ABSTRACT
My research may seem to carry certain limitations, for examples, a small sample, the context of only one university, “successful” students, and possibly slightly dated data. However, I would argue that a longitudinal, qualitative, multiple-case study, and multiple-instrument approach to gathering data has made a difference to the findings. Moreover, where greater generalisabilty is crucial, my study could be replicated with larger samples, in other English as a Second Language and English as an International Language contexts, with “successful” as well as “less successful” students. With regard to the possible “datedness” of the data, I believe the fundamentals have remained largely the same. This perspective is supported by recent literature, as well as my experience in teaching and research. Thus, my study could be a springboard for future research and I suggest a few possible directions in study-abroad contexts. With globalisation, higher education, in the developed world especially, is becoming increasingly internationalised and one pertinent issue that demands attention is intercultural communication among learners. Teachers to Chinese learners may need to consider teaching English as an International Language (EIL) or English as a Lingua Franca (ELF) in addition to what we have discussed so far. Finally, for readers who are curious about the ongoing journeys of the focal participants, I will leave you with the latest communication from two of them as a farewell to this book.
