Pre-service teachers and study abroad experiences: Don’t forget about them when they come home

Abstract

Study abroad programs for pre-service teachers aim to contribute to the cultural readiness needed for teaching in schools of today and tomorrow. Yet, the re-entry transition is an oft-neglected aspect of study abroad programs. We developed a model for reflective writing and examined the depth of post-sojourn reflection in pre-service teacher writing, two months after returning from a 10-week study abroad program. Although the majority of the writing illustrated descriptive writing or descriptive reflection, some students demonstrated dialogic or critical reflection, revealing the usefulness of reflective writing in capturing students’ experiences in ways that deepen their learning for teaching.