Discover the advantages of language immersion trips, even for short durations. Explore the potential benefits and gather expert tips tailored for language educators and learners alike to enhance the language learning experience!
Table of Contents
- What is a language immersion trip?
- What are the benefits of language immersion trips for language learning?
- 1. Plenty of opportunities for authentic communication in languages abroad
- 2. A stronger prominence of formulaic expressions
- 3. A heightened language awareness
- 4. Strengthened intercultural competence
- 5. Enhance global competence
- What are tips to maximise language learning in language immersion trips for students?
- Tip 1: Choose the right location for both language and culture.
- Tip 2: Buddying for adolescent or younger learners.
- Tip 3: Prepare the mindset to make mistakes and learn.
- Tip 4: Stay observant.
- Tip 5: Seek out interactions with L1 users - Immerse!
- Tip 6: Implement pre-trip activities strategically.
- Tip 7: Conduct just-in-time language classes as part of the language immersion program.
- Tip 8: Facilitate reflection in our learners.
- Tip 9: Space out learning in focused and diffuse modes.
- Conclusion: Let language immersion trips become the transformative catalysts of language learning!
- Recommended Readings
- References
With the opening up of borders since the declaration of endemic status of COVID-19, travels have pretty much resumed as many countries started to lift border restrictions and measures for inbound travelling. Within this context, language immersion trips have also resumed for language learners who seek to engage in immersive experiences in the target language, culture, and environment, facilitating rapid language acquisition and cultural understanding.
Recently in June, I have also travelled to the Kant? region of Japan for a 2-week tour – less so of a deliberate language immersion but more of a leisurely short trip. However, the language educators in my wife and I are still very much alive, as we sensitise our 3 daughters as much Japanese language input as they can receive every step of the way in an effort to help them learn a new language.
In fact, without any form of facilitation, my daughters (including a preschooler) were able to recognise some Japanese words, in audio and in visual form, while also getting accustomed to the phonological patterns of the language. The experience is so powerful that they began to ask questions about Japanese, linking it to their knowledge of English and Mandarin.
A trip that is not set out for language immersion, have also reaped the benefits of what a language immersion might be in our case. How will it be like if we have designed the trip to be targeted for language study right from the start? What are the benefits of language immersion trips, even for short ones? What are some tips to make language immersion trips better? These will be some key questions guiding the content in this article, and I want to also contextualise for our language educators – not all of us are only attending to our own children.
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What is a language immersion trip?
Alright, let’s get the definition issue out of the way first. So, what is a language immersion trip? It is an educational experience that provides learners with the opportunity to fully immerse themselves in the target language and culture. Usually, it is a foreign language where the learners may not have many opportunities to experience in their daily lives although there are planned language immersion trips for second languages (e.g. present in the immediate community) as well.
Such trips are designed to accelerate language learning by creating an environment where the target language is spoken constantly. Rather than just studying grammar and vocabulary in a language school, participants are encouraged to practise their language skills in real-life situations, such as during interactions with target first language users (or more commonly known as native speakers) or while exploring the local community.
I must highlight that this is rather different from what is known as the Immersion Approach for language education. The Immersion Approach refers to a type of language instruction where the target language is employed as the medium of instruction for at least 50% of all content learning within an educational institution, usually for an extended period (e.g. from kindergarten to elementary levels). In contrast, there is a variety of immersion periods for a language immersion trip, although typical long ones last a semester (e.g. study abroad program to learn a foreign language for university students) while short ones within a week or two (e.g. 2-week camp to learn spanish for high school students, 6-day cultural travel to rural areas of spain).
Much of research articles which examines topics on “immersion” for language learning (e.g. having the keyword in the article) really refer to the Immersion Approach, as opposed to short language immersion trips which is discussed in this article. Within articles which I reviewed that are somewhat relevant, many are related to the development of teachers skilled in adoption of culturally responsive pedagogies and study abroad experiences of university students. Taking reference from these articles with further integration of insights from studies in second language acquisition and language education, let me present on the benefits of language immersion trips and tips to make them effective in driving language learning.
What are the benefits of language immersion trips for language learning?
