Making the Most of Study Abroad: Arturo’s Heads-up Choices

Spoiler Alert: Spending a semester in a country where they speak your target language will not automatically make you a better speaker. 

How many times have you found yourself tuning out of a grammar lesson to daydream instead? Maybe you’ve pictured yourself finally navigating the streets of Nice or Prague or Nanjing or wherever your target language is spoken, chatting away with natives like a pro. Surely you’ve thought, I’ll pick up this grammar concept once I get there. Everything will click once I’m immersed.  

As a language learner, it’s natural to long for that kind of immersion, especially if you’re learning a language that isn’t widely spoken where you’re currently studying. Language is all about connecting with others, and it can be hard to feel this connection when you’re sitting in a classroom surrounded by others as tongue-tied as yourself. But contrary to popular belief, the struggles you’re having with your language right now won’t be magically solved the day you land in your study abroad country… or even after you’ve been there for months. 

Basically, the idea that “you just need to be immersed” is a MYTH.

Arturo is a language learner who understands this. A combination of careful preparation beforehand and wise decisions during his time in Jordan enabled him to become remarkably good at speaking Arabic— the best in his cohort of 42 students. Let’s walk through key elements of his story and see what he did to achieve this.  

Preparation before a semester of overseas intensive study 

As he finished up his second year of Arabic and the time for his study abroad approached, Arturo realized that a stronger foundation would help him to really make the most of his time in country. He chose to repeat the second-year classes and push his time in Jordan back a year.  This resulted in a much stronger foundation, just as he’d hoped. As a result, he was able to benefit more from his time abroad. Research has shown one’s pre-study-abroad ability is a significant predictor of oral proficiency gains while in country. In fact, our Project Perseverance research showed that the best predictor— better than various measures of language learning aptitude— is the student’s score on our fourth-semester Arabic final exam (which measures both ability to use the language as well as understanding of how it works). The most common recommendation our Arabic students give after a semester in country: Tell students preparing to study abroad to get the root-and-pattern system down (arguably the core of Arabic grammar, which facilitates both comprehension and expression as well as vocabulary learning and retention). 

There is something to the myth of immersion as a panacea. Time on task is key to all types of learning. However, not all time on task is equally effective. Research has shown that adults are generally poor at absorbing language by osmosis, that an overabundance of speaking time is counterproductive typically resulting in one becoming “abominably fluent,” speaking a pidginized version of the target language. Unless you are an experienced language learner who knows how to get the feedback critical for sharpening your ability to use the language, you should arrange for the best instructed learning context you can find.  

Making friends in Jordan 

At first, Arturo had a hard time making friends, in spite of being quite sociable. However, as he continued trying, he eventually found plenty. And when Arab friends would invite him to do things, he made it a point to say yes as much as possible. This led to many culturally enriching experiences, not to mention plenty of speaking time! Unfortunately, some of his fellow students weren’t as eager to spend time with natives. When Arturo’s professor asked him why he was the best speaker in his cohort he replied that it was probably because he chose to keep liking his friends. 

The study abroad literature is replete with accounts of students forming “island communities,” spending far more time with co-nationals than with native speakers. Why did Arturo’s fellow students do this, even when they told themselves back in the U.S. that they would immerse themselves in the culture when they got to Jordan? Because Arab friendships are very different. Arab friends text each other constantly and can seem possessive compared to more typical American behavior. Personal space is different. Immersing oneself in another culture often requires adapting to practices that are rather uncomfortable at first. Prepare yourself before your overseas experience for the challenges that lie ahead and, when in country, take time to regularly reflect on your experience, how you are feeling, the choices you’re making, and the company you are keeping. 

When things got tough 

Arturo did have his fair share of difficulties. In addition to struggling to make friends initially, the workload of his study abroad program proved to be intense. He often felt that he was doing poorly. In these difficult moments, he remembered the purpose of language learning: to connect with people, to learn from them. He cherished the moments in which he got to speak Arabic with his new local friends— even on the hard days— and found the strength to persevere. 

Study strategies 

Even though Arturo made the most out of every possible speaking opportunity, he wisely made time for studying. Study strategies he employed considerably enriched his speaking ability, providing him with the tools he needed to have more productive conversations. For example, each day, he’d choose at least one small chunk of language to memorize (about current events or other topics from his classes at the time). Then, he’d go out and use it. That often meant having essentially the same conversation six times a day (maybe with an Arab speaking partner, the cashier at the grocery store, workers in the bakery, the taxi driver on the way to dinner, with his friends at dinner and with the taxi driver on the way home). By the end of the day, he had that chunk down! Listen to Arturo talk about this strategy here. 

Post-study abroad 

Watch as Arturo explains his experiences in Jordan and how they have enriched his career in the ten years since his study abroad.