International posture, motivation and identity in SA

In the context of Study Abroad (SA) researchers have called for a more refined analysis of students’ personal language learning motivations (Mitchell et al. 2015). Furthermore, the spread of English as a Lingua Franca (ELF) has led to an expo- nential increase in learners of English, and has consequently changed the learners’ motivations for learning, as well as the way they identify with the language (Jenk- ins et al. 2011; Isabelli-García 2006). With this in mind, the present study draws on Yashima’s (2009) international posture as a more fruitful alternative to the con- cept of integrative motivation. The study investigates the motivation and identity of undergraduate Spanish-Catalan bilinguals, learning English, as well as either German or French. Using quantitative tools, the study compares students cross- sectionally prior to and at the end of a SA period, and contrasts those spending a SA in an English-speaking country with those in a German- or French-speaking country. The results suggest that there is a partial effect of a three-month SA on the language learning motivation and identity of higher education students. Signif- icant differences were found between pre- and end of SA participants in areas such as international posture, willingness to communicate and interest in foreign lan- guages. Furthermore, when comparing those in an English-speaking country with a French or German-speaking country, differences arose regarding the ideal L2 self and intended learning effort. It is suggested that due to the generally high levels of motivation across all participants, a more detailed, qualitative investigation is required in order to gain a more thorough understanding of the development and negotiation of the learners’ ongoing motivational process (Kim 2009)