ERIC ED370381: Preparation for and Results of a Short-Term Overseas Study Program in the United States.

14 Pages·1993·0.33 MB·English

by  ERIC

DOCUMENT RESUME
FL 022 134
ED 370 381
Kitao, S. Kathleen
AUTHOR
Preparation for and Results of a Short-Term Overseas
TITLE
Study Program in the United States.
PUB DATE
93
NOTE
14p.
Journal
Evaluative/Feasibility (142)
PUB TYPE
Reports
Tests/Evaluation Instruments (160)
Articles (080)
Bulletin of the Institute for Interdisciplinary
JOURNAL CIT
Studies of Culture; n10 p107-18 Mar 1993
MF01/PC01 Plus Postage.
EDRS PRICE
*Achievement Gains; *Cultural Awareness; *English
DESCRIPTORS
(Second Language); Foreign Countries; *Language
Proficiency; Program Effectiveness; Questionnaires;
Second Language Instruction; *Student Attitudes;
*Study Abroad; Two Year Colleges
Doshisha Womens College of Liberal Arts (Japan);
IDENTIFIERS
*Japanese People; Mary Baldwin College VA
ABSTRACT
A summer 1992 program in which Doshisha Women's
Junior College (Japan) students studied at Mary Baldwin College
(Virginia) for three weeks is discussed. Program aspects described
include program development, student motivation for joining, student
preparation for the study-abroad experience, effects of the
experience on their English language proficiency and image of the
Unites States, and student feelings about the program. Student
preparation included 12 orientation sessions. The stay in the United
States included English language and American culture classes, field
trips, and a 4-day homestay. Student attitudes, as measured in
surveys during the first week of the program and after returning,
suggest that students found learning about English language functions
in context most useful, felt their English proficiency had improved
significantly, felt Americans were kinder and more friendly than
anticipated, and that the United States was less dangerous than
feared. Suggestions are made for future research. The two student
questionnaires are appended. (MSE)
***********************************************************************
Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made
from the original document.
***********************************************************************
tt
Yjj
`If 1
2).Z{
CO
199311= 3 1131 El Rri-
Cr)
Preparation for and Results of a Short-Term
111
Overseas Study Program in the United States
S. Kathleen Kitao
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
Ofhce of Educatronat Research and Improvement
REPRODUCE THIS
"PERMISSION TO
GRANTED BY
EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES INFORMATION
MATERIAL HAS BEEN
CENTER (ERIC)
ore, porodrgaunc.ezdat,oans
164ech t rvdeocd uomoemn t hhea so ebres oe.n
onginattng
O Mlnor changes have been made to trnprove
reproduct.on quahty
Porntr: of new or oprntons stated rn thrs docu .
ment do not necessanly represent offic.al
RESOURCES
OERI ooso.on or pohcy
TO THE EDUCATIONAL
(ERICr
INFORMATION CENTER
(N)
L he lflb(IuJIe br
leL i fl
(dr
F...0
LJIdI
L ud i es o
Col Lor-t,.
(ildrch.
No.
10
1 993 )
Dos h
sh.-5 Worne
IT(
1
drid be .
61 0 -6-,
er
;
2
BEST COPY AVAILARLF
tiarkfl:t1V
107
Preparation for and Results of a Short-Term
Overseas Study Program in the United States
S. Kathleen Kitao
Abstract
In the summer of 1992, Doshisha Women's Junior College students went to Mary
Baldwin College for a short.term overseas program for the first time. In this paper,
looked briefly at other studies of students going overseas.
discussed the Mary
I
I
Baldwin College program for the junior college students in 1992. I described the students'
preparation, the reasons they wanted to join the program, the effects of the program
on students' language pr(fficiency and image of the United States, and the students'
comments about their experiences. Finally, I discussed suggestions for future programs
from the students,
The orientation class met twelve times between early May and late July, including
an overnight sessiffn at a hotel. In this paper, the types of preparation were described.
