“Seriously, I came here to study English”
A narrative case study of a Japanese exchange student in Thailand
While English plays a prominent role in universities across the globe, study abroad research has rarely considered
English learning in non-Anglophone countries. This article presents a narrative case study of the experience of a Japanese
exchange student in Thailand whose primary purpose for study abroad was to improve his English. Grounded in the notion of
Individual Networks of Practice (Zappa-Hollman & Duff, 2015), the qualitative
analysis will focus on the participant’s evolving social networks and reported communication practices as mediated through
available subject positions and varying degrees of investment. Particularly, findings reveal the dissonance between his investment
in native speaker English and the reality of using English as a lingua franca, which decidedly influenced the student’s
(non-)participation in certain social groups and practices. Casting fresh light on globalization and language learning, the study
offers a unique contribution to the study abroad literature and suggests avenues for further research and education.
Article outline
- 1.Introduction
- 2.Literature review
- 2.1English as a lingua franca and study abroad
- 2.2Study abroad and social networks
- 3.Methodology
- 3.1Context and data collected
- 3.2Analytical procedure
- 4.Analysis
- 4.1Background and rationale for study abroad in Thailand
- 4.2Shota’s INoP: Investment, subject positions, and communication practices
- 4.2.1Compatriots
- 4.2.2Thai classmates
- 4.2.3Soccer friends
- 4.2.4American friends
- 5.Discussion and conclusion
- Acknowledgements
- Notes
-
References
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