Before I start, let me just set a premise which might be more helpful to majority of us here. Not many of our learners might be privileged to be on extended language immersion trips (e.g. language programs abroad which last at least a semester, spanish immersion program in Costa Rica for a year). For many of us, the more common model is a short trip between a few days and a month. Within this premise, below are then the benefits that might be relevant.
1. Plenty of opportunities for authentic communication in languages abroad
The first obvious benefit is the abundance of opportunities for authentic use of the target language, particularly for learners who have limited exposure to the language in their usual context. For instance, my daughters who have minimal exposure to Japanese language (mainly through Studio Ghibli movies) get to experience constant intense exposure to the naturalistic input of Japanese on the trip, which strengthens their sensitivity of the language.
Remember when I said in an earlier article how learners generally require various types of language input to facilitate acquisition? In a language immersion trip, learners are exposed to an abundant amount of naturalistic, interactive and modified input. The different types of input can work in tandem to effect the desired improvement.
Proficiency in the target language is not a prerequisite to benefit from these opportunities. All learners can take advantage of the increased opportunities to immerse themselves in the language. However, the focus may vary for different language levels:
- Beginning learners should observe how the language is used in real life and experiment with their limited learned expressions in simple transactions;
- Intermediate learners should test their hypotheses about the language by paying attention to how it is used by the L1 users and whether they can be understood in daily communicative activities (e.g. ordering of food, asking for directions, participating in local tours);
- Advanced and proficient learners should challenge themselves to engage in more complicated languaging activities, such as conversations with locals during cultural activities and in-depth consultations in daily transactions (e.g. purchases of electronic products with technical talk) to achieve higher levels of fluency.
Language immersion trips are highly effective in enhancing language skills due to the immersive nature of the experience. By constantly hearing and using the language in various contexts, learners can expect some improvement in their listening, speaking, reading, and writing skills.
2. A stronger prominence of formulaic expressions
This is perhaps more useful for beginning to intermediate learners, as it did to my daughters. As emergent learners of Japanese language, they were expectedly less capable of capturing (“notice”) specific linguistic features necessary for phenomenal improvement. However, there are certain words or phrases that get repeated over and over in the linguistic environment – so much so these feel like enhanced input (as in the case of input flood, where there is deliberate manipulation of input to make certain features more salient for acquisition). These are usually formulaic expressions that are frequently used in daily contexts within the community.
What are “formulaic expressions”? It can refer to the minor word class into which such expressions are grouped (https://www.ucl.ac.uk/internet-grammar/minor/formula.htm), or refer to words or phrases which are used frequently to fulfil mundane communicative purposes (usually transactional) such as greetings, farewell, thanks and apologies. If we extend it a bit, phrases like “doors closing”, “mind the gap” and “the exit is on the left / right” can also belong to this group.
It was only the third day of my recent Japan trip that my daughters started blurting “the door is closing” (????????: doa-ga shimarimasu). They have a vague impression of what it could denote but were not able to verbalise it. They remembered the linguistic form (specifically in audio form) only because they were “flooded” with it as input every time we take a lift. Yes, Japanese lifts in public spaces (including the serviced apartment that we stayed) always give a polite warning before doors open or close.
Of course, my daughters learned more than just “doors closing” on the trip. In observation of me interacting with L1 users as part of daily transactions and some slightly more engaged conversations, they caught on the usual greetings for different occasions, some simple terms of apologies and thanks as well as asking to take orders or using card for payment.
We may be thinking: formulaic expressions sound so trivial, so why should we be so excited about its prominence? Well, for beginning and intermediate learners of a target language (especially a foreign one), these are exactly the linguistic content that suddenly becomes very much alive, where words and phrases learned in classrooms or textbooks manifest as actual linguistic messages that interacts with our learners and they can recognise them! In case we may not know, there are arguments which propose that formulaic expressions is “the heart and soul” of native language use, so it can be fortified as a milestone of language learning.