The students were at Mary Baldwin College three weeks, during which time they
have American culture classes and English language classes. Scudents found the classes
interesting aml enjoyable. In addition to classes, there were a number of field trips.
Students had a four-day homestay experience with local families.
As part of the COUrSe requirements, students filled out two surveys, one during the
first week of the classes and one after returning frifin the United States. The ques.
tionnaire explored licAV students perceived the improvement of their English prmificiency,
lu,w their images of the United States changed, and what types of preparation they
perceived as being useful. The results indicated that students fifund learning about
functions in English most useful. Learning zibout the situations tiley would lie in as
trDveler, was also considered beneficial.
Students were also asked to rate their English proficiency, and the comparison of
the ratings before and after the program indicated that they perceived that their
prmfficiency had significantly improved. Interviews with the live counselors who worked
with the students supported this.
Students indicated that, as a result of their experiences in the t'ni,ed States, they
felt Americans were kinder and more friendly. They also thought it was less dangerous,
or only dangerous in certain places.
The paper concludes with suggestions for future resef well, and the questionnaires
are included in the appendix.
Doshisha Women's College has been
a summer program was established for
sending students overseas for a summer
junior college students with Warwick Uni-
program since 1982. At that time, students
versity in Britain. In 1992, junior college
of the four-year college \vent
to Mary
students went to both Mary Baldwin Col-
Baldwin College
Staunton,
Virginia,
lege and Warwick University for the first
in
and traveled in the United States. After
time.
the junior college was established in 19K,
this
at
paper,
briefly
will
look
In
I
3
h.
1 08
)'1i.e.
%.Z10
other studies of students going overseas.
students'
searchers concluded
that
the
I will discuss the Mary Baldwin College
images had become somewhat more realis-
program for the junior college students
tic through their experiences.
A study of a short-term program by
in 1992. I will describe the students prep-
aration, the reasons they wanted to join
students'
that
indicated
Nozaki
(1987)
the program, the effects of the program
image of Americans became significantly
more positive after a short stay in the
on students' language proficiency and im-
cut of 28 items:
States on
age of the United States, and the students'
United
1-I
honesty, generosity, intellectual curiosity,
comments about their experiences. Final-
will discuss suggestions for future
sense of responsib:lity. warmheartedness,
ly,
I
programs from the students.
impartiality,
kindness,
diligence
pru-
morality,
politeness,
dence,
cl.?.mliness,
Overseas Study
trustworthiness, and peaceableness. Stu-
Although many Japanese students go
dents' images did not become significantly
overseas for study, either short term or
more negative on a y item. Nozaki also
long term, there has been relatively little
looked at changes i! the students' images
of Japan, but
stu(l of these students, their preparation,
KI no significant
f a
dif-
or the results of the students' experience
ferences.
overseas (Yashima and Viswat, 1991).
Orientation Course
The Oversea
to compare the studies
difficult
It
is
that have been done of Japanese students
In sending s'u ,..nts overseas, no matter
because of the widely
of origin and host
going overseas,
what their
c',1 a try
different populations and situations that
'ion is extremely valuable.
country, oriel
they involve. Studies that have been done
is "potentially one of
Studying 0 e
,is
the most bro- ening and maturing edu-
include Yashima and Viswat (1991), which
the image of the
looked at changes in
cational ex!...:1-,nces that a young person
United States for Japanese high school
-merely sending
l'owever,
have."
can
students who spent a year studying in
young people io live abroad for a while
the United States; and Higuchi,
1.:ir.rantee that they will learn
does not
Saito,
Lamarche, Shelangouski, and Kikuchi (19
a great oe.it more than if they remained
82) looked at junior college students who
home'
( rove,
at
xi). While
p.
1989,
referring to long-term pro-
were in Canada for a homestay experi-
'.
