Journal of the National Council of Less Commonly Taught Languages (May 2020)
Connecting Language Learning in the Classroom with the Local Community: Using Field Performance Tasks in Chinese Study Abroad Contexts
Abstract
This paper examines the literature of second language learning in study abroad (SA) contexts that connect classroom learning and local community contact, and reviews the development process of having students learn in the local community by a Chinese language program in a large U.S. research university, and introduces a collection of 94 Field Performance Tasks (FPTs). The paper shows that consistently doing FPTs can increase learners’ participation in the Chinese cultural environment and boost their confidence in talking to native speakers, and thus is a meaningful contribution towards linking classroom learning with language contact in the community in a second language learning environment. Data from the 94 field-tested FPTs is presented and analyzed, and continuing development for future use is also addressed.
