Teaching Kiswahili in a Summer Abroad Program: The Washington University’s Experience

Abstract

Study abroad programs in Africa vary in duration, academic focus, and degree of interaction with the host culture. Within the broad range of programs are the short-term, language- and culture-oriented programs that seek to enrich a learner's skills in the target African language through experiential learning. The Washington University in St. Louis (WU) Summer in Kenya, the focus of this paper, is one such program that seeks to maximize the benefits of learning Kiswahili and understanding Kenyan society by carefully blending coursework, homestays, service learning, guest speaker presentations, and guided excursions.