Grove
ence. In both cases, the image that the
is also important to
orientation
grams,
students had of the host country deterio-
the succe!.,, of short-term programs.
rated, and after their experience, they
considered the people of the host country
Choosing Participants
less friendly, less warm, less polite, less
Student were chosen in late April 1992
for the
.lary Baldwin College program
reliable, less kind, etc. However, in spite
from a pool of 113 applicants from Do-
of being somewhat less positive, the par-
shisha Women's Junior College for the
image of
ticipants'
countries
the
host
MBC program and the program at War-
were still relatively positive, and the re-
4
t,
Preparation for and Results of a Short-Term Overseas Study Program
109
wick University. Students were chosen
scripts,
(Kitao and Kitao,
Travel English
based on written questions in English and
Kitao and
1992;0 and
Travel Exlvessions (
Japanese about themselves and their goals
Ritao,
will discuss
used.
19921)), were
I
for going overseas, a multiple-choice quiz
each of these textbooks individually and
about American history and culture, and
how they were used.
an interview. In the interview, which was
This
Communicating
with
Americans.
conducted in both English and Japanese,
book takes a functional approach to the
students were rated
according to their
teaching of English. There are chapters
their goals for the
English proficiency,
on such functions as greeting, compliment-
program, and by how responsible they
ing, agreeing and disagreeing, requesting,
seemed to be.
complaining, and expressing appreciation.
Thirty-four students were chosen by
It has model dialogues,
explanations of
All of the students were
this
process.
cultural differences between Japanese and
first year students in the junior college,
English, and many examples of expres-
ranging in age from eighteen to twenty
sions for performing
functions and re-
years old. Six were Japanese majors and
sponding to them.
the remainder were English majors. One
Students were assigned to answer the
student had lived in Malaysia for three
true/false and short answer questions from
years, one had been in the United States
two or three chapters per week as home-
for a 25-day homestay. and three had
students did role plays
work.
class,
In
been overseas on vacation for less than
using the functions that were covered that
one week. One student dropped out of
week. For the first six weeks, students
the program in June and was not repla-
did their role plays with other students;
ced, so thirty-three students participated
for the rest of the course, they did their
in the program and made the trip.
role plays with the teacher.
This is a gene-
Background to the USA.
The Overseas Orientation Course
ral book on American culture. Students
The orientation class met twelve times
were assigned to read and answer short
between early May and late July, including
answer questions about two chapters a
an overnight session at a
It was
hotel.
week. Chapters were chosen that seemed
taught by one full-time faculty member,
more relevant to their experience in the
with the assistance of a staff member.
United States, particularly to the cities
The
importance
attendance
of
was
that they would be visiting and the pe-
stressed,
there
and
were
two
only
riods of American history that would be
absences during the course.
the places they would be
relevant
to
Several types of preparation were com-
b:red in the orientation. There were two
Travel Bitg/ish and
Travel Expressions.
textbooks,
Communicating with Americans:
These two manuscripts were organized
Functions in
English (Kitao
around situations that
Iiitao,
and
travelers
the
in
1991) and
Musman,
Background to the ('SA i
United States face. These situations in-
1982). In addition, two unpublished maim-
clude being on an airplane,
a post
in
5
BEST COPY AVAILABLE
qCv-ac
110
in the
been there, and what they did
or at a hotel.
Travel English,
In
office,
United States. Though they were assigned
each of these situations is explained along
to write one page per week during the
the behaviors exrected
in
with
them.
orientation and two pages per week dur-
There were true/false questions at the
ing the trip, most students wrote much
end of each chapter. Students were as-
more. Direct quotations in this paper are
signed to read and answer the questions
from students' journal entries.
on two to three chapters each week.
A large amount
Students' Compliance.
addresses the same
Travel Expressions
of homework was assigned, but compliance
Travel English,
providing
situations as
this large
spite of
was very high.
