Foreign Language Reading and Study Abroad: Cross-Cultural and Cross-Linguistic Questions

Abstract

Little cross-cultural empirical research has been devoted to expectations for academic performance of study abroad (SA) students, particularly in their foreign language (FL) reading. This study explored premobility English and French FL reading comprehension and strategy use in 177 European SA students of law and economics. Our concern was whether students of particular academic literacy and sociolinguistic backgrounds (English and Irish, French, Spanish, German, Dutch, and Flemish Belgian), at given levels of FL competency, would differ significantly in their reading skill and strategy use, and whether causal inference might be drawn regarding grades during their SA experience. Test results revealed equivalent FL competency but a clear hierarchy in both FL reading comprehension and strategy use: English-language (British and Irish) and French students ranking highest, followed by Spanish, German, and Dutch-speaking students. Causal effects of reading on academic results varied across groups. The findings are interpreted in terms of the interaction of different cross-cultural academic literacy and FL traditions and of FL competency. Pedagogical recommendations are made, along with suggestions for further study.