scholarly journals Strategies to Address English Language Writing Challenges Faced by International Graduate Students in the US

2018 ◽  
Vol 7 (3) ◽  
pp. 764-785
Author(s):  
Swathi Ravichandran ◽  
Mark Kretovics ◽  
Kara Kirby ◽  
Ankita Ghosh
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Graduate Students ◽  
English Language ◽  
Writing Skills ◽  
Institutions Of Higher Education ◽  
International Graduate Students ◽  
Peer Mentors ◽  
International Graduate ◽  
The Us ◽  
Language Writing

Since 2000, there has been a 72% increase in the number of international students attending US institutions of higher education. The increase, specifically of international graduate students, has brought to light the writing challenges experienced by this population of students. This study explored specific writing challenges experienced by international graduate students and determined strategies to alleviate these challenges. Interviews were conducted with 15 international graduate students representing a variety of geographic backgrounds and disciplines. Responses revealed that writing challenges faced related to grammar and vocabulary, organization and flow of ideas, critical thinking, and plagiarism. Participants offered specific suggestions on how subject-matter faculty, friends, and peer mentors could assist in improving English-language writing skills. Implications for higher education institutions are discussed.

scholarly journals International Graduate Students’ Perspectives on High-Stakes English Tests and the Language Demands of Higher Education

2019 ◽  
Vol 21 (4) ◽  
pp. 68-92 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shakina Rajendram ◽  
Jeanne Sinclair ◽  
Elizabeth Larson
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Graduate Students ◽  
Language Proficiency ◽  
English Language ◽  
Graduate Program ◽  
Life Story ◽  
Language Education ◽  
International Graduate Students ◽  
Proficiency Tests ◽  
International Graduate

The internationalization of higher education in Canada has given rise to the increased use of standardized English language proficiency tests as gatekeeping measures in university admission policies. However, many international students who are successful on these tests still struggle with the academic and language demands of their programs. Drawing on a thematic analysis of life story interviews with five international graduate students at a major Canadian university, this study examines students’ perceptions on the skills elicited by the IELTS and TOEFL, the language demands and pragmatic norms of their graduate program in language education, and the university’s language support programs.

scholarly journals Challenges Facing Asian International Graduate Students in the US: Pedagogical Considerations in Higher Education

2014 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
pp. 16-33 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shu-Yuan Lin ◽  
Susan Day Scherz
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
United States ◽  
Graduate Students ◽  
Phenomenological Study ◽  
The United States ◽  
International Graduate Students ◽  
International Graduate ◽  
Conceptual Structures ◽  
English Speaking ◽  
Linguistic Challenges

Non-Native English Speaking (NNES) international students attending colleges and universities in the United States often encounter difficulties in adjusting to their new cultural environment. In addition, they often struggle with academic language while learning the content and conceptual structures of various graduate level disciplines. This phenomenological study identified cultural and linguistic challenges experienced by NNES Asian international graduate students at a mediumsized rural university in the northwestern United States. A pedagogical framework and recommendations for professional practice address the linguistic, cultural, and academic needs of this particular student population in higher education.

Understanding the Adjustment Needs of International Graduate Students

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mehrete Girmay
Keyword(s):  
Graduate Students ◽  
International Graduate Students ◽  
International Graduate ◽  
The Us ◽  
Qualitative Work

A qualitative work that examines the myriad of adjustment challenges, both independently and collectively, that plague international graduate students upon entering the US and the host university.

scholarly journals Portuguese Higher Education Graduates’ Views on Academic Writing

2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
pp. 75
Author(s):  
Maria L. Cabral
Keyword(s):  
Social Sciences ◽  
Higher Education ◽  
Graduate Students ◽  
Academic Writing ◽  
English Language ◽  
First Language ◽  
Language Choices ◽  
Language Writing ◽  
Humanities And Social Sciences ◽  
Portuguese Higher Education

This paper examines the language choices and the process of academic writing of a group of 35 Portuguese graduate students in the fields of humanities and social sciences with the aim of illustrating their language preferences, as well as the aspects they take into consideration while writing either in Portuguese or in English.Results of this study indicate that the participants prefer to write their papers in Portuguese, their first language, and that they use similar approaches when writing in both languages. However, findings also reveal they are concerned with slightly different process aspects when composing and revising their texts in Portuguese and in English. These differences seem to be associated with acquired discourse traditions in Portuguese language, as well as with the participants’ lower competence in English language writing.

