Exploring the connection between language use and oral performance during study abroad: Results from the Daily Language Questionnaire 2

Abstract

AbstractMany second language (L2) learners participate in study abroad (SA) experiences believing their choice will be synonymous with increased interaction in the L2, from which enhanced linguistic gains will ensue. Nonetheless, one open question is whether SA participants actually engage in sustained L2 interaction while they are abroad. This paper reports the results of a longitudinal study in which 31 SA participants (L1 = English; L2 = Spanish) completed the Daily Language Questionnaire 2 (DLQ 2), an online questionnaire designed in Qualtrics, every day during their 6‐week SA experience in Spain. We show that (i) learners reported substantially less L2 use at the end than at the start of the SA and (ii) learners reported substantially less L2 use on “no‐class” days compared to class days. We additionally tested correlations between the self‐reported values of L2 use and the learners' L2 oral abilities. We found moderate positive correlations between L2 usage (per the DLQ 2) and initial‐ability scores (per the Elicited Imitation Task); these findings are contextualized within theories of L2 interaction. Finally, we use the data of the present study to offer recommendations for administrators and instructors looking to refine the experience offered to SA participants.