Adaptation To The United States Academic Culture For International Students

Adaptation to the United States Academic Culture for International Students provides readers with engaging articles that illuminate key differences between the culture of America and that of foreign nations, especially with regard to the higher education system. The collection empowers students to analyze and discuss cultural differences, develop skillsets that will help them thrive in the American educational system, and build their cross-cultural communication skills and competencies. The anthology is divided into three parts. In Part I, students are introduced to cultural concepts, key terms and ideas in human communication, and the main cultural differences international students are likely to discover when studying at a university in the United States. Part II focuses on cross-cultural adaptation, featuring articles about interacting with American professors, time management, effective study and attendance habits, and America's emphasis on academic integrity. The final part includes readings that examine nonverbal communication and the relationship between language and culture. Featuring invaluable content and scholarly insight, Adaptation to the United States Academic Culture for International Students is an ideal resource for students who've recently begun studies in the U.S., as well as university programs that seek to support the adaptation and overall experience of international students at their institution. Mei Zhong earned her Ph.D. from Kent State University. She is an associate professor in the School of Journalism and Media Studies at San Diego State University, where she also serves as the advisor for the international studies minor in the College of Professional Studies and Fine Arts. Dr. Zhong has been involved in promoting international education for over 20 years and serves as a faculty coordinator for several educational exchange programs between SDSU and international universities. In addition, she has served as the president of the Association for Chinese Communication Studies, an affiliated organization of the National Communication Association.

Adaptation to the United States Academic Culture for International Students provides readers with engaging articles that illuminate key differences between the culture of America and that of foreign nations, especially with regard to the higher education system. The collection empowers students to analyze and discuss cultural differences, develop skillsets that will help them thrive in the American educational system, and build their cross-cultural communication skills and competencies. The anthology is divided into three parts. In Part I, students are introduced to cultural concepts, key terms and ideas in human communication, and the main cultural differences international students are likely to discover when studying at a university in the United States. Part II focuses on cross-cultural adaptation, featuring articles about interacting with American professors, time management, effective study and attendance habits, and America's emphasis on academic integrity. The final part includes readings that examine nonverbal communication and the relationship between language and culture. Featuring invaluable content and scholarly insight, Adaptation to the United States Academic Culture for International Students is an ideal resource for students who've recently begun studies in the U.S., as well as university programs that seek to support the adaptation and overall experience of international students at their institution.

Gonzalez' (TESL, U. of Cincinnati) text developed from her own experiences as an international graduate student in the U.S., and her interest in mentoring international students when she became a college professor. She examines the effects of social, cultural, cognitive, affective/emotional, and linguistic factors on the adaption process of interna.

Academic writing is a key practice in higher education and central to international students’ academic success in the country of education. International Student Adaptation to Academic Writing in Higher Education addresses the prominent forms of adaptation emerging from international students’ journey to mediate between disciplinary practices, cultural norms and personal desires in meaning making. It introduces new concepts that present different patterns of international student adaptation including surface adaptation, committed adaptation, reverse adaptation and hybrid adaptation. Drawing on these concepts of adaptation, this book provides readers with new and deeper insights into the complex nature of international students’ adjustment to host institutions. It works through many unresolved issues related to cross-border students’ intellectual, cultural, linguistic and personal negotiations. This book presents a trans-disciplinary framework for conceptualising international students’ and lecturers’ practices within the institutional structure. This framework has been developed by drawing on a modified version of Lillis’ heuristic of talk around text and positioning theory. The framework enables an exploration of not only the reasons underpinning international students’ specific ways of meaning making, but also their potential choices in constructing knowledge. A distinctive contribution of the book is the development of a dialogical pedagogic model for mutual adaptation between international students and academics rather than the onus being on exclusive adaptation from the students. Existing research on international education indicates the significance of reciprocal adaptation between international students and academics. Yet very little has been done to conceptualise what mutual adaptation means and what is involved in this process. The dialogical model introduced in this book offers concrete steps towards developing reciprocal adaptation of international students and academics within the overarching institutional realities of the university. It can be used as a tool to enhance the education of international students in this increasingly internationalised environment. This book is a significant contribution to the field of international education. It takes a critical stance on contemporary views of globally mobile students. The insights into international students’ voices, hidden intentions and their potential choices in meaning making presented in this book will attract dialogues about the critical issues related to inclusive practices, internationalised curriculum and institutional responses to the diverse needs of international students.

Although traditional ESL/EFL textbooks have primarily introduced cultural topics at a knowledge level only, this textbook is designed to create meaningful opportunities for students to reflect on and practice intercultural skills in ways that are relatable in their daily lives and that can lead to a more satisfying US academic experience.

This book examines the diversity of international student experiences in the top four destination countries in the English-speaking world (United States, United Kingdom, Australia, and Canada). Bringing together scholars from the fields of education, sociology, communications, linguistics, international relations, and geography, this edited collection explores the challenges and opportunities of “international encounters” on college and university campuses. Additionally, the contributors rethink many of the key concepts in the field of international student studies such as “international student,” “host community,” and “cultural adjustment” while also critically examining the role that race, gender, and national identity play in shaping international student experiences. Through a series of case studies, the contributions to this book highlight the diverse experiences of international students from different world regions, including East Asia, South Asia, the Middle East, Africa, Europe, Latin America, and the Caribbean. The broader aim of the book is to enrich our understanding of cross-cultural interactions within the context of higher education institutions in order to enhance the international student experience.

Based on more than two decades of research into this process by international students in U.S. university language institutes and undergraduate and graduate programs, this book features a rich and diverse assortment of personal narratives by students representing countries all over the world. The research also revealed the strategies that students report they have used to navigate within a new culture; international students share their successes and their failures in this regard. In addition, they also share their experiences once they return to their homeland and re-adjust to life there, including what they have learned about themselves and their own values that relate to culture.

Each year, 700,000 students from around the world come to the United States and Canada to study. For many, the experience is as challenging as it is exciting. Far from home, they must adapt to a new culture, new university system, and in many cases, a new language. The process can be overwhelming, but as Charles Lipson’s Succeeding as an International Student in the United States and Canada assures us, it doesn’t have to be. Succeeding is designed to help students navigate the myriad issues they will encounter—from picking a program to landing a campus job. Based on Lipson’s work with international students as well as extensive interviews with faculty and advisers, Succeeding includes practical suggestions for learning English, participating in class, and meeting with instructors. In addition it explains the rules of academic honesty as they are understood in U.S. and Canadian universities. Life beyond the classroom is also covered, with handy sections on living on or off campus, obtaining a driver’s license, setting up a bank account, and more. The comprehensive glossary addresses both academic terms and phrases heard while shopping or visiting a doctor. There is even a chapter on the academic calendar and holidays in the United States and Canada. Coming to a new country to study should be an exciting venture, not a baffling ordeal. Now, with this trustworthy resource, international students have all the practical information they need to succeed, in and out of the classroom.