Interacting with International Students Liz Ferry TE 494

Objective Learn how to effectively interact with international students, especially those who have lower levels of English-language proficiency

Language Skills ReadingWritingListeningSpeaking

Important Points Assessing English language skills of international students Tactics to help students understand written documents, tactics for helping them understand what you are saying (how to respond appropriately) Reasons for difficulties among skills Cultural differences Connections to field experience

Spanish Activity “…el vulgo, he determinado de sacar a luz al Ingenioso hidalgo don Quijote de la Mancha, al abrigo del clarísimo nombre de Vuestra Excelencia, a quien, con el acatamiento que debo a tanta grandeza, suplico le reciba agradablemente en su protección, para que a su sombra, aunque desnudo de aquel precioso ornamento de elegancia y erudición de que suelen andar vestidas las obras que se componen en las casas de los hombres que saben, ose parecer seguramente en el juicio de algunos que, continiéndose en los límites de su ignorancia, suelen condenar con más rigor y menos justicia los trabajos ajenos; que, poniendo los ojos la prudencia de Vuestra Excelencia en mi buen deseo, fío que no desdeñará la cortedad de tan humilde servicio.” Don Quijote de la Mancha, Miguel de Cervantes (1605)

Spanish Activity, cont. What do these activities feel like? This is how some of our own international students feel upon arrival in our housing offices in August.

Reading/Writing Housing contract Professional, contractual document How can we help international students better understand our housing contract (and/or other documents)?

Assessment and Response Assess reading by time they take, if they get stuck on something; respond appropriately based on your observations If reading slowly, get stuck on words…speak slowly in response, ask if they understand the paperwork, explain in more basic terms if needed

Reasons for Difficulty Different alphabets Lack of professional/academic vocabulary Lack of discourse knowledge

Cultural Differences Writing the dates (date.month.year) Different alphabets

Connection to Field Experience Difficulties with academic texts (online research) Lacking in academic/professional vocabulary Explain to them in more simple terms what terms/ideas mean, assist them in finding age-appropriate ways to write these ideas

Listening/Speaking Questions about housing How can we help international students in verbal communications?

Assessment and Response When they’re speaking, make quick assessments of verbal abilities in English (use as signals for how you should respond) If they speak more slowly or have a thick accent or lower level of proficiency in their English pronunciation, you should adjust how you respond (aka do not speak like you would to a native English speaker)

Tips for Responding (so they better understand you) Slow down! Annunciate Try not to use slang, idioms, reduced forms (example of reduced form = gonna) Ask them if they understand or if we should explain in a different way Try more basic ways to explain something (more basic vocabulary) Nonverbal communication

Reasons for Difficulty Speech not yet automatic, must process while trying to speak (makes for slower speech) Vocabulary retrieval not automatic Vocabulary/discourse knowledge Pragmatics (social interaction/social norms)

Reasons for Difficulty, cont. Pronunciation issues (fear of mistakes, difficult to produce sounds that don’t exist in their native language) Grammatical difficulties Speed of speech (hard to determine word boundaries, idioms, reduced forms, etc.)

Cultural Differences Personal space For example, Spaniards have little concept of forming lines (they just push to the front), and East Asians and people from other cultures stand closer to you when interacting

Cultural Differences, cont. Taking turns during interaction For example, Spaniards often interrupt each other

Connection to Field Experience Faster speech (advanced-level middle- school students, well versed in American slang) Huge alteration when working with beginner’s pull-out group Adjust speed of speech, clarity, use of idioms, etc. Varied depending on student and activity; always made quick assessments before continuing with interaction

A Global Institution MSU is global We should portray characteristics of a world-class global institution