Speaking Anxiety Among Postgraduate International Students in the Academic Context of a University in Malaysia

2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
pp. 198
Author(s):  
Bikash Chandra Taly ◽  
Shamala Paramasivam
Keyword(s):  
International Students ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
Target Language ◽  
Positive Thinking ◽  
Behavioral Strategies ◽  
Learning Context ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Speaking Anxiety ◽  
Academic Context ◽  
Postgraduate Students

Anxiety is common for international students when speaking in the academic context. The aim of this study is to explore the reasons that cause speaking anxiety in the academic context of a university. The study also aims to find out strategies used by students to cope with speaking anxiety. This research employs the qualitative method in the form of interview questions to investigate the issues. Fifteen international postgraduate students and two experienced university lecturers of a public university in Malaysia were interviewed through semi-structured interviews. The investigation revealed that speaking anxiety originates from students' self-related perceptions, learning challenges, differences between students' and target language cultures, poor language knowledge, and fear of being evaluated by peers and lecturers. The strategies used to cope with speaking anxiety included a variety of affective (relaxation), cognitive (positive thinking) and behavioral strategies (preparation/practice, avoidance of eye contact, providing immediate response to instructors’ questions, taking part in as many speaking activities as possible, peer seeking and physical masking behavior). From the investigation, it is found that anxiety has an influence on students’ communication when speaking in English. More emphasis should be given to anxiety reducing methods in the teaching and learning context of higher education.

scholarly journals Communication Strategies to Overcome Linguistic Barriers: A Snapshot of Indonesian Postgraduate Students as a Second Language Learner Living in Target Language Community

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
yuliandri yuliandri
Keyword(s):  
Second Language ◽  
International Students ◽  
Learning Strategies ◽  
Communication Strategies ◽  
Language Learner ◽  
Communication Strategy ◽  
Target Language ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Language Community ◽  
Postgraduate Students

Being able to communicate effectively in English on both social and academic setting,is one of the biggest challenge faced by International students learning in English speaking countries like New Zealand. This challenge is inevitably relevant to students’ from Indonesia, a country where English is not a second language. Extra effort is required since these International students must be able to learn and produce the language simultaneously in a very immediate context, shifting from EFL to ESL context. To be able to shift from these two different learning contexts, specific strategies are needed. The use of communication strategies is purposed to assist language learners in a target language community to in delivering and receiving messages in spoken communication. This research is aimed to: a) identify types of communication strategy used by Indonesian adult Postgraduate students; b) investigate how these communication strategies are learned and applied. The data is collected qualitatively through semi-structured interviews. The result of this study reveals that, the two respondents in general are using the same communication strategies: compensatory strategy in form of circumlocution; on the other hand, avoidance strategy is also applied as a last resort. Furthermore, this research also highlights learning strategies developed/learned by the respondents to upgrade their communication competence.

scholarly journals Communication Strategies to Overcome Linguistic Barriers: A Snapshot of Indonesian Postgraduate Students as a Second Language Learner Living in Target Language Community

2019 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
pp. 76
Author(s):  
Yuliandri Yuliandri
Keyword(s):  
Second Language ◽  
International Students ◽  
Learning Strategies ◽  
Communication Strategies ◽  
Language Learner ◽  
Communication Strategy ◽  
Target Language ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Language Community ◽  
Postgraduate Students

Being able to communicate effectively in English on both social and academic setting, is one of the biggest challenge faced by International students learning in English speaking countries like New Zealand. This challenge is inevitably relevant to students’ from Indonesia, a country where English is not a second language. Extra effort is required since these International students must be able to learn and produce the language simultaneously in a very immediate context, shifting from EFL to ESL context. To be able to shift from these two different learning contexts, specific strategies are needed. The use of communication strategies is purposed to assist language learners in a target language community to in delivering and receiving messages in spoken communication. This research is aimed to: a) identify types of communication strategy used by Indonesian adult Postgraduate students; b) investigate how these communication strategies are learned and applied. The data is collected qualitatively through semi-structured interviews. The result of this study reveals that, the two respondents in general are using the same communication strategies: compensatory strategy in form of circumlocution; on the other hand, avoidance strategy is also applied as a last resort. Furthermore, this research also highlights learning strategies developed/learned by the respondents to upgrade their communication competence.

