A Case Study Of Chinese Students' Learner Beliefs About Second Language Learning In Short-term Study Abroad

As an increasing number of learners choose to study abroad to develop their second language proficiency,this paper investigates learner beliefs about language learning in study-abroad contexts framed in Vygotsky's sociocultural theory of mind.The previous research of learner beliefs has mostly focused on cognitive orientation,missing qualitative research on changes or modification in learner beliefs influenced by the interaction with study-abroad environment or affordances.This present study examines changes in three learners' beliefs about second language learning and their impact on motivated behaviors of second language learning from a sociocultural theory perspective.Three girls from mainland China who studied in English-speaking countries in short-term programs participated in this study.By adopting multiple qualitative research methods,such as pre-,during-and post-study abroad interviews,weekly journals and stimulated recall tasks,their study-abroad experiences and changes of learner beliefs about second language learning through the experiences in the study-abroad contexts are reported.The findings show that three participants' beliefs about second language learning have changed through the study-abroad experiences.The changes in learner beliefs are related to second language goals and second language participation in the study-abroad environment.Among them,two learners have good second language interactions in the study-abroad environment;they make full use of the second language contexts to adjust their second language learning goals,and actively seek opportunities for interaction to achieve their second language learning goals.Whereas another learner,after experiencing several frustrating second language interactions,lost her interest and goals in English learning.And changes in beliefs represent a remediation process that leads to qualitatively different second language learning actions.The results suggest that the rich contexts of second language don't necessarily get successful study-abroad experiences to improve language proficiency.Rather,the learner's internalized beliefs about second language aligned with meaningful second language environments can exert crucial influences on the success of study-abroad learning.