In
expressions and sample dialogues related
amount of homework, few of the students
to those situations. Students were assigned
to turn in
their homework
ever failed
to read through the expressions and dia-
assignments.
logues, though they were not used directly
in class until role plays were clone at
Students' Preparation Outside of Class
the end of the class.
their responses to
According to
the
Groups of
Student Group Presentations.
questionnaire described below, most stu-
students did presentations on various use-
dents did ad(litional preparation for their
ful topics packing and traveling, health
overseas trip. The types of preparation
and safety, talking about Japanese culture
they listed included- 1) reading books or
in English, American education, homestay,
United
the
(about
articles
magazine
and so on and on each of the places
States, homestay, and so on), 2) listening
Virginia, New
they would be visiting--
to radio or television English conversation
York, Boston, Niagara Falls, Los Angeles,
programs, 3) watching foreign television
and Washington,
D.C.
listening to Eng-
programs or movies, -1)
In addition, students saw videos
Other.
lish tapes, 5)attending conversation classes,
class about two of the places they
in
and 6) watching television news in English.
would be visiting during their time in
Only one student iesponded that she did
the US. They were also given handouts
not do any preparation outside of the
with information about various practical
orientation class.
aspects of the trip, for example, how to
act during their homestay. There was
The Mary Baldwin College
also an opportunity to see a video from
Program
last year's program at MBC and to ask
last year's participants.
Classes
of
questions
The students are at Mary B-ildwin Col-
Students were required to keep
Journals.
lege three weeks, during which time they
journals during the orientation and to
( in 1992,
take American culture classes
continue to keep them during the trip.
in
American children's culture, religions
They were asked to write about how
America and American history) and Eng-
they were preparing for the trip, what
(reading, writing
their impressions of the United States
lish
language
classes
and speaking/listening). The culture clas-
were before they left and after they had
6
I'reparation for and Results of a Short-Term Overseas Study Program
11 i
there were a
addition to classes,
ses emphasized student participation and
In
rather than
lecture. Among
number of field trips. Students visited a
discussion
other assignments, students did a short
local organ factory, Richmond (including
independent study project for the culture
an art museum and a history museum),
made journal
entries
Williamsburg, Jamestown, Woodrow Wil-
class
ck.sses,
in
son's Birthplace, a local dairy farm and
for the cornposition class, and interviewed
poultry farm, Monticello, and the Museum
local businesspeople and college employees
of American Frontier Culture (where they
for the listening, speaking class, and \N
ite
could see farms from the 18th century
a report on tne experience for their com-
United States and three European coun-
position class. Fables, inyths, and poems
written by students for the composition
tries), and attended Jazz in the Park and
class were gathered in a book that the
the Oak Grove Music Festival.
students were given at the end of the
course.
Homestay
After three weeks at MBC, students
Students found the classes interesting
had a homestay experience with local
and enjoyable. One student wrote, "We
have our first class yesterday. I
felt that
families. Students were assigned to home-
an hour was very short, because every
stay families in pairs. They first met their
class was interesting for me." Another
families at a dinner and then spent four
student wrote, "In Japan, most classes
and a half days with them. With the home-
which I have in college are passive classes
stay families, students engaged in a wide
except for English classes.
only write
variety of activities, including camping,
I
hiking, swimming, horseback riding, vis-
down what a teacher writes on blackboard,
can speak
iting museums, attending church services
but
America,
class,
in
in
I
an taking part in
and other church activities, and visiting
can feel
that
so
I
I
the host families' relatives or neighbors.
class."
Entries in the students' journals indi-
cated that the homestay experience was
Living Situat'on
a universally positive one, and that
During the time they were at MBC,
all
students lived in a dormitory. They were
of the students formed good relationships
with their host families and felt that, as
divided into four groups, and there was
a result of the experience,
a counselor, an American college student
they learned
a great deal about American daily life,
or recent graduate, assigned to each group.
Students ate meals with t heir counselors
particularly family life. One student wrote
of the experience, "Though I stayed with
and spent time with them outside of class.
them for only five days, it was the most
Though there were other Japanese stu-
wonderful time for me. They were very
dents On campus at the same time, the
sweet and treated us as treasures. I could
Doshisha students had little contact with
touch American daily life directly.
dis-
t hem.