University Teaching in Global Times: Perspectives of Italian University Faculty on Teaching International Graduate Students

2021 ◽  
pp. 102831532199074
Author(s):  
Joellen E. Coryell ◽  
Maria Cinque ◽  
Monica Fedeli ◽  
Angelina Lapina Salazar ◽  
Concetta Tino
Keyword(s):  
Professional Development ◽  
International Students ◽  
Graduate Students ◽  
English Language ◽  
Learning Experience ◽  
University Teaching ◽  
International Graduate Students ◽  
Faculty Perspectives ◽  
Domestic Students ◽  
International Graduate

Recently, many Italian universities began offering graduate courses or entire programs in English to attract international students, assist domestic students with English language proficiency, and internationalize the learning experience for all. This research investigated Italian faculty’s perspectives on their experiences of teaching international graduate students. The article begins with an overview of European university internationalization and then reviews the literature on faculty perspectives on teaching international students and instructional professional development for internationalization of teaching and learning. Findings include participant demographics and faculty perspectives on teaching international graduate students as compared with domestic students, their current and desired ways of learning how to teach international students, and their recommendations for faculty teaching in international programs/courses with English as the language of instruction. Implications for instructional professional development, communities of instructional practice, and further research are offered.

scholarly journals Duality of Persistence

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Vasundhara Kaul ◽  
Linda Renzulli
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
International Students ◽  
Graduate Students ◽  
Positive Influence ◽  
International Graduate Students ◽  
International Graduate ◽  
Social Belonging ◽  
Low Levels ◽  
University Level ◽  
The U.S

International students have been a growing presence in U.S. higher education institutions for over a decade. However, how feelings of belonging shape their adjustment to these institutions has only recently become a subject of inquiry. In particular, there has been limited examination of how university-level factors interact with feelings of belonging to shape the persistence of international students within the U.S. This research takes a step towards addressing this scholarship gap by examining how social and academic belonging interact with the presence of on-campus co-nationals in engendering aspirations to persist in the U.S. after graduation for international graduate students. We demonstrate the presence of, what we call, an academic enclave effect wherein large communities of co-nationals have a positive influence on the aspirations of international students with initial low levels of social belonging.

scholarly journals Integrating International Graduate Students on Campus: The Perspectives of Student Affairs Professionals

2020 ◽  
Vol 11 (Winter) ◽  
pp. 107-109
Author(s):  
RACHAL ETSHIM
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
International Students ◽  
Graduate Students ◽  
Student Affairs ◽  
International Education ◽  
Higher Education Institutions ◽  
Student Affairs Professionals ◽  
The United States ◽  
International Graduate Students ◽  
International Graduate

Higher education institutions in the United States (U.S.) recruit international students as part of their internationalization strategies. The overall number of international students enrolled in American universities and colleges between 2017 and 2018 increased by 1.5% compared to the previous year, totaling over 1 million international students (Institute of International Education 2018). Of this total, 382,983 are international graduate students. International graduate students are good resources for the internationalization and economy of higher education institutions in the U.S. (Urban and Palmer, 2014) and, despite the reduction in the number of visas approved and job prospects, their numbers continue to grow (Almurideef 2016; Killick 2015). These students come from different countries, have different cultural backgrounds and needs, and face different challenges that student affairs professionals at host institutions must address to integrate them into campus (Harper and Hurtado, 2007; Lee and Rice 2007). Moreover, the needs and challenges of international students differ depending on their level of studies, undergraduate vs. graduate (Rai 2002). While student affairs professionals are often the first contacts for all international students, and they play a key role in the integration and development of international graduate students on campus (Brandenburg 2016), most higher education institutions and their student affairs units today are not yet prepared to serve international graduate students (Arokiasamy 2011; Burdzinski 2014; Castellanos et al., 2007; Di Maria 2012; Moswela and Mukhopadhyay 2011; Yakaboski and Perozzi 2018). The purpose of this study is to understand the perspectives of student affairs professional about their role in integrating international graduate students into campus and the policies, services, programs, and other elements they consider most helpful in integrating these students.

scholarly journals Effects of Group Work on English Communicative Competence of Chinese International Graduates in United States Institutions of Higher Education

2015 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mo Xue
Keyword(s):  
Graduate Students ◽  
Group Work ◽  
Communicative Competence ◽  
Institutions Of Higher Education ◽  
International Graduate Students ◽  
Strategic Competence ◽  
Grammatical Competence ◽  
International Graduate ◽  
International Graduates ◽  
One Year

This qualitative study investigated 14 Chinese international graduate students’ lived experiences with group work and the effect s of group work on their English communicative competence. The interview results showed that these participants’ attitudes towards group work went through changes from initial inadaptation or dislike to later adaptation or acceptance, and the time for their adjustment ranged from half a year to one year. The results also revealed that group work greatly improved their English communicative competence in terms of grammatical competence, sociolinguistic competence, and strategic competence. Suggestions for educational researchers, international students, and Chinese EFL instructors were provided.

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