3. A heightened language awareness
Remember when I mentioned earlier that my daughters “strengthen their sensitivity of the language” on the trip? In a more formal and academic sense, this can be referred to as “language awareness”, which can be defined as the “sensitivity to and conscious awareness of the nature of language and its role in human life”. By focusing on the Japanese language in my daughters’ context, I can rephrase this as “sensitivity to and conscious awareness of the nature of the Japanese language and its role in the lives of Japanese-L1 users”.
At first look, this definition may seem broad and irrelevant to offer any practical use for our purposes. However, developing a higher level of “sensitivity” and “conscious awareness” of how a language functions can augment our learners’ aptitude to analyse and comprehend the target language as an intricate system. This, in turn, strengthens their ability to register specific linguistic features that are useful for acquisition.
Forgoing the specific words and phrases that are learned (e.g. formulaic expressions as presented earlier), the more valuable learning I treasure in my daughters on the recent trip would be their awareness of some of the phonological patterns, honorific forms and orthographical structures of the Japanese language. Once they became more attuned to these language elements, it became easier to guide them in understanding the construction of formulaic expressions, sparking a series of other linguistic experimentation.
Isn’t this what we desire for our learners? When they realise that they can manipulate the forms of a root word to convey different grammatical meanings, they can then apply this knowledge in our classrooms or real-life situations. Even when their application results in over-generalisation (e.g. adding “-ing” indiscriminately to any English verb to denote the present tense), such experimental use bring their representation of the language to the surface which allows opportunities for corrective feedback and further improvement. All of these activities facilitate the acquisition of a second language.
4. Strengthened intercultural competence
Heightened language awareness is also interrelated to multilingual awareness. In this frame, learners become more sensitive to the crosslinguistic differences between their previously acquired language(s) and the current target language they are immersed in. By actively engaging in the process of comparing and contrasting, they enhance their ability to critically evaluate their linguistic repertoire vis-à-vis the language practices of a different culture.
This is why we can also say that language immersion programs promote cultural immersion, on top of benefits on language proficiency and awareness. Participants have the chance to learn about the cultural elements (e.g. symbols, artefacts, beliefs) of the target language communities, fostering a deeper understanding and appreciation of the culture, and the ways the target language is used to communicate that culture. Most of the studies reviewed also found the cultural aspect to be most prominent as a benefit. The cultural immersion aspect of a trip greatly enhances the overall learning experience and promotes intercultural competence.
Intercultural competence is important not just because we are living in a more inter-connected world today. For us as language educators, we have the understanding that learners need to learn beyond just the superficial layer of surface grammar to really gain communicative competence in a language. Languaging practices are contextualised in actual communicative acts, especially if we are expecting to use the language for a functional purpose. It is thus our responsibility as language educators to sensitise our learners to a more comprehensive representation of culture related to the target language communities.
Exploring language learning through the lens of culture can be an enticing experience for learners. My recent trip, though not deliberately planned for language immersion, resulted in my daughters picking up a considerable amount of the Japanese language. This is largely due to the abundance of cultural artefacts (e.g. food, sculptures, local narratives and stories) which were strikingly novel to them. As such, they came to understand the key terms related to “sushi”, “Shinto shrines”, “Manga”, “Densha trains” and etc, alongside the formulaic expressions associated with them.
5. Enhance global competence
A collective ongoing reassessment has been taking place among educators and education systems worldwide to determine the essential knowledge, skills, and dispositions necessary for students to succeed in our dynamic and complex world. This global consensus has been exemplified through the incorporation of global citizenship and global competence in the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) in 2018.
The importance of global competence cannot be overstated, as it plays a critical role in enhancing a multitude of skills such as effective communication, logical reasoning, intercultural adeptness, conflict resolution, perspective taking, and adaptability – all which are part and parcel of language learning. Integrating the development of global competence in our classrooms is very important, though an in-depth discussion would require a separate article.
Language immersion trips can be an effective enabler in enhancing global competence. They provide unparalleled opportunities for individuals to navigate the borders of local, global, and cultural significance, thereby promoting a more well-rounded comprehension of the world’s diverse socio-cultural fabric. By crossing familiar boundaries into a different culture out of our learners’ comfort zones, they are then able to become sensitive to issues that extend beyond their immediate spatial confines, affording them to nurture their global dispositions.