Study-work-life balance of international students in the context of temporal boundaries

2019 ◽  
Vol 7 (2) ◽  
pp. 63-79
Author(s):  
Megan O'Mahony ◽  
Debora Jeske
Keyword(s):  
International Students ◽  
Social Withdrawal ◽  
Work Life ◽  
Work Life Balance ◽  
Boundary Management ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Time Zone ◽  
Life Balance ◽  
Postgraduate Students ◽  
Personal Challenges

The goal of this qualitative study was to examine the experience of study-work-life balance among international students who were separated from their family both geographically and temporally. Using 10 semi-structured interviews with postgraduate students and thematic analysis, several themes were identified. These included boundary management shifts due to study/work demands and time zone differences. In addition, students reported social and personal challenges (in terms of family’s expectations, relationships maintenance, socialization in host country). Temporal boundaries contributed to social withdrawal and isolation among students, many of which were heavily reliant on their own family network for support. The findings strengthen the argument that time difference impacts the boundary management and social experience of international students.

scholarly journals Investigation of International Students’ Perception of ‘Community’ in a British Higher Education Institute

2015 ◽  
Vol 3 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Kathrine Angela Jackson ◽  
Fay Harris ◽  
Russell Crawford
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
International Students ◽  
International Student ◽  
Global Community ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Postgraduate Students ◽  
Student Community ◽  
Research Students ◽  
The Uk ◽  
Future Work

This paper investigates the perceptions of members of our international student community by giving them a voice and a platform to explore their feelings as part of a Higher Education institute in the UK and whether they consider that the university is a global environment. Our data is based on a series of structured interviews with twelve students from twelve different countries, inclusive of four postgraduate research students. Our findings reveal that our international students commonly feel part of multiple smaller communities but interestingly, they were less sure of their part within an institute-wide community. The postgraduate students’ perceptions of community were quite divergent when compared to the undergraduate perceptions, which we will continue to explore in our future work. Our data supports the perception from international students that their university is a global community, but there were distinct differences in how individuals defined it and some limitations to consider. Some defined it as students and staff of different nationalities being present at a university whilst other definitions relied on cultural characteristics within the institution as a whole. We reflect upon the implications of our research as these perceptions shape international student opinion of Higher Education institutes and what is understood by the term ‘global community’.

scholarly journals Exploring the Causes of English Language Speaking Anxiety among Postgraduate Students of University of Balochistan, Pakistan

2017 ◽  
Vol 7 (2) ◽  
pp. 99 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nazeer Ahmed ◽  
Zahid Hussain Pathan ◽  
Faria Saeed Khan
Keyword(s):  
Foreign Language ◽  
Quantitative Research ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
English Language ◽  
Official Language ◽  
Speaking Anxiety ◽  
Postgraduate Students ◽  
Statistical Significant Difference ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
The World

English language enjoys its glory as an official language of Pakistan and it is used widely as a medium of instructions across educational institutes. Since anxiety retards the learning process, therefore it has been widely researched in the world and seems under researched in Pakistani context. Thus, the prime aim of this research is to explore the factors that cause English language speaking anxiety among Postgraduate Students of University of Balochistan (UoB), Pakistan. This study also aimed at determining the statistical significant difference if any across gender. The quantitative research design was employed in which a questionnaire comprising of eighteen items was adapted from the study by Horwitz et al. (1986). Both descriptive and inferential statistics were performed in the SPSS (version, 21). The findings revealed that UOB students were experiencing anxiety due to myriad factors in EFL classroom. The findings of the t-test revealed no statistical significant difference across gender. This paper has implications on both teaching and learning of English as a foreign language in Pakistani context.

scholarly journals Students’ Perceptions Towards Extensive Reading In Efl Contexts

2021 ◽  
Vol 1 (2) ◽  
pp. 99-104
Author(s):  
Rini Lindawati
Keyword(s):  
Language Proficiency ◽  
Information Search ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
English Language ◽  
Learning Experience ◽  
Language Education ◽  
Target Language ◽  
Extensive Reading ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Learning English

Most university students are struggling in learning English as Foreign Language. The utilization of an extensive reading strategy will potentially promote more striking influential impacts on EFL learners’ target language proficiency. The students' perceptions influence the success of teaching and learning English. The research aimed to know the students’ perception of Extensive Reading in EFL contexts. The researcher used the Qualitative Research method. This study was conducted in Universitas Islam Majapahit. The researcher selected twelve senior students of the English language education department who have already received the extensive reading subject in their previous semesters. The researcher collected the data through semi-structured interviews. The data were then analyzed by following Miles and Huberman’s (1994) framework. The results showed that the students had positive perceptions toward Extensive Reading practices. They considered if Extensive Reading is a reading activity for pleasure and information search where they can read material without any restraint. Besides, Extensive Reading also contributed to developing their comprehension and English skills such as listening, speaking, reading, writing, vocabulary mastery, and grammar. Moreover, Extensive Reading enabled them to enjoy the learning experience.

scholarly journals Changes in and Effects of TED Talks on Postgraduate Students’ English Speaking Performance and Speaking Anxiety

2021 ◽  
Vol 7 (3) ◽  
pp. 104-118
Author(s):  
Meihua Liu
Keyword(s):  
Situated Learning ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Speaking Anxiety ◽  
Postgraduate Students ◽  
English Speaking ◽  
Speaking Performance ◽  
Oral Presentations ◽  
Experimental Group ◽  
Ted Talks

