American Councils Research Center identifies and monitors best practices in second language immersion learning at all levels, through externally-funded and American Councils supported research.
In order to understand successful drivers of language proficiency and cross-cultural competencies, we analyze data in immersion learning, advanced-acquisition, program performance, and curricula, as well as instructional and co-curricular interventions. American Councils' research is widely represented in major U.S. and international academic journals, as well as in study abroad and international education literature.
Transformative Learning in Immersion and Study Abroad
Davidson, Dan E. (2025), “Indicators of Transformative Learning within the Russian Flagship Program based on Ten Years of Testing Data” [in Russian], Optimization of a Model of Training Future Professionals within the Multi-Cultural, Multi-Lingual Context of Kazakhstan, Eds, E. Suleimenova, S. Sagatova, Almaty: Al-Farabi Kazakh National University Press, pp.31-42.
Davidson, Dan E., Garas, Nadra (2023), “What Makes Study Abroad Transformative? Comparing Linguistic and Cultural Learning Outcomes in Virtual and In-Person Contexts,” L2 Journal, 15(2), UC Berkeley, pp. 71-91. https://escholarship.org/uc/item/76h0x8zq
Davidson, Dan E., Garas, Nadra, Lekic, M. D. (2021), “Transformative Language Learning in the Overseas Immersion environment: Exploring Affordances of Intercultural Development,” Transformative Language Learning and Teaching, Eds., Leaver, B., Dan Davidson, Christine Campbell, Cambridge University Press, pp. 109-119. doi.org/10.1017/9781108870788
Second Language Proficiency Development and Assessment in Immersion Context
Comer, William, Davidson, Dan E. (2025), “Assessing Proficiency Outcomes in the Russian Flagship Program, 2014-2024,” Assessment of Russian as a Foreign Language: Unlocking Proficiency, Eds., Dmitrii Pastusheknov and Liya Zalaltdinova, Routledge, pp. 35-27. doi.org/10.4324/9781003476122
Davidson, Dan E., Shaw, Jane R. (2019), “A Cross-Linguistic and Cross-Skill Perspective on L2 Development in Study Abroad,” Eds. P. Winke, S. M. Glass, Foreign Language Proficiency in Higher Education. Educational Linguistics 37, Springer Nature Switzerland AG, pp. 217-242. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-01006-5_12
Davidson, Dan E. (2015). “The Development of L2 Proficiency and Literacy within the Context of the Federally Supported Overseas Language Training Programs for Americans.” In To Advanced Proficiency and Beyond: Theory and Methods for Developing Superior Second-Language Ability. Eds. Brown, Tony & Bown, Jennifer. Georgetown University Press, Washington, DC, 2015, pp. 117-150. https://press.georgetown.edu/Book/To-Advanced-Proficiency-and-Beyond
Davidson, Dan E., Frank, Victor (2012), “The Overseas Component of the Language Flagship: Addressing Learner Needs within an Acquisition-Rich Environment,” Journal of Chinese Teaching and Research in the U.S., Special Issue for the Language Flagship. Vol. 4, pp. 8-15.