In the close-up examination of foreign perspectives during such trips, our learners are also endowed with opportunities to recognise, understand, and appreciate the worldview of others, which may differ drastically from their own or be more surprisingly similar than expected. This newfound appreciation of diverse cultures fosters in our learners a deeper understanding of the shared human experience, helping to erode stereotypical views and prejudices, ultimately leading to a more harmonious global society.
Reflecting on my own daughters, I appreciated that they have grown to become more appreciative of diversity upon returning from every trip, local or overseas. The mere recognition that there are many humans different from us while sharing similar humanlike desires and aspirations empowers us in facing the struggles and challenges in our individual lives. Contextualising for language learning, my daughters have definitely become more willing to experiment with different languages and become more receptive to hearing them in our households. I used to be stopped from listening to songs from unfamiliar languages. Now I can enjoy music (the universal language) layered with languages that we do not really use – and my daughters become interested to know what those languages are.
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What are tips to maximise language learning in language immersion trips for students?
Language immersion trips transcend mere excursions or vacations; they possess the inherent potential to serve as profound catalysts for individual language development. However, to fully harness their transformative power, it is imperative that we adopt a deliberate and strategic approach in organising such trips. While some degree of language learning may occur naturally through immersion in the target language environment, it is within our reach to maximise this potential. By doing so, our learners can seize the rare opportunity presented by these trips and reap enduring benefits that will shape their linguistic abilities for the longer term. For adult learners who would like to plan for your own language immersion trip, some of these tips might work too!
Tip 1: Choose the right location for both language and culture.
Taking into consideration the specific characteristics and preferences of learners, along with our own comfort level in providing varying degrees of support in English, it is advisable to carefully select a destination that aligns with our unique educational goals.
For learners who are keen to dive deep into immersion with less or no support of English (or any mediating languages), exploring off-the-beaten-path destinations, such as small towns or less popular cities, can offer a richer immersion experience. Additional advantages include lower costs of immersion, higher probability to become very familiar with the locals and experience deep immersion in their local culture. For learners who still want some of English (or mediating languages) support, larger cities may be more suitable – although the immersion experience will be compromised.
Notwithstanding such, not all language immersion trips need to be overseas – it can also happen within another region with a large representing target language community (e.g. Polish in the UK). Such trips can work for learner groups who still prefer some familiarity of their home country while saving on some other costs (e.g. air tickets) or learning support (e.g. the use of the home languages).
Tip 2: Buddying for adolescent or younger learners.
If our learners are adolescent or younger learners, the implementation of a buddy system can prove vital in easing any initial nervousness while fostering their confidence to actively engage with the target language. In dealing with authentic communication in the target language within any situation, an individual can find solace in the support of another as he/she attempts to use the language. While larger group dynamics may limit individual language use opportunities, the buddy system offers a well-balanced approach that strikes a balance between building confidence and encouraging individual language practice.
On another level, if we have a partnering school or host organisation in the immersion venue, buddying our learners with the local students can prove to be a treasure trove of learning outside of the classroom. Our learners and the local students can observe the nuances of language use in real-life situations, furthering one’s comprehension of the language. Buddying is also beneficial for the young learners, as it can be a fun and engaging way to learn a language. The first sprout of friendships through such buddying can also bear fruits later for more sustained engagement between buddies and longer-term language learning.
Tip 3: Prepare the mindset to make mistakes and learn.
Notwithstanding the previous tip, it is beneficial to cultivate an attitude that is open to making mistakes and viewing them as learning opportunities. In other words, we should aim to cultivate a growth mindset in our learners to empower them to remain receptive of learning in spite of “errors”.
This type of mindset can prove to be advantageous in terms of growth and development. Furthermore, mistakes can be used to identify areas that require improvement and to gain valuable insight into the process. By embracing mistakes, individuals are able to more easily identify and address potential issues, leading to a more successful outcome.
It can happen. Personally, on my trip in Japan, there were several moments where communication breakdowns happen during simple transactions or conversations with a host. I would laugh at myself sometimes after those incidents but became more enriched and noting the progress with my Japanese language. The need to negotiate meaning despite not being super proficient are part and parcel of a language immersion trip – and they can leave a strong imprint of certain aspects of the target language in those specific communicative contexts.
