Translating Research to Practice for Latinx Students' Study Abroad Experiences

This research-to-practice brief examines the key outcomes of eight empirical studies that focus explicitly on Latin American and/or Hispanic students during study abroad programs. The study abroad programs predominantly occurred in Central America. Critical to this brief are how heritage learners navigate Latinx cultures as Latinx or Hispanic students, qualifying one's own identity as both Latinx and as a U.S. citizen, and, in some cases, the re-examination of language ability in the context of being a heritage speaker. Seven of the eight included studies employed qualitative methodologies, indicating a need for more quantitative or mixed method approaches to foster enhanced understanding of the experiences of Latinx study abroad students.