Lori Meadows
International students often face challenges in the classroom due to cultural and linguistic differences, unfamiliar academic genres and conventions, and a lack of familiarity with American classroom cultures and etiquette. To support international students, teachers can utilize a variety of strategies such as providing good examples and explicit instructions, offering one-on-one guidance, forming small groups, using non-verbal communication, and promoting inclusive and equitable participation. Additionally, teachers should be mindful of the pace of speech, the use of idioms and cultural references, and potential issues with plagiarism. By creating an inclusive and supportive learning environment, teachers can enhance the educational experience for international students.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Enhancing communication | Instructors can write key words on a whiteboard, use slides, and use hand gestures and body language to amplify their message |
| Facilitating communication between students | Instructors can write student comments and questions on a whiteboard or projected document |
| Providing examples | Providing students with examples and showing them how to analyze them for structure, development, and style |
| Discussing plagiarism | Discussing plagiarism early and often is helpful for international students |
| Allowing peer responses | Allowing peer responses to a prompt acts as models for international students and helps them understand what is expected |
| Facilitating collaboration | Supplementing in-person instruction with online small-group activities that use Zoom |
| Encouraging active learning | Using pairs so all students can talk about an idea |
| Using online tools | Using online tools like chatrooms, blogs, and Piazza to stimulate student exchange |
| Being mindful of pace of speech | Being attentive to the pace of speech, the use of idioms, and cultural references |
| Addressing stereotypes | Taking time to address national stereotypes and question generalizations |
| Focusing on understanding | Focusing on whether students have understood your point, rather than how well you stated it |
| Using non-verbal communication | Making use of non-verbal communication like gestures and eye contact |
| Encouraging equitable participation | Facilitating equitable participation and sharing of diverse views and perspectives |
| Promoting international student engagement | Getting involved in discussions on how to promote international student engagement, facilitation of group work, and discussion in a diverse classroom |
| Being explicit about expectations | Being explicit about the skills you want students to learn and apply |
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What You'll Learn
Encourage active participation in class
International students may be less likely to participate in class discussions due to a range of factors, including the time it takes to process information and formulate a response in a second language, unfamiliarity with American classroom culture and etiquette, fear of discrimination due to accented speech, and cultural norms that value teachers as authority figures. To encourage active participation from international students, instructors can employ several strategies:
Firstly, creating an inclusive environment is key. This can be achieved by including a statement in the syllabus that acknowledges and values linguistic diversity, providing guidelines for respectful oral and written interactions, and discouraging sidebar conversations that may exclude certain students. By fostering an environment where diversity is celebrated, international students may feel more comfortable participating.
Instructors can also utilise non-verbal communication such as gestures, body language, and eye contact to enhance their message and facilitate understanding. Writing key words or student comments on a whiteboard or using slides with crucial points can further support international students in interpreting spoken English. Additionally, allowing students to access a roster to contact their peers can enable collaborative learning, as multilingual students often benefit from interpreting assignments and lectures with their multilingual peers.
To promote active participation, instructors should be mindful of their speech pace, avoiding slang, idioms, and cultural references that may exclude international students. They should also be explicit about the skills they want students to learn and apply, as students from different educational backgrounds may have varying levels of familiarity with academic genres and classroom participation norms. One-on-one meetings can be extremely beneficial in clarifying expectations, addressing misconceptions, and guiding international students through the writing process.
Finally, small group activities can help international students feel more comfortable contributing. However, care should be taken to ensure that groups are assigned in a way that promotes inclusivity and prevents the formation of unwelcoming cliques. By implementing these strategies, instructors can encourage active participation from international students and create a more inclusive and engaging learning environment.
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Be mindful of cultural differences
International students may face discrimination based on their linguistic and cultural diversity, race, socioeconomic status, indigenous heritage, and nationality. Instructors should therefore be mindful of cultural differences and take steps to promote inclusivity.
Firstly, it is important to acknowledge the linguistic diversity in the class. Only about five per cent of adult learners of an additional language will attain a native-like accent. Multilingual students may fear discrimination due to their accent and may avoid participating in oral discussions. To create a more inclusive environment, instructors can include a statement in the syllabus that acknowledges this linguistic diversity and provides guidelines on oral and written interactions.
Instructors can also facilitate communication by using non-verbal cues such as facial expressions, lip-reading, intonation, hand gestures, and body language. They can write key words on a whiteboard or use slides with crucial points. Small group activities can also help students feel more comfortable contributing. International students may be less likely to contribute to a larger group discussion due to their unfamiliarity with American classroom cultures and etiquette, and their consciousness about their oral proficiency.
Instructors should also be aware that international students may not have the same background knowledge of American history and cultural references. Classroom participation and engagement strategies will be unfamiliar to some students, and they may be used to perceiving teachers as authority figures. It is important to be attentive to the pace of speech and to avoid the use of idioms and cultural references that may exclude international students.
Finally, it is important to emphasise academic integrity and provide clear guidance on plagiarism. International students may not have learned the same rules about copying and plagiarism that are fundamental to US education.
