Language Learning in Action: Placing Language students in the Community

This paper reports on the Language in Action project, a program implemented at Flinders University (Adelaide, South Australia), which aims to provide placement opportunities for language students in local community settings where languages are used. This unique program, based on experiential learning, has recently been refocused in terms of its educational objectives. Our reflection has led to the rationalisation of the core principles underpinning the program and to the design of a dedicated Language in Action website which aims to provide support to students and placement providers.

The program is designed to encourage students’ prosocial behaviour while improving their language and intercultural skills in near immersion settings. It also aims to foster students’ ownership of their learning process and muster students’ awareness and ability to reflect critically on the social nature of language use and language learning through intercultural exchanges.

This paper focuses on outlining students’ experiences after language placements (Modern Greek, Italian, Spanish and Indonesian) in different contexts, and discusses the program’s implementation from the students’ perspective. Students reflect on the impact the placements had on their motivation, language skills, and attitude towards the language they are studying. Students also assess the potential effects that a placement within a minority community had on their personal and social realms.