Article The audio-recorder as a resource for L2 learning in study abroad

McGregor, Janice; Surtees, Victoria
Volume 04 - Issue 1
2023-10-01
study abroad; second language learning; audio-recorder; participant-collected recordings; qualitative research
University of Hawaii National Foreign Language Resource Center; (co-sponsored by American Association of University of Supervisors and Coordinators; Center for Advanced Research on Language Acquisition; Center for Educational Resources in Culture, Language, and Literacy; Second Language Teaching and Resource Center)
/10125/69878
McGregor, J., & Surtees, V. (2023). The audio-recorder as a resource for L2 learning in study abroad. Second Language Research & Practice, 4(1), 48–66. https://hdl.handle.net/10125/69878
Full Record
Research on second language (L2) learning in study abroad (SA) often includes close analyses of audio or video recordings of interactions among speakers in the host country (Diao, 2022; Mitchell, 2023). These recordings are increasingly being collected by SA students themselves using handheld and/or mobile devices. Given that participants are aware and often in control of the recording process, some researchers (e.g., Gordon, 2013; Speer & Hutchby, 2003) have suggested that scholars should attend to how participants orient to the recorder as a resource for doing things (i.e., interactive and relational work) in talk. We take up these researchers’ call by examining participant-collected recordings of peer talk from two SA case studies: American learners of German in Germany and Japanese learners of English in Canada. Analyses reveal that the audio-recorder afforded participants additional opportunities to collaboratively do research, build informal relationships, and practice language while abroad. Our results highlight how integrating recording devices in SA can support those seeking more informal ways to practice the L2 with peers in context.