when it is not the main language of instruction, and students believe their competence can benefit from informal contact with the language. Multilingualism is an asset of the SA experience, and SA is perceived to have intercultural, linguistic and social advantages in addition to enhancing emotional intelligence, problem-solving and coping skills.
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