Dissertation
Portrait of a Tunisian Arabic learner: second language socialization in study abroad
University of Iowa
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), University of Iowa
Autumn 2019
DOI: 10.17077/etd.005167
Abstract
This dissertation study expands the scope of study abroad research through the adoption of a second language socialization framework that highlights the role of an exceptional American graduate student’s metacognitive skills in developing her target language competence in a study abroad program in Tunisia.
The data that informed this investigation comprise e-journal entries, field notes, interviews, and artifacts (i.e., Facebook Messenger screenshots, and reflexivity notes).The findings of this study support the idea that “metacognition, or awareness of the process of learning, is a critical ingredient to successful learning” (Siddiqui et al., 2018, p. 487). In fact, advanced metacognition skills seem to facilitate the social interaction that the study abroad participant engages in. This resulted in affecting positively the learner’s perceptions of her socialization as a speaker of Tunisian Arabic during her study abroad experience.
Although the findings of this study are by no means generalizable, given the nature of case-study design and the complexity of spoken Arabic varieties, the outcomes suggest promising possibilities for further research.
Details
- Title: Subtitle
- Portrait of a Tunisian Arabic learner: second language socialization in study abroad
- Creators
- Asma Ben Romdhane
- Contributors
- Leslie Schrier (Advisor)Lia Plakans (Committee Member)David Johnson (Committee Member)Gregory Hamot (Committee Member)Ahmed Souaiaia (Committee Member)
- Resource Type
- Dissertation
- Degree Awarded
- Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), University of Iowa
- Degree in
- Teaching and Learning
- Date degree season
- Autumn 2019
- DOI
- 10.17077/etd.005167
- Publisher
- University of Iowa
- Number of pages
- xii, 239 pages
- Copyright
- Copyright 2019 Asma Ben Romdhane
- Language
- English
- Description illustrations
- color illustrations
- Description bibliographic
- Includes bibliographical references (pages 147-174).
- Public Abstract (ETD)
- Many students who participate in study abroad programs do so with the goal of improving their language skills through cultural immersion during their stay abroad. Although achieve their goals, many do not. The purpose of this dissertation study is to gain a greater understanding of the study abroad experience through the case study of an American student participating in a summer program in an Arabic-speaking country. The data that informed this investigation comprise e-journal entries, field notes, interviews, and artifacts (i.e., Facebook Messenger screenshots, and reflexivity notes). The findings of this study show that the participant, Krystal, used a variety of strategies, tools, and behaviors to promote her learning of Tunisian Arabic and cultural immersion, but she did not use any of them in isolation. Rather, she deployed a productive variety of metacognitive tools to attain her language-learning goals. Although findings of this study are by no means generalizable, given the nature of case-study design and the complexity of spoken Arabic varieties, the outcomes suggest promising possibilities for further research.
- Academic Unit
- Teaching and Learning
- Record Identifier
- 9983779798502771
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