Addressing the Sociolinguistic Challenges Faced By International Graduate Students at U.S.

Universities:

Ahmed Fahad, MA

(fahadak@ucmail.edu)Literacy and Second Language Studies

University of Cincinnati

Purpose of the PresentationPurpose of the Presentation

The Purpose is to:•Address the social, linguistic and psychological challenges faced by Iraqi graduate students at U.S universities

•Suggest recommendation to meet students needs

Background Background • Personal Experience- Three Iraqi scholarship programs- English Language status in Iraq ( audio-lingual Vs.

communicative approach, language policy)- Iraqi students population• Intensive English Language period and my

experience- Students’ expectation - Learning environment- War and separation from the international

community

1. How do Iraqi graduate students perceive their challenges in a new setting with English as the language of instruction for the first time?

2. What Linguistic social, and psychological factors are behind such challenges?

Research Questions Research Questions

Theoretical FrameworkTheoretical Framework

• Second Language socialization: Socialization into academic literacies in subsequently learned languages has received far less attention. Academic Literacy (ESL Vs. EAP). (Duff, 2010).

• Content-based second language Instruction (Cho and Reich (2008).

• Social and academic language acquisition (Cummins, 1984)

• Case studies are useful to provide researchers with an in-depth understanding of problematic situation (Merriam,1988).

MethodMethod• Multi case study of five Iraqi

graduate students.

• Triangulation. • Themes coding. Interpreting

the results in order to elicit meaningful information on the students’ challenges.

Participants Participants

• Five current Iraqi graduate students.• They are of Sociology, pharmacology,

architecture, and engineering majors (all graduate levels)

• One participant did not continue in the study.• From different geographical areas of Iraq. • Different social status (married or singles)• They represent all three scholarship programs

mentioned.

Participants’ Background Information

pseudonym Major Social status Degree Note

Hani Sociology Married (live with his family of 5 in the U.S)

PhD His first language is Kurdish and speak little Arabic

Zak Pharmacology Single Master English was the medium of instruction in his school in Iraq

Jenna Architecture Single (her 6 year old child live with her)

PhD

Munaf Civil Engineering Marries (live with his family of 4 in the U.S)

PhD

Sami Mathematics Married (his wife lives with him)

PhD He did not continue the interview as he failed in his first semester and had to leave UC.

Data source Data source

• Online survey: Survey Monkey

• Interviews (focus group). ten multiple-choice and open-ended questions

• Artifacts: Syllabus of a core course

Sample Survey Questions Sample Survey Questions

FindingsFindings

• Three themes were coded:- Linguistic Challenges- Social challenges - Psychological challenges

• Challenges are interconnected- Linguistic leads to social - Linguistic and social leads to

Psychological

Linguistic ChallengesLinguistic Challenges• Grammar, idioms and accents

(American and non American, Professors and Students)

• English is the language of instruction for the first time

• Intensive English language Experience

“It was difficult, especially I face it two

kind of problems. When I started my

English language at ELS center, first

was understanding idioms speaking

idiom… idioms between Americans

themselves and second one was the…

their pronunciation because…”.

• Preference of written and online over oral and face to face mode of communication:

“… maybe in the written assignments

it's less [errors] because I have time

to revise them and return back to

them, but in the oral I can’t so”.

Social ChallengesSocial Challenges

1. New culture including college campus

2. New educational system learner versus teacher- centered approaches.

3. Survival English

4. Separation.

Social ChallengesSocial Challenges

• Academic practices of an American college culture:

“yeah teaching method like all class discussion it is very important to me to enhance my language especially when I was not good and listening at my accent and grammar but sometimes I feel I'm worried to communicate during big mistakes. During grammar I am worried I may make this mistake so it's helpful though I am still worried.”

Psychological Challenges Psychological Challenges

1. Low comprehension leading to more cognitive energy and more frustration

2. Confidence level (lack of motivation and les positive attitude)

3. Anxiety due to new register language

4. Students’ resistance.

Interconnectivity among Challenges Interconnectivity among Challenges

•Linguistic challenges affects fluency•Group work. Speaking skills and the demand to produce.•Comprehension problems in taking notes. The use of Arabic. •Anxiety, separation and academic culture shock

Recommendations Recommendations • Academic preparation - Most students think the time pressure,

overwhelming homework, drilling and the learning environment affect their preparation to their academic degree

- International students orientation during the ELS study.

- Offer a balance of academic and survival English- Social activities and happy hours. - More flexibility in terms of time during the first

year. - Going over the syllabus in more details

Recommendations Recommendations • Pedagogical recommendations: 1. Teachers’ awareness of students resistance to

learner-centered approach. 2. Teachers’ involvement in assigning pair and group

work rather than leaving it to students 3. More professional development opportunities as

they form a less threatening environment for Iraqi graduate students

4. - More linguistic input through content. 5. Anxiety over experiencing new college culture6. Professors use of synchronous and asynchronous

communication

LimitationsLimitations

• Few participants• Generalizability

ReferencesReferences

• Cho, S., & Reich, G. A. (2008). New immigrants, new challenges: High school social studies teachers and ELL instruction. The Social Studies, 235-242.

• Cummins, Jim. (1984). Bilingualism and Special Education: Issues in assessment and pedagogy: Clevedon, England. Multilingual matters.

• Kuo. Ya-Hui. (2011). Language challenges faced by international graduate students in the United States. Peer Reviewed articles: issue 1, Vol. 1: 38-42.

• Nunan, D., & Bailey, K.M. (2009). Exploring second language classroom research: comprehensive guide. Boston, MA: Heinle.

• Merriam, S. B. (1988). Case study research in education: A qualitative approach. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

• Stake, R. (2000). Case studies. In N. Denzin & Y. Lincoln (Eds.), Handbook of qualitative research (pp. 435-454). Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE.

Thank youThank you

Questions, comments or feedback

fahadak@mail.uc.edu