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Chapter 9. Comparing progress in academic writing after formal instruction and study abroad

  • Carmen Pérez-Vidal and Elisa Barquin
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Language Acquisition in Study Abroad and Formal Instruction Contexts
This chapter is in the book Language Acquisition in Study Abroad and Formal Instruction Contexts

Abstract

In this chapter, we consider progress in the domain of academic writing by 73 advanced-level EFL learners within the SALA Project. We compare their essays before and after a 6-month period of Formal Instruction at home (FI/AH), a 3-month period of Study Abroad (SA), and 15 months after SA. We seek to throw light onto one of the objectives in SALA, namely, to what extent writing improves with the practice and instruction received during FI/AH, in contrast with allegedly some practice done but none or little instruction received during SA. We also aim at contributing to an under-researched area in SA studies (but see Sasaki 2004, 2007, 2011). Progress in writing is measured via quantitative measures in the domains of complexity, accuracy, and fluency (CAF), building upon previous work (see Pérez-Vidal & Juan-Garau 2009, 2011, and Pérez-Vidal, Juan-Garau, & Mora 2012). After the SA, but not after the FI context, significant gains were found in the domains of fluency and complexity, but not in the domain of accuracy, and these gains were maintained 15 months after returning from abroad.

Abstract

In this chapter, we consider progress in the domain of academic writing by 73 advanced-level EFL learners within the SALA Project. We compare their essays before and after a 6-month period of Formal Instruction at home (FI/AH), a 3-month period of Study Abroad (SA), and 15 months after SA. We seek to throw light onto one of the objectives in SALA, namely, to what extent writing improves with the practice and instruction received during FI/AH, in contrast with allegedly some practice done but none or little instruction received during SA. We also aim at contributing to an under-researched area in SA studies (but see Sasaki 2004, 2007, 2011). Progress in writing is measured via quantitative measures in the domains of complexity, accuracy, and fluency (CAF), building upon previous work (see Pérez-Vidal & Juan-Garau 2009, 2011, and Pérez-Vidal, Juan-Garau, & Mora 2012). After the SA, but not after the FI context, significant gains were found in the domains of fluency and complexity, but not in the domain of accuracy, and these gains were maintained 15 months after returning from abroad.

Chapters in this book

  1. Prelim pages i
  2. Table of contents v
  3. Chapter 1. Contributions of study abroad research to our understanding of SLA processes and outcomes 1
  4. Part I. The SALA Project
  5. Chapter 2. Study abroad and formal instruction contrasted 17
  6. Chapter 3. The ‘ins and outs’ of a study abroad programme 59
  7. Part II. The SALA Project
  8. Chapter 4. Oral accuracy growth after formal instruction and study abroad 87
  9. Chapter 5. L2 fluency development in formal instruction and study abroad 111
  10. Chapter 6. Phonological development in L2 speech production during study abroad programmes differing in length of stay 137
  11. Chapter 7. The role of onset level on L2 perceptual phonological development after formal instruction and study abroad 167
  12. Chapter 8. Listening performance and onset level in formal instruction and study abroad 195
  13. Chapter 9. Comparing progress in academic writing after formal instruction and study abroad 217
  14. Chapter 10. English L2 learners’ lexico-grammatical and motivational development at home and abroad 235
  15. Chapter 11. A longitudinal study of learners’ motivation and beliefs in at home and study abroad contexts 259
  16. Chapter 12. Contrasting intercultural awareness at home and abroad 283
  17. Part III. The SALA Project and beyond
  18. Chapter 13. Research on language development during study abroad 313
  19. Index 327
https://doi.org/10.1075/aals.13.11ch9

Chapters in this book

  1. Prelim pages i
  2. Table of contents v
  3. Chapter 1. Contributions of study abroad research to our understanding of SLA processes and outcomes 1
  4. Part I. The SALA Project
  5. Chapter 2. Study abroad and formal instruction contrasted 17
  6. Chapter 3. The ‘ins and outs’ of a study abroad programme 59
  7. Part II. The SALA Project
  8. Chapter 4. Oral accuracy growth after formal instruction and study abroad 87
  9. Chapter 5. L2 fluency development in formal instruction and study abroad 111
  10. Chapter 6. Phonological development in L2 speech production during study abroad programmes differing in length of stay 137
  11. Chapter 7. The role of onset level on L2 perceptual phonological development after formal instruction and study abroad 167
  12. Chapter 8. Listening performance and onset level in formal instruction and study abroad 195
  13. Chapter 9. Comparing progress in academic writing after formal instruction and study abroad 217
  14. Chapter 10. English L2 learners’ lexico-grammatical and motivational development at home and abroad 235
  15. Chapter 11. A longitudinal study of learners’ motivation and beliefs in at home and study abroad contexts 259
  16. Chapter 12. Contrasting intercultural awareness at home and abroad 283
  17. Part III. The SALA Project and beyond
  18. Chapter 13. Research on language development during study abroad 313
  19. Index 327
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