Spanish vocabulary and grammar development in study abroad experiences

This synthesis paper reviews the literature on the acquisition of second language (L2) grammar and vocabulary during study abroad, with a focus on Spanish as the target language. We begin by discussing research that has compared L2 development between traditional, classroom-based environments and study abroad contexts. This work suggests that domains of language learning (e.g., pronunciations, vocabulary, grammar) can be differentially affected by these two learning environments, with some domains showing stronger development in one context than the other. On this backdrop, we review the insights that studies of L2 Spanish offer on vocabulary and grammar development during short-term and longer-term sojourns abroad. Thereafter, we consider factors affecting such development where they have been investigated such as language contact issues and socio-biographical, social, and other extralinguistic factors. Implications are considered in relation to the relative benefits of study abroad compared to at-home learning. Lastly, the psycholinguistic impact of study abroad is discussed in terms of relative benefit and processing cost.