Learning the Rules of the Game

2016 ◽  
pp. 38-58 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mingsheng Li
Keyword(s):  
New Zealand ◽  
International Students ◽  
Interpersonal Communication ◽  
Language Proficiency ◽  
English Language ◽  
Academic Community ◽  
Cultural Issues ◽  
Academic Challenge ◽  
Critical Issues ◽  
Rules Of The Game

This author investigates some important issues that affect Asian international students' academic and social acculturation at New Zealand universities. Twenty students from China, Japan, South Korea, and Thailand who were studying at four New Zealand universities participated in the study. English language proficiency was a persistent academic challenge. However, language often masked other fundamental deeper-level issues that affected the educational performance of non-English speaking background [NESB] Asian students and denied them their legitimate academic identity and full acculturation into the academic community, including academic and socio-cultural issues stemming from their unfamiliarity with the dominant academic culture, writing conventions, unwritten rules of the game, “correct” ways of writing, and styles of interpersonal communication. It is argued that host universities are obliged to investigate these critical issues and identify more programmatic strategies to facilitate academic acculturation of NEBS international students.

scholarly journals The Antecedents and Outcomes of Host National Connectedness: A Study of International Students in New Zealand

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
Alicia Bethel
Keyword(s):  
New Zealand ◽  
International Students ◽  
Language Proficiency ◽  
Social Adjustment ◽  
English Language ◽  
Cultural Distance ◽  
English Language Proficiency ◽  
Cultural Learning ◽  
Common Source ◽  
Cultural Inclusion

<p>While research on international students’ acculturative outcomes typically indicates that they generally thrive, one common source of struggle, noted by practitioners, researchers, educators, and the students themselves, is their inability to form connections with locals. Situated within the stress and coping and cultural learning frameworks of acculturation research, this study (N = 1527) examines the antecedents and outcomes of host national connectedness (HNC) among international students in New Zealand. Results indicate that both individual (age, gender, English language proficiency, and the motivation to belong) and contextual (cultural distance and perceived cultural inclusion) predict international students ability to connect with New Zealanders. Contextual variables explain additional variance in HNC above and beyond that explained by the individual variables. Results also provide support for the important role of connections in overall adjustment outcomes, as host national connectedness mediates the relationship between cultural distance, cultural inclusion in the classroom, and English language proficiency and both socio-cultural and psychological adaptation. Hence, host national connectedness serves as the mechanism through which international students attain positive psycho-social adjustment during the acculturation process. Applications for international students, institutions, and policy makers are discussed.</p>

scholarly journals The Antecedents and Outcomes of Host National Connectedness: A Study of International Students in New Zealand

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
Alicia Bethel
Keyword(s):  
New Zealand ◽  
International Students ◽  
Language Proficiency ◽  
Social Adjustment ◽  
English Language ◽  
Cultural Distance ◽  
English Language Proficiency ◽  
Cultural Learning ◽  
Common Source ◽  
Cultural Inclusion

<p>While research on international students’ acculturative outcomes typically indicates that they generally thrive, one common source of struggle, noted by practitioners, researchers, educators, and the students themselves, is their inability to form connections with locals. Situated within the stress and coping and cultural learning frameworks of acculturation research, this study (N = 1527) examines the antecedents and outcomes of host national connectedness (HNC) among international students in New Zealand. Results indicate that both individual (age, gender, English language proficiency, and the motivation to belong) and contextual (cultural distance and perceived cultural inclusion) predict international students ability to connect with New Zealanders. Contextual variables explain additional variance in HNC above and beyond that explained by the individual variables. Results also provide support for the important role of connections in overall adjustment outcomes, as host national connectedness mediates the relationship between cultural distance, cultural inclusion in the classroom, and English language proficiency and both socio-cultural and psychological adaptation. Hence, host national connectedness serves as the mechanism through which international students attain positive psycho-social adjustment during the acculturation process. Applications for international students, institutions, and policy makers are discussed.</p>

