The impact on language identity of a study abroad experience

The chapter draws on a collaborative study of language identity among Erasmus+ exchange students, carried out within the framework of the 2016-2020 COST Action “Study Abroad in European Perspective”. Our particular focus is on development and change in language identity over the course of the sojourn abroad. 14 students of varying nationalities, sojourning in 9 different countries, were interviewed before, during and/or immediately following their stay abroad. Within this group, 8 were majoring in languages at their home institution, 5 in other disciplines, and one double major. Drawing on the language identity framework proposed by Benson et al. (2013), and taking account of all languages known, the interviews were analysed to explore development in participants’ identity-related proficiency in different languages, linguistic self-concept, and language-related personal competence