Learning Languages in Multilingual Contexts: Investigating Erasmus Students’ Experiences regarding Language, Social Networks, and Culture

Abstract

[eng] This comparative case study examines the differences and similarities of distinctive study abroad experiences regarding the learning of languages, social networks, and cultural adaptation, taking as main subject of study the individual perceptions of some Erasmus students from the University of the Balearic Islands. By examining this, I point out the huge impact that those contextual elements have on their overall learning and personal experiences. I use two major research tools: (1) a quantitative questionnaire and (2) a post-programme focus group discussion. The analysis specifically focuses on six students from the UIB who participated in an Erasmus programme, and gathers qualitative data from their visions on the experience. Preliminary results suggest that the objectives, tendencies and consequences of the study abroad experience vary depending on circumstances such as the specific degree in which they are enrolled, the host country, and the individual preferences of the students. Although some research has been done on the topic, this paper aims to go further by exploring the distinctions that make this variation possible in the multilingual learning context.