Female Saudi International Students Daily Practices on Social Media in Australia

2017 ◽  
Vol 5 (12) ◽  
pp. 39-77 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hanan MOHAMMED ALSHEHAB
Keyword(s):  
Social Media ◽  
International Students ◽  
Language Learning ◽  
Language Proficiency ◽  
Social Life ◽  
English Language ◽  
Human Life ◽  
Structured Interview ◽  
Digital Identity ◽  
English Language Acquisition

The effect of Social Media (SM) technology on human life in the 21St century cannot be denied; the use of SM platforms can be seen in various fields, such as education, medicine, politics, social life, communication methods, and daily life. The research aimed to investigate SM’s impact on Female Saudi International Students’ (FSIS) English language learning and creation of identities. This study utilized a qualitative method to obtain in-depth knowledge of FSIS’ practices on SM and the effects on their learning and identity. The semi-structured interview was used to collect the data from eight FSIS. Thematic analysis was used to analyze the data. Three main themes were generated: FSIS’ daily practices, FSIS’ digital identity, and FSIS’languages on SM. The findings show that FSIS is active on SM, having accounts on different SM platforms. They communicate with people from Saudi Arabia and of different nationalities. Also, the findings assert that FSIS has a strong digital identity on SM. Moreover, the findings emphasized that using SM helps some of the FSIS to improve their English language proficiency. They use SM as a learning tool for English language acquisition. The limitations and the implications of the study are stated in the Conclusion. For further research, suggestions are made to investigate more phenomena regarding Saudis’ using of SM.

scholarly journals What happens to international students’ english after one semester at university?

2008 ◽  
Vol 31 (1) ◽  
pp. 4.1-4.17
Author(s):  
Neomy Storch ◽  
Kathryn Hill
Keyword(s):  
International Students ◽  
Language Proficiency ◽  
English Language ◽  
Language Skills ◽  
English Language Proficiency ◽  
Background Information ◽  
Language Test ◽  
First Semester ◽  
Number Of Factors ◽  
The Impact

There is a common expectation, particularly amongst international students, that studying in an English-medium university should automatically produce a significant improvement in their English language skills. However, there is growing evidence to suggest that this is not necessarily the case.This paper reports on a study which investigated the impact of one semester of study at a university on the English language proficiency of a sample of 40 international students. This was measured by comparing the students’ scores on a diagnostic English language test at the beginning and end of their first semester. A comparison of discourse measures of writing in terms of fluency, complexity and accuracy was also undertaken. Background information, including details of ESL support, if any, was collected for all participants via questionnaires, and interviews were conducted with a subset of the participants.It was found that studying in an English-medium university generally led to an improvement in English language proficiency. The paper identifies a number of factors which appear to support language development, as well as factors that may inhibit it.

The discursive (mis)representation of English language proficiency

2020 ◽  
pp. 1-28
Author(s):  
Agnes Bodis
Keyword(s):  
Social Media ◽  
International Students ◽  
Language Learning ◽  
International Education ◽  
Critical Discourse Analysis ◽  
Language Proficiency ◽  
English Language ◽  
English Language Proficiency ◽  
Media Representation ◽  
The Media

Abstract International education constitutes a key industry in Australia and international students represent a third of university students at Australian universities. This paper examines the media representation of international students in terms of their English language proficiency. The study applies Critical Discourse Analysis to the multimodal data of an episode of a current affairs TV program, Four Corners, and social media comments made to the episode. Using Social Actor Analysis, the study finds that the responsibility for declining standards at universities is assigned to international students through representations of their language use as problematic. This is supported by the visual representation of international students as different. By systematically mapping out the English-as-a-problem discourse, the paper finds that the media representation of language proficiency and language learning is simplistic and naïve and the social media discussion reinforces this. This further contributes to the discursive exclusion of international students.

scholarly journals Depression, Acculturative Stress, and Social Connectedness among International University Students in Japan: A Statistical Investigation