I
covered many things." Another wrge,
"They were all very kind and treated us
Field Trips
112
frItfL1/I'5199iiV.V
4510'{i;
I was very
as members of their family.
Reasons for Joining the Program. When
glad to stay with them a week.
asked for their reasons for wanting to
I won't
forget them."
enter the INIBC program, students' answers
included a desire to: 1) speak to foreign-
learn English (abroad) or
Japan Night
ers,
2)
im-
Students presented a "Japan Night" for
prove English proficiency, 3) participate in
their host families and the staff of the
a homestay program,
communicate/
-1)
exchange views with Americans, 5) ex-
program. At Japan Night, students demon-
strated aspects of Japanese culture,
perience American education, (3) prepare
in-
for future study at an American univer-
cluding teaching origami, doing a kamishi-
bai, and letting the audience sample Ja-
teach Americans about Japan,
sity.
7)
panese food. The audience reaction was
8) learn about American culture and life,
positive, and the students' journal entries
9) see how Americans live,
10) expand
indicated that they felt that Japan Night
their world, and 11) learn American pro-
The roost
had been very successful.
frequently men-
nunciation.
tioned reason was desire
participate
to
Overseas Orientation Surveys
in the homestay program.
The Questionnaires
Students Perceptions of their Preparation.
As part
of the course requirements,
Students were asked on the questionnaire
which types of preparation they had found
students filled out two surveys, one during
most and least
the first v eck of the classes and one after
(see Appendix).
useful
returning from the United States. (The
The students'
resimnses indicated
that
questions discussed in this paper appear
learning about functions (Communicating
in the appendix.) The main purposes of
with Americans) was the most useful to
these questionnaires were exploring:
Seventeen students responded
students.
1. how students perceived the improve-
it was the most useful type of prep-
that
ment of their English proficiency dur-
aration.
tra,. cling and
Learning
about
ing the program
using English (Travel English) was listed
9. how students' images of the United
by ten students. Presentations by other
States changed during the program
students (5 students) and learning about
3. what types of preparation students
American culture (Background to the USA)
perceived as being useful
were also
students)
mentioned. As
(2
In addition, information was gathered
for the
useful preparation,
least
Back-
about how students prepared for going
ground to the USA was perceived as being
to the Iinited States, why they applied
the least useful. It was mentioned by the
for the program, what advice they had
largest number of students (15). Presen-
for preparation of future students in this
tations were mentioned by eight students.
program, and what cities they enjoyed
Travel Expressions (1 students) and Com-
visiting most.
student)
municating
Americans
with
(1
were also mentioned. Five students speci-
Results of the Ques(iommire
fied that they did not consider any of tne
8
Preparation for and Results of a Short-Term Overseas Study Progmm
11:3
types of preparation "least useful."
recognize the usefulness of such informa-
Many of the students clearly felt that
tion. However, many of the students may
learning about functions in English was
not have been as aware of the usefulness
useful to them during their time in the
of background kirm-ledge in communicat-
United States. Learning about the situa-
ing with English speakers. Since this type
tions they would be in as travelers was
of preparation is not as concrete or ob-
also considered beneficial. Probably these
viously useful as learning about functions
were considered useful because they were
or situations, students may not have been
very specific and concrete,
so students
aware of its usefulness.
could clearly see their usefulness.
Increase in Students' English Proficiency.
Learning specific expressions for travel
In the questionnaire, students were asked
to rate
situations (Travel Eng/ish ) was not consid-
their English proficiency on a
ered the most useful preparation by any
scale of zero to ten when they began the
student and five students considered
program in May and again after they
it
least
the
useful preparation. However,
returned from the United States. Before
little emphasis was placed on
because
the program, the mean rating of their
this (there was no specific homework,
with a
proficiency was 3.56,
standard
other than to read the expressions, and
After the program,
deviation
of
1.1(1.
they were only used in role plays at the
the mean was 5, 74, with a standard de-
end of the course),
students may not
I did a one-tailed t test
viation of 0.93.
have spent sufficient time o
this type
comparing the two values, which indicated
of preparation to benefi( from. it.
that the increase was significant (t=
Learning about American culture,
at
p ".05).