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Provide additional resources and support
Teachers can provide additional resources and support to international students in a variety of ways. Firstly, they can utilise online tools and resources to enhance learning. For example, online small-group activities on Zoom can be beneficial, especially for multilingual students who often collaborate with peers that share their first language. Online chatrooms, blogs and discussion boards can also facilitate student exchange and provide a platform for international students to engage with their peers.
Instructors can also provide written resources to support international students. This can include writing key words on a whiteboard, using slides with crucial points, and providing good examples of assignments, which can help international students understand expectations and avoid plagiarism. Additionally, teachers can encourage active learning by reiterating students' ideas in their own words, demonstrating that they value the student's contribution and provide an opportunity for clarification.
Furthermore, teachers can support international students by being mindful of their pace of speech, use of idioms and cultural references. It is important not to assume that international students have background knowledge of American history or cultural references, as this can create a barrier to understanding. Instead, instructors should focus on ensuring that their points are understood, using non-verbal communication such as gestures and eye contact to enhance their message.
Instructors can also provide additional support by offering one-on-one meetings with international students. These meetings can help clarify expectations, guide students through the writing process, and address any misconceptions. This individual attention can be particularly beneficial for international students who may be quieter in class due to cultural differences, accented speech, or a lack of familiarity with academic genres.
Finally, teachers can promote inclusivity and equitable participation in the classroom. This includes discouraging sidebar conversations between subgroups that may exclude international students. By creating an inclusive environment, international students will feel more comfortable contributing to discussions and sharing their diverse perspectives.
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Foster an inclusive environment
To foster an inclusive environment for international students, educators can take several steps to ensure they feel welcomed and valued in the classroom. Firstly, it is important to acknowledge and embrace linguistic diversity. This can be done by including a statement in the syllabus that celebrates linguistic diversity and provides guidelines for respectful oral and written interactions. Educators can also be mindful of using non-verbal communication, such as gestures and facial expressions, to enhance understanding and encourage active listening skills.
Instructors can further promote inclusivity by facilitating equitable participation and the sharing of diverse views and perspectives. They should discourage sidebar conversations involving subgroups that may exclude certain students. Instead, they can utilise pair work and small group activities to encourage collaboration and create a safe space for students to express their ideas. When forming groups, educators should be mindful of potential drawbacks, such as the potential for cliques or discomfort among randomly assigned groups.
Additionally, educators should be aware of the potential for cultural barriers and misunderstandings. They should avoid assuming shared knowledge of cultural references, idioms, and humour, as these can exclude international students. Instead, they should emphasise the value of diverse cultural perspectives and actively question and address any stereotypes or generalisations that may arise.
To further foster inclusivity, educators should provide explicit guidance on academic expectations and genres to prevent plagiarism and misconceptions. They can offer examples and analyse them in class, demonstrating structure, development, and style. One-on-one meetings can also be beneficial for clarifying expectations and guiding international students through the writing process.
By implementing these strategies, educators can create an inclusive environment that values and supports international students, fostering a sense of belonging and promoting their academic success.
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Utilise non-verbal communication
Non-verbal communication is an incredibly important aspect of teaching international students. It can be used to enhance the understanding of spoken English for multilingual students, who often rely on non-verbal cues such as facial expressions, lip-reading, and intonation to interpret what is being said. Instructors can amplify their message through hand gestures and body language, as well as by writing key words and student contributions on a whiteboard or slide.
Instructors should be mindful of their pace of speech and use of idioms and cultural references, which may be unfamiliar to international students. Non-verbal communication can help to emphasise a point and ensure that students understand, even if they are not comfortable contributing verbally. This can include gestures, eye contact, and facial expressions.
To encourage participation, instructors can utilise small groups and pair work, which can help students feel more comfortable contributing. This can be particularly beneficial for international students who may be less likely to speak up in a larger group due to a lack of familiarity with American classroom culture, concerns about their oral proficiency, or a general tendency for quieter contributions. Small groups and pair work also facilitate student collaboration, allowing multilingual students to assist each other with interpreting assignments and understanding lectures.
Instructors should also be aware of the potential for sidebar conversations involving subgroups of students, which can be off-putting for international students and hinder their learning. By utilising non-verbal communication, such as eye contact and gestures, instructors can discourage these sidebar conversations and promote equitable participation, ensuring that all students feel included and valued.
Overall, non-verbal communication is a powerful tool for engaging and supporting international students in the classroom. It helps to bridge the language gap, encourages participation, and fosters an inclusive learning environment.
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Frequently asked questions
International students may be unfamiliar with the "school genres" of writing in the US education system. Instructors can provide examples of good writing in class and show students how to analyse them for structure, development and style. Discussions of plagiarism and academic integrity are also important. One-on-one meetings can help instructors guide students through the writing process and clear up any misconceptions.
International students may be less likely to contribute to larger group discussions due to cultural differences, fear of discrimination, or lack of familiarity with the topic. Forming small groups can help students feel more comfortable sharing their views. Teachers should discourage sidebar conversations involving subgroups of students and facilitate equitable participation.
Teachers should not assume that international students have the same background knowledge of American history and cultural references. They can use non-verbal communication such as gestures and body language to amplify their message. Writing key words on a whiteboard or using slides with crucial points can also help. Teachers should also be attentive to the pace of speech and avoid using slang, idioms and humour that may exclude international students.
