There is a common belief that study abroad can be one of most influential experiences for foreign language learners. Although some studies on the subject explore study abroad programs' validity in language learning, the validity of study abroad as a language learning tool has not yet been proven by any intensive research so far.
In our study, we conducted a survey on orientations for study abroad and homestays in Japan. We chose the following six different groups of people as targets for our survey: Japanese language learners at post-secondary levels in the U.S., Japanese language teachers both in the U.S. and in Japan, administrative staff of study abroad programs both in the U.S. and in Japan, and host families in Japan. The objectives of our study are: (1) to examine the effectiveness of orientations, (2) to comprehend both what the students' and host families' expectations are beforehand and what happens in the actual situation once the students arrive, (3) to disclose these gaps between expectations and beliefs among these six groups of people involved in study abroad programs, and (4) to prepare a study abroad guide for prospective study abroad participants and their teachers in the U.S.
At the ACTFL Annual Meeting in 2003, we reported the results of our pilot study and held a discussion on previous research and existing orientation manuals. The full version of our survey was conducted in spring 2004. In our presentation, we will discuss the full survey results and what we have found to be desirable contents for study abroad orientations. Our audience should gain an understanding of what their students really should know before going to Japan, what they should and should not expect from life with a Japanese family, what potential problems in Japan may be, and so forth.