A mixed-method investigation into international university students’ experience with academic language demands
Post-secondary education institutions with English as a medium of instruction have prioritized internationalization, and as a result, many universities have been experiencing rapid growth in numbers of international students who speak English as an additional language (EAL). While many EAL students...
| Main Authors: | , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2022-08-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Education |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/feduc.2022.934692/full |
| _version_ | 1818503914155147264 |
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| author | Bruce Russell Christine Barron Hyunah Kim Eunice Eunhee Jang |
| author_facet | Bruce Russell Christine Barron Hyunah Kim Eunice Eunhee Jang |
| author_sort | Bruce Russell |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Post-secondary education institutions with English as a medium of instruction have prioritized internationalization, and as a result, many universities have been experiencing rapid growth in numbers of international students who speak English as an additional language (EAL). While many EAL students are required to submit language test scores to satisfy university admission criteria, relatively little is known about how EAL students interpret admission criteria in relation to language demands post admission and what their language challenges are. This study, situated at a large Canadian university, integrated student and faculty member focus group data with data obtained from a domain analysis across three programs of study and a reading skills questionnaire. Findings suggest that many students and faculty members tend to misinterpret language test scores required for admission, resulting in surprise and frustration with unexpected level of language demands in their programs. Also, students experience complex and challenging language demands in their program of study, which change over time. Recommendations for increased student awareness of language demands at the pre-admission stage and a more system-wide and discipline-based approach to language support post-admission are discussed. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-10T21:30:10Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-9766726a152c4aa3a754b87dd653cf81 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2504-284X |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-10T21:30:10Z |
| publishDate | 2022-08-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Education |
| spelling | doaj.art-9766726a152c4aa3a754b87dd653cf812022-12-22T01:32:50ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Education2504-284X2022-08-01710.3389/feduc.2022.934692934692A mixed-method investigation into international university students’ experience with academic language demandsBruce RussellChristine BarronHyunah KimEunice Eunhee JangPost-secondary education institutions with English as a medium of instruction have prioritized internationalization, and as a result, many universities have been experiencing rapid growth in numbers of international students who speak English as an additional language (EAL). While many EAL students are required to submit language test scores to satisfy university admission criteria, relatively little is known about how EAL students interpret admission criteria in relation to language demands post admission and what their language challenges are. This study, situated at a large Canadian university, integrated student and faculty member focus group data with data obtained from a domain analysis across three programs of study and a reading skills questionnaire. Findings suggest that many students and faculty members tend to misinterpret language test scores required for admission, resulting in surprise and frustration with unexpected level of language demands in their programs. Also, students experience complex and challenging language demands in their program of study, which change over time. Recommendations for increased student awareness of language demands at the pre-admission stage and a more system-wide and discipline-based approach to language support post-admission are discussed.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/feduc.2022.934692/fullinternational studentsEnglish language proficiencyuniversity admission criteriaEnglish language requirementsstandardized language testslanguage test score |
| spellingShingle | Bruce Russell Christine Barron Hyunah Kim Eunice Eunhee Jang A mixed-method investigation into international university students’ experience with academic language demands Frontiers in Education international students English language proficiency university admission criteria English language requirements standardized language tests language test score |
| title | A mixed-method investigation into international university students’ experience with academic language demands |
| title_full | A mixed-method investigation into international university students’ experience with academic language demands |
| title_fullStr | A mixed-method investigation into international university students’ experience with academic language demands |
| title_full_unstemmed | A mixed-method investigation into international university students’ experience with academic language demands |
| title_short | A mixed-method investigation into international university students’ experience with academic language demands |
| title_sort | mixed method investigation into international university students experience with academic language demands |
| topic | international students English language proficiency university admission criteria English language requirements standardized language tests language test score |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/feduc.2022.934692/full |
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