Ayşenur Öztürk
Research Paper Proposal
Nowadays, among students, there is a tendency to study abroad to learn foreign language.
Foreign language teachers also give credit to this trend. In the literature, this view is analyzed and supported by different studies as well.
Firstly, in the article “The Relationship Among Motivation, Interaction, and the Development of Second Language Oral Proficiency in a Study-Abroad Context” Hernandez, analyzes the result of his studies which are to examine the role of integrative motivation, instrumental motivation, and interaction with a second language (L2) culture in shaping students' speaking performance before and after participation in a 1 -semester study-abroad program in Spain.
The results highlight 3 major points. First, students can indeed improve their L2 speaking proficiency during a 1-semester study-abroad program. Second, there is a positive relationship between students' integrative motivation and their interaction with the L2 culture.
Third, student in contact with the Spanish language has a significant effect on their speaking improvement. The data confirm the importance of focusing on learning activities that enhance students' integrative motivation and interaction with the L2 culture in both the formal classroom ("at home") and in the study-abroad program.
Secondly, in the article, “Second-Language Awareness and Development during Study
Abroad: A Case Study”, Lord interprets his case study. In the study, one participant wrote weekly journal entries in Spanish during the year spent studying in Spain. Journals were coded for indicators of written fluency and accuracy, error types, and recurring languagerelated themes. Findings indicate improved accuracy over the year, but less change in terms of fluency. At the end of the year, it is shown that participant’s marked learning occurred in the second half of her first semester, indicating that her greatest gains in accuracy were confined to a relatively limited period. Her decreased motivation during the year avoided her
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Ayşenur Öztürk
Research Paper Proposal to gain linguistic skills. As the result of this summary, author says that it is difficult to muster the motivation and effort required to make substantial language gains during study abroad, along with the challenges of living abroad.
Thirdly, according to the article, “Predicting Changes in Cultural Sensitivity among Students of Spanish during Short-Term Study Abroad”, short-term study abroad programs of less than a semester are becoming increasingly popular among undergraduate students in the United
States. This study measures students' cultural sensitivity before and after a six week study abroad program and finds a small but significant increase in students' cultural sensitivity, with time spent interacting with native speakers while abroad predicting such increases.
Interestingly, students' skill in oral Spanish, motivation, and relationship with a host family did not predict improvements in cultural sensitivity. On the other hand, promoting cultural understanding is one of the central goals of second or foreign language teaching. The results show that while students are in short term study abroad programs, they need to interact extensively with native speakers, in addition to living with the host family. Students should also be given time away from the target culture to reflect on their experiences.
In another study, “Language Learning during Study Abroad: What We Know and What We
Have Yet to Learn”, Dewey looks for an answer how to students learn Japanese while they study in Japan. In this article, firstly author states that language teachers usually think studying abroad as the good way to gain both language skills and cultural knowledge. These gains are usually evident to the teacher. However, he states that it is difficult to pinpoint exactly what it is that students gain during study abroad. If there are both cultural and linguistic differences like in learning Japanese then gaining language skills and cultural knowledge can be difficult. In the result of his study, Dewey states that cultural and linguistic differences may give students hard times while they study abroad.
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Ayşenur Öztürk
Research Paper Proposal
Additionally, according to the article, “Motivation and Motivating in the Foreign Language
Classroom”, Dörnyei claims that general motivations to learning second language are the culture it conveys, the community in which it is spoken, and the potential usefulness of proficiency in it. These general motives determine basic learning goals and explain language choice.
Finally, in the article, “Language Learning in Study Abroad: Case Studies of Americans in
France”, Kinginger mentions that among language educators, there is a belief that studying abroad is a productive environment for the development of communicative competence in foreign languages. However, within the group who study abroad, considerable variation was documented for individual students. To explain this, there was given an example from their study. In this example, Bill reports having been welcomed into a home where his language learning was actively supported, whereas Ailis cannot find the chance to communicate and talk with household. Additionally, she does not have social network outside the home, and she cannot improve her foreign language skills. As a result, this study states that students who are encouraged to learn foreign language in study abroad programs regardless of different cognitive styles, learning strategies, levels of motivation, or other affective variables, may struggle for access to settings enabling their language learning, they may remain closely linked to their home-based communication resources, or they may find aspects of their identity challenged in unfamiliar or even alienating ways. All these things may affect students’ foreign language learning process.
The above mentioned studies show that students are willing to learn foreign language when they study abroad. However, because of some reasons like facing to new culture or not being able to socialize can demotivate students. Above mentioned studies conducted for different languages like Spanish and Japanese. However, this type of research has not been done
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Ayşenur Öztürk
Research Paper Proposal before for Turkish. In my research paper, I am going to answer the question “Do studyabroad university students who study in Turkey have intrinsic motivation while they learn to speak Turkish since they may interact with Turkish culture and have chance to communicate with the native speakers?”
Sample
My population consists of students who are studying abroad in Turkey. My sample will be selected from Bilkent University since I am going to study on foreign students. In Bilkent
University, there are a lot of foreign students. Bilkent University has student exchange program agreements with over 240 universities around the world.
Because I will work with particular students, I am going to use purposive sampling. The main goal of purposive sampling is to focus on particular characteristics of a population that are of interest, which will best enable the researcher to answer research questions.
For this research, sample size will be 50 students. In fact 30 students are enough for the research. However, when taking into account losses and spoilages, sample size should be greater than needed number.
Research Design
Data to be collected:
Students’ Turkish course grades.
If the students have Turkish roommates/ home mates or not.
Frequency of going out with Turkish friends.
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Ayşenur Öztürk
Research Paper Proposal
Threats
External validity can be threat for this research since data from only Bilkent University students will be collected and it will be generalized to all Turkish learners as foreign students.
However, Bilkent University’s teaching Turkish can be different from other universities.
Additionally, students may have more/less chance to meet with Turkish friends different from other universities.
Selection Maturation Interaction can be threat as well since in the research students’ abilities are not measured. A student may have little interaction with his/her friends but s/he may have the ability to learn foreign language. Then s/he can get high grades from exams.
It is expected to find out that students’ intrinsic motivation are affected from their cultural interactions. If the students’ have Turkish roommates or homemates s/he learns Turkish more effectively rather than ones who have foreign roommates or homemates. Additionally, if s/he socialize with Turkish friends then s/he will get high grades.
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Ayşenur Öztürk
Research Paper Proposal

Hernandez, Todd, A., (2010). The Relationship Among Motivation, Interaction, and the Development of Second Language Oral Proficiency in a Study-Abroad Context.
The Modern Language Journal, 94.(4), 600-617

Lord, Gillian., (2009). Second Language Awareness and Development during Study
Abroad: A Case Study. Hispania, 92.(1), 127-141.

Martinsen, Rob, (2011). Predicting Changes in Cultural Sensitivity among Students of
Spanish during Short-term Study Abroad. Hispania, 94.(1) , 121-141.

Dewey, Dan, P., (2007). Language Learning during Study Abroad: What We Know and What We Have Yet to Learn. Japanese Language and Literature, 41.(2), 245-269.
 Dörnyei, Zoltán, (1994). Motivation and Motivating in the Foreign Language
Classroom. The Modern Language Journal, 78.(3), 273-284.

Kinginger, Celeste, (2008). Language Learning in Study Abroad: Case Studies of
Americans in France. The Modern Language Journal, 92, 1-131.
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