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Learner contribution to English language learning: Agency of Chinese research students and their transitional experiences in Australia

Tijdschriftbijdrage - Tijdschriftartikel

This article examines the role of agency for the English language development of three Chinese research students with high English proficiency sojourning in Australia. The focus is on the various approaches the learners employed to strengthen their senses of confidence in their language use in Australia. The data were obtained through in-depth interviews and organized into case study reports. The findings demonstrate that in transitioning into the Australian linguistic and cultural community, all the learners actively sought different English mediated activities and experiences in order to build the confidence necessary for a successful transition. The differences in their choices of activities are intimately linked with what they historically saw and established as significant achievement goals in and through English. In maintaining that the learners' agency was an extension of their fundamental desires and goals for learning, this article provides insights into how L2 learners gain participation in the target community and how salient their historical learning goals are for their L2 use and overall L2 development.
Tijdschrift: Higher Education Research & Development
ISSN: 0729-4360
Issue: 4
Volume: 31
Pagina's: 585-597
Jaar van publicatie:2012
Trefwoorden:agency; international students, L2 learning; transitional experiences
Toegankelijkheid:Closed