2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (3) ◽  
pp. 878 ◽  
Author(s):  
Minh Nguyen ◽  
Tam Le ◽  
Serik Meirmanov
Keyword(s):  
International Students ◽  
Language Proficiency ◽  
Acculturative Stress ◽  
Social Connectedness ◽  
English Language ◽  
Demographic Data ◽  
Statistical Investigation ◽  
Domestic Students ◽  
Prevalence Of Depression ◽  
International University

(1) This study aims to examine the prevalence of depression and its correlation with Acculturative Stress and Social Connectedness among domestic and international students in an international university in Japan. (2) Methods: A Web-based survey was distributed among several classes of students of the university, which yielded 268 responses. On the survey, a nine-item tool from the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9), the Social Connectedness Scale (SCS) and Acculturative Stress Scale for International Students (ASSIS) were used together with socio-demographic data. (3) Results: The prevalence of depression was higher among international than domestic students (37.81% and 29.85%, respectively). English language proficiency and student age (20 years old) showed a significant correlation with depression among domestic students (β = −1.63, p = 0.038 and β = 2.24, p = 0.048). Stay length (third year) also displayed a significant correlation with depression among international students (β = 1.08, p = 0.032). Among international and domestic students, a statistically significant positive correlation between depression and acculturative stress, and negative associations of social connectedness with depression and acculturative stress were also found. (4) Conclusions: The high prevalence of depression, and its association with Acculturation stress and Social Connectedness, among the students in this study highlight the importance of implementing support programs which consider the role of Acculturation and Social Connectedness.

scholarly journals A study of the adjustment experiences of Indian international students in New Zealand universities

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
Johnson Kukatlapalli
Keyword(s):  
New Zealand ◽  
International Students ◽  
Social Environment ◽  
Language Proficiency ◽  
Social Life ◽  
Mixed Methods Research ◽  
International Student ◽  
Age Groups ◽  
Research Approach ◽  
Indian Students

<p>A review of literature on the experiences of international students reveals their mostly adverse experiences in academic and social lives during their stay in a host country. At the same time, despite facing challenging experiences, international student numbers are rapidly increasing worldwide every year. Moreover, studies in general find that the facilities and services provided by the concerned educational providers are not being utilized by the international students as intended. Within this context, it may be mentioned that although Indian students have been coming to New Zealand for studies since 1951 as a result of the popular Colombo plan, there is no exclusive study on them, although we have such studies on the Chinese and Vietnamese international students.  The absence of such a study prevents us from recognising the specific requirements or identifying the unique features of their experiences of adjustment to the new academic and social environment. A few studies on Indian students in other countries have identified some of their difficulties while adjusting to the conditions of host countries. Furthermore, the current statistics of international students in higher education sector worldwide reveal that India is one of the top source countries for international student migration at present and for the future. In New Zealand context, even though India is being considered as an important source country for international students in the university sector, the statistics indicate that the majority of Indian international students are not enrolled in universities. All these reasons indicate the need for a specific study on Indian international students and thus, this study was initiated to explore the adjustment experiences of Indian international students studying in eight universities in New Zealand, focussing on their language, academic and social life experiences.  A mixed methods research approach was employed in this study. A survey questionnaire was used to collect data in the initial quantitative phase, and in the later phase, interviews were conducted for qualitative data collection. Both male and female Indian international students participated in this study. They were studying undergraduate or postgraduate courses at different universities in New Zealand, and belonged to different age groups and religions. Most of them have been studying outside India for the first time in their lives.  The findings of this study revealed that Indian students have adequate levels of language proficiency; they adjusted well to their academic life; enjoyed their learning experiences in New Zealand; and minimised their psychological issues through utilising social media facilities. These findings differ from those of the other generic research on Asian students. But apart from these positive aspects, the findings also point to a few concerns about their initial adjustment to a new academic system and new social environment in New Zealand, arising from a lack of proper understanding and information. This study therefore suggests a model for better cross-cultural understanding of both the prospective students and the universities as a possible means to minimize the initial difficulties of these students.</p>

scholarly journals International Students’ Experience of Western Pedagogy in a British University