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Tip 4: Stay observant.
Despite the tendency for us to just mindlessly traverse through the experience, it is important to remain attentive to the language use and practices. While the target language input comes in abundance on the trip, remember the types of language input that prevail? It is usually neither enhanced nor structured – though simplified in the form of foreigner talk at times. The “eureka moments” then rest upon our learners to really “notice” the linguistic forms and functions that go together. By staying observant, our learners can then better comprehend the nuances of the linguistic environment (e.g. gestures, expressions, speech rhythm), enabling them to draw meaningful hypotheses and pursue further experimentation.
Taking reference from my trip again, my daughters were pretty much around me when I read aloud some of the signs or instructions in Japanese or complete transactional tasks (e.g. paying at the convenience store). Occasionally, some phrases caught their attention and they would then clarify right after that instance. Other times, they would catch a linguistic pattern (e.g. how Japanese in the service industry tend to speak in longer sentences for a simple meaning in contrast to me and my friends – usually due to addition of honorifics). All these instances are akin to the planting of seeds for latter acquisition.
Tip 5: Seek out interactions with L1 users – Immerse!
If the main objective of the language immersion trip is to gain the educational experience of fully immersing in the target language, then one of the most effective ways is undoubtedly to seek out interactions with L1 users of the language (or more commonly known as native speakers). L1 users of the target language provide the invaluable opportunities for our learners to apply their language skills in an environment that allows for natural, conversational exchanges.
Interacting with L1 users also provides a chance to observe language usage in context. While studying the same language in a classroom setting, it can be difficult to get a sense of how the language is used in its organic environment. By seeking out interactions with the L1 users, the first-hand experience of observing language usage in context not only deepens their understanding but also enriches their representation of the target language by bridging the gap between theoretical knowledge and practical application.
Where can our learners seek out such experiences? Grocery shopping or local market visits makes an easy target – our learners need to get their supplies of necessities, and a large supermarket provides many opportunities for functional reading as well as simple transactional exchanges (no automated checkouts!). Visiting places where there are volunteers serving the local community would also be ideal – our learners can listen to the language targeted at L1 users and can proactively engage the volunteer in question-and-answer exchanges. Do include many of such activities in the itinerary.
If our learner profiles (e.g. older students) allow and where we have a credible partnering organisation, one of the best avenues of extensive interaction in using the target language would be an experience of living with a host family. Our learners can directly observe the host families in their most natural and informal setting while they also try to participate in the conversations like a member. Some of the most phenomenal language growth I have observed in short-term programs outside of class do come from learners on home-stay programs.
Tip 6: Implement pre-trip activities strategically.
At this juncture, if we do a short synthesis of the few earlier tips, we probably might have noticed how essential pre-trip preparations are. Our learners would benefit from scaffolds into the norms and practices they should adhere to on the trip. That is something we cannot take for granted: Like oblivious spectators, ill-prepared learners with eyes untrained and ears unplugged may witness fleeting moments of learning vanish with minimal or no noticing of any linguistic features.
Pre-trip activities must be implemented strategically to be effective. Taking the time to plan and prepare for the trip ahead of time is paramount to its success. Teachers should take the time to discuss with learners what they expect to gain from the trip, the challenges they may face, and how best to tackle them. We can also elicit suggestions from learners on how to make learning more effective. Usually, learners will be more committed to their own ideas.
Apparent as it may seem, we should pay attention to linguistic preparation too. It is usually beneficial to review some of the language (especially the formulaic expressions that will be used frequently) and culture of the destination prior to arrival. This can be done through activities like watching short films, role-playing, and simple conversations. Such activities prime our learners into scenarios that are actually going to take place – trust me, learners are generally super-engaged when they know what they are learning will be applied in the immediate or short future.
To prepare for extended learning, if there are specific structures to be put in place, this is also the time to set up such structures (e.g. personal learning portfolios, language immersion blogging).
