Second Language Research Forum (SLRF) 2012

October 18-21, 2012
Pittsburgh, PA
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Promoting Oral Proficiency Gain in Study Abroad Homestay Placements
This paper describes preliminary results of a study investigating training designed to promote oral proficiency gains in study abroad. Host families in semester-long programs in Peru, Chile, China, and Russia were trained in strategies to increase conversational exchange with students (n=30 per language). Quantitative and qualitative analyses of pre and post oral proficiency tests and recordings of student-host conversations are used to examine student language gains compared with a control group whose families were not trained (n=20 per language). Results of student and host surveys explore what participants believe was effective about the training in enhancing students’ oral proficiency development.

Presenters: Francesca Di Silvio, Margaret Malone

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