This research study explored the changes in and effects of TED talks on Chinese postgraduate students’ English speaking performance and speaking anxiety over a period of 10 weeks. In this research, TED talks were used as a learning mode to provide a quasi-realistic sociocultural context for speaking English. 166 students from the experimental group using TED talks and 156 in the conventional mode participated in the quasi-experiment. They made eight-minute oral presentations and answered the 12-item English Speaking Anxiety Scale prior to and after the experiment. Analyses of the data revealed three major findings: 1) both the experimental and control groups did significantly better in English speaking performance and became significantly less anxious about speaking English over the 10-week period, 2) the experimental group did significantly better in move structure and were significantly less anxious about speaking English than the control group at the end of the 10-week period, and 3) the learning modes had a significant effect on students’ move structures of oral presentations but had no effect on their oral presentation performance and English speaking anxiety. These findings support the benefit of supplementing EFL (English as a foreign language) teaching and learning with TED talks and other similar virtual situated learning. Thus, the present study not only contributes to the current literature, which is short of studies on the effects of technology on SL/FL teaching and learning and the dynamic characteristic of the emotions associated with SL/FL learning, but also suggests that virtual situated learning like TED talks should be incorporated into SL/FL teaching and learning.

Attracting International Postgraduate Students

2013 ◽  
Vol 4 (3) ◽  
pp. 61-67
Author(s):  
Othman Che Puan ◽  
M. Al–Muz–Zammil Yasin ◽  
Ahmad Kamal Idris ◽  
Mohd Sofian Mohd Amran
Keyword(s):  
International Students ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
Total Sample ◽  
Campus Environment ◽  
Postgraduate Students ◽  
Postgraduate Studies ◽  
Global Player ◽  
World Class ◽  
To Come ◽  
The University

A university has to carry out various marketing strategies and efforts to recruit international students as many as possible in order to fulfil one of the criteria for a world–class university status. However, to attract quality candidates with the desirable profile is becoming increasingly difficult especially when the university has to compete internationally and nationally with the existing and new emerging universities. This paper discusses the findings of a study carried out to establish the factors considered by international students before they decided to come to Universiti Teknologi Malaysia for their postgraduate studies. A total sample of 896 international students from various fields of studies for three different intakes was used in the study. The result shows that the main factors considered by them are the availability of the programme, reputation, the conduciveness of the campus environment for teaching and learning, and the location of the university. Most of them agreed that internet and education fairs or expositions are effective marketing medium for the recruitment of international students. This study provides an evidence–based framework to be considered by the University in formulating strategies and efforts to become a global player in higher education.

scholarly journals Meeting business students’ English language needs in the Algerian tertiary education

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (2) ◽  
pp. 124-139
Author(s):  
Soraya Benzerdjeb
Keyword(s):  
Language Proficiency ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
English Language ◽  
New Technologies ◽  
Tertiary Education ◽  
Business Students ◽  
Target Language ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Digital Platforms ◽  
The Government

Graduate Algerian economic sciences students, who will be future university teachers or workplace managers, are urged to use the English language. However, most of them reveal that they are unable to use the English language appropriately. The main aim in this paper is to depict students’ difficulties and help them improve their academic language performance. This paper describes the teaching and learning situations of English for Business and Economics (EBE) in the Department of Economic Sciences at the University of Tlemcen. The investigator used a questionnaire and two structured interviews. The sampling included EBE learners and English for specific purposes teachers as well as workplace managers (former EBE students). The main findings in this investigation confirmed that students had poor target language proficiency. Results revealed that the content of the actual EBE course was inappropriate to learners’ needs. The investigator wants to integrate new technologies as the government supplies digital platforms to the Algerian universities.   Keywords: Algerian, tertiary education, English, Economics, business students.

scholarly journals Wide-lens angle: International students’ constructions of academic support in a selected South African university

2020 ◽  
Vol 11 (Winter) ◽  
pp. 167-171
Author(s):  
PEACE GINIKA NWOKEDI
Keyword(s):  
International Students ◽  
South African ◽  
Interpersonal Relationships ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
Academic Support ◽  
Complex Nature ◽  
Full Time ◽  
Postgraduate Students ◽  
Strategic Teaching ◽  
Academic Activities

The study is an attempt to better understand the complex nature of academic support in higher education, particularly, drawing from the voices of the existing international postgraduate students at a selected university in South Africa. This qualitative study is explorative and participatory in nature and draws on the question: what are the international postgraduate students’ constructions of academic support in a South African university? 12 full time international students were purposively selected. The main findings are illustrated and discussed under 3 broad themes namely: intrapersonal relationships and resilience’s; improved interpersonal relationships among international students; as well as the effect of postgraduate strategic teaching and learning programmes. Significantly, the findings of this study revealed that the international postgraduate students reported a slightly higher level of agency towards their academic activities. A possible explanation may be found in the diverse set of university activities that students access for support. This paper concludes by exploring what lessons emerge when participatory visual methodologies, such as photovoice, are integrated into research with students about their own learning.

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