Finally, it is important for teachers to be informed about the safety of the destination and to ensure that any students travelling on the trip have the necessary documentation. By implementing pre-trip activities strategically, teachers can maximise the effectiveness of their language immersion trips.
Tip 7: Conduct just-in-time language classes as part of the language immersion program.
The use of just-in-time language classes can be an effective way of improving learning outcomes during language immersion trips. By providing learners with the opportunity to grasp specific aspects of the target language tailored to the potential communicative contexts on any given day (e.g. raising questions for an anticipated museum tour), they are more likely to remember those content, use or adapt it accordingly and gaining wisdom from trial and error.
Just-in-time language lessons can also be used to introduce learners to cultural aspects of the communicative contexts, so that learners are primed on the anticipated norms and practices. This offloads them the additional concerns that may come with finding the right content, in contrast to focusing on using the target language.
Just-in-time language lessons can be highly effective due to the short-term or almost immediate practicality after learning – the learners can apply what they have learned to achieve their personal functional purposes. My daughters learned a great deal from one unstructured just-in-time lesson I held for them before we visited my different friends in their home. These were the events where they fortified certain formulaic expressions for hospitality and courtesy in their emerging Japanese language repertoire.
Tip 8: Facilitate reflection in our learners.
Many educators and academics have quoted “We do not learn from experience. We learn from reflecting on experience.” (though there are scholars who argued that John Dewey has not mentioned this in any of his works) as an expression of the importance in reflection. However, not all our learners are well-trained for skilful reflective practices. We play an integral role in this process, by become facilitators to guide their reflection.
Remember the earlier tip on staying observant? Try as they might, our learners may want to learn but are not able to notice everything as an individual. Through our elicitation and skilful questioning in a group, our learners can feed off the observations of one another to consolidate the learning points for an event or the day. This co-constructive process can also empower learners to become event-based teachers for their peers when some of them noticed interesting linguistic elements for learning.
Facilitation and reflection need not always be conducted face-to-face. It can be hosted on a pre-planned blog or online journal. We can also leverage social media (e.g. Instagram, Discord) where our other colleagues or even parents can be part of the community, so that we can strategically plan for post-trip learning activities supported by our other stakeholders.
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Tip 9: Space out learning in focused and diffuse modes.
Neuroscience research has enlightened us that our brain operates in two distinctive modes, namely the focused mode and the diffuse mode. In the focused mode, our mental state is significantly focused on completing a particular task at hand, such as resolving issues or scrutinising specific details while reading. This mode stimulates certain areas of the brain, enabling us to efficiently utilise resources for explicit learning and tackling challenging tasks.
Within the diffuse mode, however, our minds reside in a more tranquil and contemplative condition (e.g. akin to mindless doodling or zoning out). We exercise part of our brain that differ from the ones utilised in the focused mode. This consequently facilitates us in forming links and associations between fragments of experience and knowledge to construct systems.
Neuroscientists have recommended that we maintain a continuous oscillation between the focused and diffuse modes to ensure optimal learning. There will be times during our trip when our learners would need to switch between both modes. The focused mode is when our learners get engaged in intense communicative activities (e.g. real-time use of target language for transactions and resolve problems) – this would possibly become bulk of deliberate planning.
However, we should also plan for the diffuse mode within our trip through allocating periods of time for “pure tourism”. This allows our learners to take cognitive breaks from all that intense language learning to stimulate consolidation within the brain. When they do come back the focused activities, they have a better chance of levelling up in performance.
Conclusion: Let language immersion trips become the transformative catalysts of language learning!
Language immersion trips represent an extraordinarily valuable tool in the acquisition of a target language which is typically uncommon in our learners’ linguistic environment. These trips, which usually involve travelling to a region where the target language is the primary mode of communication, allow them to engage directly with the language in its natural and diverse contexts.
It develops proficiency in the target language through everyday situations that necessitate the use of the language. As such, our learners can learn to grasp the unique cultural nuances, idioms, colloquialisms, and other elements with a stronger language awareness where traditional classroom setting has limitations in offering.
Furthermore, these trips provide real-life opportunities for our learners to apply and practise what they have learned, reinforcing their skills and competence. In the process, they are exposed to a rich, comprehensive learning experience that goes far beyond language learning, including cognitive, emotional, and socio-cultural development to become effective global citizens.
