Analysing and evaluating the linguistic benefit of residence abroad for UK foreign language students

Abstract

This paper reports on a longitudinal study designed to assess the progress made by UK foreign language undergraduate students during the residence abroad (RA) component of their degree. The article first of all places the study within the international research context, and then describes the data collation procedures and methodology employed. It reports findings concerning proficiency gains and the predictive validity of factors such as gender, IQ, length of stay, prior levels of achievement and previous methodological exposure. The findings confirm significant linguistic gains in general for RA. They also appear to show that individuals vary greatly in their rates of progress during RA on holistic measures of proficiency but that previous methodological exposure is a key factor in determining gains on discrete measures. There is also evidence that longer stays do not necessarily lead to greater proportionate proficiency gains. Findings concerning progress, prediction of progress and individual performance variation are compared and contrasted with those of American and other British studies.

Acknolwedgement

The authors are grateful to Professor Jim Coleman, The Open University, for making available to them the German C‐test and student questionnaire employed in the ELPS project, and for information on various points of detail.

Notes

1. This standard verbal and non‐verbal IQ test was chosen to measure the general academic ability of the sample because of its suitability for the 18+ age range. It was administered in its entirety and strictly in accordance with recommended procedures.

2. The C‐test was chosen for its holistic measurement of language competence. It was the same test used in the ELPS survey where it had been extensively trialled. Based on data from the ELPS pilot study, Coleman (1996b) reports an alpha coefficient of 0.891 for the test.

3. The grammar test consisted of 125 multiple‐choice items, covering 13 major topics in German grammar, e.g. adjective endings, word order, prepositions, passive, subjunctive. During the year preceding the main study, the test was piloted with 80 students and an item reliability analysis was conducted.

4. A levels are the standard British school‐leaving exams at age 18. Four subjects are studied in year 1 (AS level), reducing to three in year 2 (A2). The combined points tally is used for entrance to university.

5. Only 46 students were able to attend for the administration of the IQ test, hence the lower n figure cited here.

6. Coleman’s pre‐ and post‐1970 divide is a standard one, denoting, on the one hand, older institutions such as Oxford, Cambridge, London, Leeds or Birmingham, and on the other, newer universities such as Bath, Aston or Salford, along with former polytechnics such as Brighton, Manchester Metropolitan or Middlesex.