Articulating study abroad: The depth dimension

Abstract

As more and more undergraduate students at all levels within our foreign language programs opt to complete part of their studies in a target language country, the need to consider the curricular fit between study abroad and the home campus program is becoming imperative. Using Lange’s (1982) concepts of horizontal, vertical, and interdisciplinary articulation, this chapter considers (1) what we can learn about articulating study abroad when we examine it through Lange’s lens, and (2) what we can learn about articulation theory when we take into account the unique characteristics of study abroad. It is argued that the overseas immersion environment differs crucially from the home campus setting in its proliferation and importance of out-of-class learning opportunities. Study abroad research reveals that this extracurricular setting is notoriously complex, characterized by a convergence of multiple linguistic and cultural demands that are also sensitive to numerous personal factors.To capture this issue of intensity that seems to be the key difference between home and host environments, a depth dimension to Lange’s model is proposed, encompassing interdisciplinary articulation and complementing existing horizontal and vertical axes. Implications of applying a broader three-dimensional articulation model to the home curriculum, particularly the introductory language program, are also discussed.