However, the success and efficacy of these experiences largely depend on our learners’ engagement during the trip. It is thus imperative to ensure they are adequately supported and the program to incorporate well-structured facilitated learning alongside immersive exercises.
Language immersion trips can become a landmark experience within language courses by delivering intensive language acquisition and intercultural understanding in a meaningful and enjoyable way. If our circumstances permit us to embark on such an experience, why not seize the opportunity and start contemplating it today?
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Recommended Readings
- Jones, S.R., Rowan-Kenyon, H.T., Ireland, S.M.Y., Niehaus, E., & Skendall, K.C. (2012). The meaning students make as participants in short-term immersion programs. Journal of College Student Development, 53(2), 201–220.
- Nagel, D. (2014). How To Go On The Perfect Language Immersion Trip And Save Tonnes Of Money. The Mezzofanti Guild.
- Rowan-Kenyon, H.T., Knight, S., & McCready, A. (2018). Setting the Stage: Pre-Trip Preparation for Short-Term Immersion Programs. Journal of Student Affairs Research and Practice, 56(1), 78-91.
- Rustambekov, E., & Mohan, R. (2017). Cultural Immersion Trip to Southeast Asia: A Study of Cross-Cultural Intelligence. Journal of Teaching in International Business, 28(2), 87-103.
- Smolcic, E., Martin, D. (2019). Cultural/Linguistic Immersion in Teacher Preparation for Emergent Bilingual Learners: Defining a New Space for Asset-Based Pedagogies. In D. Martin & E. Smolcic. (Eds.), Redefining Teaching Competence through Immersive Programs: Practices for Culturally Sustaining Classrooms (pp. 1-36). Cham Switzerland: Palgrave MacMillan.
References
Benson, P. (2023). Mapping space, leisure and informal language learning in the lives of international students in Australia. In D. Toffoli, G. Sockett, & M. Kusyk. (Eds.), Language Learning and Leisure: Informal Language Learning in the Digital Age (pp. 143-158). Berlin Germany: De Gruyter Mouton.
Harfitt, G., & Chow, J.M.L. (2020). Employing Community-Based Experiential Learning in Teacher Education. Singapore: Springer Nature.
Jones, S.R., Rowan-Kenyon, H.T., Ireland, S.M.Y., Niehaus, E., & Skendall, K.C. (2012). The meaning students make as participants in short-term immersion programs. Journal of College Student Development, 53(2), 201–220.
Nagel, D. (2014). How To Go On The Perfect Language Immersion Trip And Save Tonnes Of Money. The Mezzofanti Guild.
Pasterick, M.L. (2019). Language and (Inter)Cultural Learning: Supporting Language Teacher Candidates’ Development of Interculturality During Study Abroad. In D. Martin & E. Smolcic. (Eds.), Redefining Teaching Competence through Immersive Programs: Practices for Culturally Sustaining Classrooms (pp. 127-154). Cham Switzerland: Palgrave MacMillan.
Rowan-Kenyon, H.T., Knight, S., & McCready, A. (2018). Setting the Stage: Pre-Trip Preparation for Short-Term Immersion Programs. Journal of Student Affairs Research and Practice, 56(1), 78-91.
Rustambekov, E., & Mohan, R. (2017). Cultural Immersion Trip to Southeast Asia: A Study of Cross-Cultural Intelligence. Journal of Teaching in International Business, 28(2), 87-103.
Smolcic, E., Martin, D. (2019). Cultural/Linguistic Immersion in Teacher Preparation for Emergent Bilingual Learners: Defining a New Space for Asset-Based Pedagogies. In D. Martin & E. Smolcic. (Eds.), Redefining Teaching Competence through Immersive Programs: Practices for Culturally Sustaining Classrooms (pp. 1-36). Cham Switzerland: Palgrave MacMillan.
Tong, P., & Tsung, L. (2020). Learning Chinese in a Multilingual Space: An Ecological Perspective on Studying Abroad. Cham Switzerland: Springer Nature.