Davidson, Dan E., & Lekic, Maria D. (2010), “The Overseas Immersion Setting as Contextual Variable in Adult SLA: Learner Behaviors Associated with Language Gain to Level-3 Proficiency in Russian,” Russian Language Journal, Volume 60, pp. 53–77. doi.org/10.70163/0036-0252.1173
Davidson, Dan E. (2007), “Study Abroad and Outcomes Measurements: The Case of Russian.” Modern Language Journal, 91, 276–280. https://www.jstor.org/stable/4626014
Brecht, R. D., Davidson, D. E., and Ginsburg, R. (1995), “Predicting and Measuring Language Gains during Study Abroad,” in Second Language Acquisition in a Study Abroad Context, B. F. Freed, ed., vol. 9, pp. 37–66. doi.org/10.1075/sibil.9
Second Language Proficiency Intercultural Development in Immersion Context
Davidson, Dan E., Garas, Nadra, Lekic, Maria D, (2016), “Assessing Language Proficiency and Intercultural Development in the Overseas Immersion Context.” Exploring the US Language Flagship Program. Professional Competence in a Second Language by Graduation. Eds. Murphy, D. & Evans-Romaine, K. Multilingual Matters, Bristol, UK October, pp. 156-176. https://doi.org/10.2307/jj.27080055
Davidson, D.E., Garas, N., & Lekic, M.D. (2016) “Assessing Language Proficiency and Intercultural Development in the Overseas Immersion Context.” In Exploring the US Language Flagship Program. Professional Competence in a Second Language by Graduation. Eds. Murphy, D. & Evans-Romaine, K. Multilingual Matters, Bristol UK, pp. 156-176. https://www.multilingualmatters.com/page/detail/Exploring-the-US-Language-Flagship-Program/?k=9781783096091
Studies of Russian Learners
Davidson, Dan E., Garas, Nadra (2020), “The Study of Russian in the USA: Tendencies, Challenges and Points of Leverage” [in Russian]. Но мы сохраним тебя, русский язык! Ed. V. I Karasik, Moscow: FLINTA, pp. 362 – 374.
Davidson, Dan E, Garas, Nadra (2020), “Emerging Trends in the Study of Russian in the US: K-16 Enrollments 2007-2016,” Russian Language Journal, Vol. 70, pp. 189-207. https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/rlj/vol70/iss1/13/
Davidson, Dan E., Lekic, Maria D. (2012), “Comparing Heritage and Non‐Heritage Learning Outcomes and Target‐Language Utilization in the Overseas Immersion Context: A Preliminary Study of the Russian Flagship.” Russian Language Journal, Vol. 62, pp.47-78. doi.org/10.70163/0036-0252.1157 Reprinted with Permission in Heritage Language Journal, Vol. 10 #2, Fall 2013, pp 88-114.
Davidson, Dan E. (2010), “Study Abroad: When, How Long, and with What Results? New Data from the Russian Front,” Foreign Language Annals, Volume 43, No. 1, Spring 2010, pp. 6–26. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1944-9720.2010.01057.x
Davidson, D. E., & Garas, N. (2009). « The ACTR Nationwide Survey of Russian Language Instruction in U.S. High Schools in 2009.” Russian Language Journal, 59(1). https://doi.org/10.70163/0036-0252.1191
Davidson, D. E., & Lehman S. (2001-2005) “A Longitudinal Survey of the Language Learning Careers of ACTR Advanced Students of Russian: 1976-2000.” Russian Language Journal, 55(180/182), pp. 193-221.
Dual Language Immersion (DLI) Research
Roberts, Gregg (2021), “Canvass of Dual Language and Immersion (DLI) Programs in U.S. Public Schools”, American Councils Research Center, American Councils for International Education, Washington D.C.
Steele, J. et al. (2019) Research Brief on Student Performance Under Dual Language Immersion Scale-Up in Utah, Partnership to Study Dual Language Immersion in Utah.
Steele, Jennifer, Slater Robert et al (2017) Effects of Dual-Language Immersion Programs on Student Achievement: Evidence from Lottery Data. American Educational Research Journal, Vol 54, Issue 1 suppl., pp. 282S - 306S https://doi.org/10.3102/0002831216634463
U.S. National Capacity in World Languages
Davidson, Dan E., (2021), “Ensuring US National Capacity in World Languages and Cultures for the Twenty-First Century: More Learners, More Languages, Better Results!” International Education at the Crossroads, Eds. Cohn, Deborah and Hilary Kahn, Indiana University Press, pp. 132-144. https://iupress.org/9780253053909/international-education-at-the-crossroads
Commission on Language Learning. (2017). America's Languages: Investing in Language Education for the 21st Century. American Academy of Arts & Sciences.
National K-12 Foreign Language Enrollment Survey Report (2017) conducted and published by American Councils for International Education in partnership with the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL), the Cener for Applied Linguistics (CAL), and the Modern Language Association (MLA), and in collaboration with the National Council of State Supervisors for Languages (NCSSFL), sponsored by The Language Flagship at the Defense Language and National Security Education Office (DLNSEO).
To request a report or inquire about our research, contact research@americancouncils.org.