Beyond the ‘welcome-back party’: The enriched repertoire of professional teacher behaviour as a result of study abroad

Abstract To deepen the understanding of the long-term impact of study abroad, this qualitative, exploratory study examines the self-reported relationship between study abroad and professional teacher behaviour. Findings illustrate an enduring impact of study abroad on personal and professional development of the interviewed teachers, even after twenty years of teaching experience. This suggests that the impact of study abroad may continue throughout a teacher's career. The applicability of the outcomes, however, is dependent on the primary school as working environment. Influential factors such as high workload and beginning teachers' dilemmas lead to fewer opportunities to utilise the study abroad experience.