2017 ◽  
Vol 4 (4) ◽  
pp. 620
Author(s):  
Linda Katherine Newsome ◽  
Paul Cooper
Keyword(s):  
International Students ◽  
Language Proficiency ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
English Language ◽  
Approaches To Learning ◽  
Self Directed Learning ◽  
Directed Learning ◽  
Using Data ◽  
Far Eastern

<em>This qualitative study examined international students’ experiences with Western pedagogy using data collected through case studies and semi-structured, in-depth, informant style interviews. Participants were all international students (n=18), mostly postgraduate from Asian and Far Eastern countries studying at a British University. This paper focuses on students’ engagements with Western pedagogy as they struggle to adjust to what they experience as unfamiliar and alien approaches to teaching and learning. Reported here is a detailed case study of the lives of these students as they engage with specific pedagogical demands, including: academic self-expression and critical argumentation, self-directed learning, class discussions, presentations, and English language proficiency. It also exposes students’ perceptions of the value of the instructional methods of their tutors and their impact on approaches to learning.</em>

scholarly journals Facebook: Facilitating Social Access and Language Acquisition for International Students?

2014 ◽  
Vol 31 (2) ◽  
pp. 22 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kent Lee ◽  
Leila Ranta
Keyword(s):  
International Students ◽  
Language Proficiency ◽  
Social Connectedness ◽  
English Language ◽  
Local Community ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Social Networking Site ◽  
Social Connections ◽  
Esl Students ◽  
Facebook Use

Many international students come to Canada to improve their English language proficiency and develop friendships with Canadians and other international stu- dents. However, gaining access to host nationals (i.e., Canadians) is not an easy task for most English as a second language (ESL) learners. Factors such as lan- guage proficiency may hamper students’ ability to build relationships with Eng- lish speakers, which in turn contributes negatively to linguistic development and psychological well-being. One way we can help ESL students interact outside of class is to use a social networking site such as Facebook. The present study sur- veyed adult ESL students about their use of Facebook and whether that use was associated with social connections with host nationals. Results from the survey of 125 international students at a Canadian university show that the majority of students were using Facebook. Correlation analyses suggest weak associations between (a) Facebook use and social connections with the local community and (b) Facebook use and self-assessed language proficiency, with the strongest associa- tion being to oral proficiency. Simply possessing a Facebook account is unlikely to increase social connectedness with host nationals. Suggestions for language teachers on integrating Facebook into their classes are provided.Plusieurs étudiants internationaux viennent au Canada pour améliorer leur com- pétence en anglais et développer des amitiés avec des Canadiens et avec d’autres étudiants internationaux. Il reste, toutefois, qu’il n’est pas facile pour la plupart des apprenants d’ALS de communiquer avec les Canadiens. Des facteurs comme la compétence langagière peuvent entraver la capacité des étudiants à établir des rapports avec des locuteurs d’anglais, ce qui peut nuire au développement lin- guistique et au bienêtre psychologique des apprenants. Parmi les façons d’appuyer l’interaction des étudiants d’ALS avec les Canadiens, notons l’emploi de sites de réseautage social comme Facebook. La présente étude porte sur un sondage auprès des étudiants d’ALS pour déterminer leur emploi de Facebook et dans quelle mesure il a contribué à l’établissement de liens sociaux avec les Canadiens. Les résultats du sondage effectué auprès de 125 étudiants internationaux à une université canadienne ont démontré que la majorité des étudiants employaient Facebook. Des analyses de corrélation révèlent des associations faibles entre (a) l’emploi de Facebook et les liens sociaux avec la communauté locale et (b) l’emploi de Facebook et les autoévaluations de compétence linguistique. L’association la plus forte était avec la compétence orale. Il est peu probable que le simple fait d’avoir un compte Facebook accroisse les liens sociaux avec les Canadiens du pays d’accueil. On offre aux enseignants de langue des suggestions pour intégrer Facebook dans leurs cours.

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