VietTESOL International Convention 2026

Though it is generally understood that students need some form of preparation before embarking on a study abroad program, it has been found that many programmes only focus on administrative matters such as insurance, visas, and personal safety. In addition, students are often positioned as ‘passive vessels’ (Jackson, 2007), having little to no input in their own preparation. Considering this, the speaker has worked with a colleague to develop a bespoke study abroad preparation class for Japanese university students to address these criticisms, and provide attendees with some practical tips on how to promote student agency in study abroad preparation. This presentation will begin by outlining the programme in full, including the theoretical framework and independent research supporting the design. It will then focus on ways in which student agency is promoted during the course of their preparation, specifically through goal setting and promoting independent research. The presentation will end with some updates from an ongoing research project using thematic analysis of student interviews and how this research project is reshaping the preparation program as a whole.