Problem 1.
English Language and Academic Challenges
Acculturation, in particular, when interacting with the host culture, language and cultural barriers cause stress in academic and social settings. For international students, language and cultural barriers exacerbate the challenge of clearly and comfortably expressing themselves, which restricts their social interactions and heightens feelings of social exclusion (Li et al., 2017). Language barriers hinder academic achievement. Academic writing centers with tutors specifically skilled to work with multilingual students, providing specific resources for instructors such as beginning feedback based on larger issues than small grammatical errors (Kim et al., 2019).
Many international students choose to go to the U.S. for academic opportunities because these opportunities are less frequently offered in their home countries. However, many international students have anxiety and worry because they fear misinterpreting and not understanding the English used as the medium of instruction in colleges and universities in the U.S. (Bista, 2011; Mori, 2002). The majority of language barriers arise as a result of differences in accent, enunciation, slang, and the use of specialized English terminology (Zhai, 2004). Language barriers may also indirectly raise international students' workload strain, as it may take them longer to study due to the difficulty of comprehending their work in a foreign language (Bista, 2011). The time and effort required to read, write, listen to, and communicate in another language can be a source of stress (Gu, 2011). International students may have good ideas but have difficulty expressing them, which makes it difficult for them to participate in learning activities (Kitano, 2001). Reading, listening, speaking, writing papers, and taking tests in English are all required for academic work. This can be a challenging task for international students, as many of them begin with limited English proficiency (Bista, 2011). Additionally, it was discovered that rapid instructor-student interactions and ambiguous role expectations led to low academic achievement (Hahn, 2011). Also, international students may be perceived as less intellectual by instructors and peers as a result of their accents or difficulties articulating their thoughts, which can result in anxiety and low self-esteem (Ryan, 2005; Terui, 2011).
References
Bista, K. (2011). A first-person explanation of why some international students are silent in the U.S. classroom. Faculty Focus: Higher Education Teaching Strategies from Magna Publications. Retrieved from https://www.facultyfocus.com/articles/teaching-and-learning/a-first-personexplanation-of-why-some-international-students-are-silent-in-the-u-s-classroom/
Gu, Q. (2011). Managing change and transition: Chinese students’ experiences in British higher education. In J. Ryan (Ed.), China’s higher education reform and internationalisation (pp. 134–150). London: Routledge.
Hahn, Z. L. (2011). Coping with acculturative stress and depression among international students: A cultural perspective. Dissertation Abstracts International: Section B: The Sciences and Engineering, 72(5–B), 3115.
Kim, N., Oh, S., & Mumbauer, J. (2019). Supporting International Students: Enhancing College Counselors’ Multicultural Counseling Competence. Journal of College Counseling, 22(2), 179–192. https://doi.org/10.1002/jocc.12129
Kitano, K. (2001). Anxiety in the college Japanese language classroom. The Modern Language Journal, 85(4), 549–566.
Li, Z., Heath, M. A., Jackson, A. P., Allen, G. E. K., Fischer, L., & Chan, P. (2017). Acculturation experiences of Chinese international students who attend American universities. Professional Psychology: Research and Practice, 48(1), 11–21. https://doi.org/10.1037/pro0000117
Mori, S. (2002). Redefining motivation to read in a foreign language. Reading in a Foreign Language, 14(2), 91-106.
Ryan, J. (2005). Improving teaching and learning practices for international students: Implications for curriculum, pedagogy, and assessment. In J. Carroll & J. Ryan (Eds.), Teaching international students: Improving learning for all (pp. 92-100). New York, NY: Routledge.
Terui, S. (2011). Second language learners’ coping strategy in conversations with native speakers, Journal of International Students, 2(2), 168–183.
Zhai, L. (2004). Studying international students: Adjustment issues and social support. Journal of International Agricultural and Extension Education, 11(1), 97-104.