The Professional Lives of Language Study Abroad Alumni

This book investigates the impact of language learning and study abroad on the career options and choices of US-based alumni of all ages. It reports on the results of a mixed-methods study which used both an extensive nationwide survey and qualitative life history interviews with 54 participants systematically selected to represent a broad range of backgrounds and professions. International education experiences are shown to exert considerable influence on the aspirations and career paths of individuals in a wide variety of fields (e.g. education, healthcare, business, government service). The long-term benefits of language study are illustrated both in narratives from individuals whose work requires proficiency beyond English and from participant comments on improvement in their use of English for international communication. The book will be of relevance to a wide audience of international education professionals in addition to researchers and students in applied linguistics and language education.

“This remarkable book represents a real tour de force. Through their thoughtful, comprehensive and sociohistorically contextualized approach, Kinginger and Zhuang have managed to paint a much more nuanced picture of the value of Study Abroad (SA) than heretofore achieved in Applied Linguistics. Their surveys and interviews of some 11,000 Anglophone alumni of American SA programs abroad offer credible and powerful insights into students' motivations, experiences abroad and post-SA life trajectories.”

This remarkable book represents a real tour de force. Through their thoughtful, comprehensive and sociohistorically contextualized approach, Kinginger and Zhuang have managed to paint a much more nuanced picture of the value of Study Abroad (SA) than heretofore achieved in Applied Linguistics. Their surveys and interviews of some 11,000 Anglophone alumni of American SA programs abroad offer credible and powerful insights into students’ motivations, experiences abroad and post-SA life trajectories. Claire Kramsch, University of California, Berkeley, USA
This absorbing and very readable book provides exceptionally rich insights into the impact on the later life paths of American citizens of language learning through study abroad. Together, its large scale survey findings and detailed individual narratives make a compelling case for continuing educational investment and improved access to study abroad. Rosamond Mitchell, University of Southampton, UK

Celeste Kinginger is Professor of Applied Linguistics, Penn State University, USA. She has published widely on social and cultural aspects of study abroad. Her research focuses on language learning in study abroad, Vygotskian cultural-historical theory and L2 pragmatics.

Jingyuan Zhuang is affiliated with the Department of Applied Linguistics, Penn State University, USA. Her research interests include second language acquisition, study abroad and research methodology. 

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