@inproceedings{8680784,
  abstract     = {{International experience is often assumed to be ‘life-changing’, providing crucial learning opportunities for intercultural development, Second Language proficiency, global- mindedness, and personal growth (Jackson and Oguro, 2018). However, a large body of research has drawn attention to the complexity in the nature of SA and has challenged the immersion assumption regarding intercultural and linguistic progress abroad (Coleman, 2013, Jackson, 2018). L2 sojourners may react differently to intercultural contact and some may develop their L2 competence only to a certain extent (Jackson, 2012). Research findings on this complex interrelationship of Second Language Acquisition (SLA) and intercultural development in the SA context point out the necessity of further investigation (Davidson et al., 2016). 
This study reports on the impact of a semester abroad in Spain on L2 learners’ awareness of the meaning and use of L2 conventional expressions in social interactions, as well as on several intercultural dimensions related to Cultural Intelligence (CI) (Earley & Ang, 2003). In the study, 118 Flemish students of Applied Linguistics were tracked during three different academic years through their sojourn abroad. Before their departure and after their return, data on their awareness of the meaning and use of L2 conventional expressions, as well as participants’ Cultural Intelligence profile was collected through the Modified Aural Vocabulary Knowledge Scale for Pragmatic Purposes (Bardovi-Harlig, 2008) and the Expanded Cultural Intelligence Scale (Ang et al., 2007) respectively. Results on participants’ learning outcomes show significant progress regarding their awareness of the meaning and use of L2 pragmatic expressions and intercultural abilities after the experience abroad, except for their extrinsic motivation towards the Erasmus experience and their ability to plan interactions in the target language culture. When looking at possible interrelationships between L2 pragmatic and intercultural development abroad, several significant correlations were found between sojourners’ awareness of the meaning and use outside the classroom of L2 pragmatic expressions at a C1 proficiency level and changes in their Cultural Intelligence profile. These results further our understanding of the complexity in nature of pragmatic progress and intercultural changes abroad and points to the relevance of further studies on the role of language use in participants’ intercultural abilities, as well as the relevance of additional efforts from home institutions on preparing students for potential intercultural interactions in the L2.}},
  author       = {{Moreno Bruna, Ana Maria}},
  booktitle    = {{International Symposium on Intercultural, Cognitive And Social Pragmatics, 9th, Abstracts}},
  keywords     = {{Study Abroad,L2 conventional expressions,intercultural development,Cultural Intelligence,L2 pragmatic competence}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  location     = {{Seville, Spain}},
  title        = {{Impact of study abroad on L2 pragmatic awareness and intercultural development : a study on L2 Flemish sojourners in Spain}},
  year         = {{2020}},
}