A study of the relationships between informal second language contact, vocabulary-related strategic behaviour and vocabulary gain in a study abroad context
This thesis reports on a longitudinal, mixed-methods study of the relationships between informal (i.e. out-of-class) second language (L2) contact, vocabulary-related strategic behaviour and vocabulary gain in a study abroad context. The study addressed three main gaps in knowledge that arose from analysis of the literature: (1) the evidence of informal L2 contact was largely unreliable, ungeneralisable, or both; (2) the evidence of vocabulary-related strategic behaviour in informal L2 contact was neither context nor task specific; and (3) there was no evidence of the interplay between informal L2 contact, vocabulary-related strategic behaviour and vocabulary gain in a study abroad context. The sample (n=241) were adults undertaking a study abroad experience (SAE) in England, who comprised a range of nationalities and first language backgrounds and for whom the majority of the SAE was spent outside of the classroom. A vocabulary test was administered at the beginning and end of the SAE. A questionnaire was administered during the SAE to determine the most highly identified with informal L2 contact scenarios and out-of-class vocabulary-related strategies. Subsequently, an innovative research tool comprising
Briggs, Jessica G.
Language and languages--Study and teaching--Case studies ; Second language acquisition--Case studies ; Vocabulary--Study and teaching ; Education--Research ; Foreign study
A study of the relationships between informal second language contact, vocabulary-related strategic behaviour and vocabulary gain in a study abroad context. This thesis reports on a longitudinal, mixed-methods study of the relationships between informal (i.e. out-of-class) second language (L2) contact, vocabulary-related strategic behaviour and vocabulary gain in a study abroad context. The study addressed three main gaps in knowledge that arose from analysis of the literature: (1) the evidence of informal L2 contact was largely unreliable, ungeneralisable, or both; (2) the evidence of vocabulary-related strategic behaviour in informal L2 contact was neither context nor task specific; and (3) there was no evidence of the interplay between informal L2 contact, vocabulary-related strategic behaviour and vocabulary gain in a study abroad context. The sample (n=241) were adults undertaking a study abroad experience (SAE) in England, who comprised a range of nationalities and first language backgrounds and for whom the majority of the SAE was spent outside of the classroom. A vocabulary test was administered at the beginning and end of the SAE. A questionnaire was administered during the SAE to determine the most highly identified with informal L2 contact scenarios and out-of-class vocabulary-related strategies. Subsequently, an innovative research tool comprising
study relationship informal second_language contact vocabulary related strategic behaviour vocabulary gain study abroad context report longitudinal mixed_methods study relationship informal out class second_language contact vocabulary related strategic behaviour vocabulary gain study abroad context study address_three main gap_knowledge arose analysis literature evidence informal contact largely unreliable evidence vocabulary related strategic behaviour informal contact neither context task specific evidence interplay informal contact vocabulary related strategic behaviour vocabulary gain study abroad context sample adult undertake study abroad experience england comprise range nationality first_language background majority spend outside_classroom vocabulary_test administer begin_end questionnaire_administer determine highly identify informal contact scenario out class vocabulary related strategy subsequently innovative tool comprise