10.73
least from l3ackground to the USA, was
students
Clearly,
the
that
perceived
not perceived as being particularly help-
their English had improved noticeably.
well known that a
However,
ful.
is
it
It is unlikely, however, that in three weeks
knowledge of culture is necessary to ef-
of classes and two weeks of travel and
fective communication (Kitao, 1977), and
homestay they learned a great deal more
that
background
knowledge
influences
about English grammar or vocabulary.
comprehension
(Anderson,
Kitao,
is more likely that what actually im-
It
1978;
1989). For example, one student mentioned
proved was their ability to make use of
she wished she had known more
that
the knowledge of English that they already
about American
,overnment, since her
have.
host mother tali.ed about it, and a few
In addition to asking the students to
other students mentioned that
it would
rate their proficiency,
interviewed the
I
have been helpful to know more about
counselors about
their qualitative
five
various aspects of American culture, in-
perce!)tions of the increase in the studimts'
It may be that because
cluding daily life.
English proficiency. This interview was
the students can see a direct use for func-
ten days after the students
conducted
tions or explanation; of situations they
MBC. The counselors were
arrived
at
will be in as travelers, they can easily
all able to see clear improvements in the
9
"
eir:411:63fItOif1lV
114
students' English proficiency. Specifically,
particularly conversation, vocabulary, and
they said that the had gone from speaking
pronunciation; and more em7hasis on ex-
to two-word utterances to
plaining Japanese culture in English.
full
one-
in
sentences. Students' cornprehension also
Suggestions for the portion of the pro-
according to the counselors,
gram at MBC included more free time
improved,
for rest, class preparation, or writing in
in that the students were capable of under-
journals; more time for preparation for
standing English spoken at a nearly natu-
ral speed, compared to the time when
Japan Night; a longer time spent in clas-
ses, perhaps after homestay; niore coun-
the students arrived, when the counselors
selors, perhaps one counselor per three
necessary to slow their rate of
felt
it
to four students, because students speak
speaking considerably. The counselors felt
that the relaxed atmosphere of the pro-
English most with counselors; and more
talk with teachers and
opportunity
gram was conducive to building confidence.
to
gaining confidence
other Americans.
addition
to
In
in
Students were also asked about their
their English, many of the students seemed
favorite and least favorite city. Of the
to have gained more motivation to further
cities the students visited after leaving
English. Many of them
improve
their
their journals that when
MBC, New York and Los Angeles were
commented in
they returned to Japan, they wanted to
the most popular, though all of the cities
were mentioned as a favorite by at least
work on their English proficiency so that
one student. Most of the Ftudents said
they w ill be able to communicate better
that there was no city that they did not
when they return to the United States.
enjoy visiting. A few students, however,
Students' Advice for Future Programs.
mentioned that the schedule was difficult.
The students were also asked about their
advice for the directors of future programs
Changes in Students' Image of the United
and what they wished they had known
before going to the United States. No
States
In order to assess changes in the
stu-
single suggestion was made by more than
dents'
images
States
United
the
four students, and most suggestions were
of
and Arnericans during the orientation and
made by only one student.
their time abroad, students were asked
Suggestions for the preparation before
positive and
to
negative
list
five
five
going
States
the
United
included:
to
adjectives describing the United States
learning more about American culture,
on the pretest and posttest. This method
lifestyle, customs, and history
including
had both advantages And disadvantages
to places students
(pal iicularly related
the method used by
comparison
in
to
Japanese); learning
visited,
perhaps
in
more about MBC (for example, how many
Yashima and Viswat (1991
Nozaki (1987),
stu(lents are there, what majors are of-
in m hich participants rated
and others,
their host country on a semantic differen-
fered, etc. ); more opportunity to speak to
before going
tial, using adjective pairs such as friendly;
foreigners
the United
to
States; more study of English language,
unfriendly, kind, unkind, and dependent,'
1. 0