Chapter 2. Limited gains, restricted access

Abstract

This chapter explores how limited gains in the L2 acquisition of sociolinguistic variation relate to particularities of the program and host community where students study abroad. An ethnographic case study finds that learners’ access to input during one program was constrained by a number of interrelated factors, which extended beyond student-related variables to include the programming and policies of their SA school and presence of international tourism in the host community. These findings aid in explaining students’ limited development of local sociolinguistic variants and demonstrate that immersion in SA program cannot be conflated with ample access to sociolinguistic input. Understanding how SA affords the development of sociolinguistic competence requires consideration of programmatic factors in assessing individual differences in language learning outcomes.