Supporting First Year Students: International Students
Constant stimulation, like walking busy streets while texting and listening to music, overwhelms our brains, resulting in poorer performance on learning and memory tasks. The added demands of adjusting to a new city and college life compound this. Now consider international students, who find themselves in a new country, and English language learners trying to understand and communicate in a new language. (New Science of Learning)
Being aware of challenges international students may face and implementing practices to help them feel seen and supported is inclusive teaching and benefits all students.
- They’re adjusting to a LOT of newness. In addition to being at a new institution, in a new city and a new country, and possibly in a new language, international students may be navigating unfamiliar cultural, legal, social and academic systems and norms. Distance from friends and family, language barriers, cultural and educational shocks, unfamiliarity with student support resources, financial pressures, visa policies, and uncertainties around the political climate in the US and/or their country of origin, may amplify the challenges they face. Building community into your classroom can help them navigate isolation.
- Ask what students want to be called, let them know what to call you.
- Ask students what they want to be called (which may differ from what’s on your roster) and learn how to pronounce it. Consider asking students to upload short introductions to Canvas. Getting students’ names right is one way you can show you value and see them.
- Practice transparent teaching. Be explicit about what you hope for students to learn and why, and how you will assess their learning.
- Model what effective participation and discussion look like. Some students have never been asked to contribute or ask questions during class. Offer concrete instructions on having class discussions.
- Provide students multiple modes of engaging with the course material and demonstrating their knowledge. Support students with cultural and linguistic differences by sharing discussion topics and materials, giving students time to write out their thoughts, having students talk in small groups or pairs, etc.
- Share all instructions verbally and in writing.
- Take nothing for granted.
- Anticipate gaps in understanding. Make no assumptions about any students’ prior knowledge, comfort levels, understanding of academic integrity and plagiarism, or familiarity with U.S. politics, social issues and cultural norms.
- Ask where students with various cultural backgrounds and social identities might get lost in your classroom or course material. Be mindful of idioms, humor and cultural references you use, and your pace when speaking.
- Encourage students to note any unfamiliar names, vocabulary, concepts and other references so they can be clarified later.
- And note that students are learning the language of your discipline. They might not know your disciplinary language in their own preferred language.
- Check in regularly with all students to destigmatize the challenges of learning English.
- Build in moments to check comprehension. Ask students to paraphrase key concepts and what remains unclear.
- Share information about student resources. Invite staff from the libraries and University Learning Center into your class to discuss resources they offer students.
Some Advice: International student to International Student
- “Don’t be afraid to ask for help. In India, I was really afraid to ask others for help because it felt like a sign of weakness. But remember, the only way to learn something new is to ask others for help. If you don’t ask, the answer will always be no. In classes, ask a lot of questions. There’s a lot of resources, even through the college, to help you through anything legally, physically, mentally, emotionally, and socially,” – Rimka Dhara, 2022
Additional Resources
- How to Teach a Good First Day of Class: Advice Guide, article. Everything from piquing curiosity and setting expectations, to deciding what to wear.
- Modeling norms for active listening and building on comments, 4 min. video. An instructor models how to engage with and build on others’ contributions, establishing a classroom norm of lively discussion and sharing.
- Strategies for Successful Open-Ended Discussion: How a Focus on Process Can Improve the Classroom, 27 min. video, Nancy Roach, Part-Time Faculty, Parsons, uses open ended questions about class processes and abstract concepts to build the community, confidence and trust necessary for students to engage in meaningful discussions.