LEI students’ experiences after attending a summer camp: a narrative approach

Abstract

"In recent years many students from Facultad de Lenguas BUAP have participated in summer camps around The U.S.A. This kind of experience could provide useful information about learning a second language and the influence of culture. Therefore this research attempts to provide information about students‘ experiences after attending a summer camp. We use narratives provided by the students from LEI generation 2009 this will contribute to explore these students‘ experiences. The instrument provided us more information about the students‘ life during their stay in the summer camp through the introspective method because it focuses on the observation of human behavior by the examination one's own conscious experiences, thoughts and feelings. (Schultz, 2012 p.77) The research findings showed that, students attended to a summer camp because they had reasons such as; cultural, linguistic and of course for the experience itself. Likewise, most of the students reveal issues that they had to face during their stay at their camps, mentioned in their narratives; on the one hand, they experienced job issues, linguistic barriers and social problems. On the other hand, they mentioned compensations and difficulties that influenced their experiences."