Most faculty find that having an international student in their classroom can be both a gift and a challenge. International students bring their own backgrounds and knowledge to the classroom which can significantly enhance discussion if tapped. This page is designed to help instructors meet the benefits and challenges offered by having a non-native speaker in the classroom.

Using the Benefits

International students are often eager to share what they know, and what they know may provide an alternative view of the material being discussed. International students are often older than the average American student, they may have experienced a significantly different culture or have faced a more challenging early life. These are resources that can only enhance your classroom.

At the same time, those very differences in background may prevent them from interfering with participation in the classroom. Most international students have a high regard for teachers and may have been taught to respect teaching by remaining silent in the classroom. This is not always the case, of course. Some students come from cultures where interrupting the teacher is an acceptable part of the classroom experience. These differences can be disconcerting when you teach. You may want one student to share and wish another would just be quiet.

In the pre-semester orientations that we provide and in our office's continuing advisement with students, we try to encourage them to respond in the classroom, but to respond using certain "rules" like raising your hand, and not talking while someone else is (like the teacher!). We would hope that all instructors would supplement this by reminding their classes that teaching is interactive. Ask international students direct questions. Involve them specifically in conversation in the classroom. It may be an awkward process at the beginning, especially if the student is not used to speaking in school and if their spoken English is difficult to understand. At first, they may decline. Keep at it. Be inventive. You may be surprised at what they will finally feel comfortable in contributing.

Dealing with the Challenges

Faculty are often unaware that the Institute for International Studies provides assistance to international students and to faculty who work with international students. Solving problems is one of our jobs. International students should be treated no differently from any other student. But often their problems are, or may seem to be, unique to their status. If you feel you need to discuss any problems with our office, then consider the following.

We have found that there are four major areas of need:

Language Needs
International students who do not speak English as their first language (and there are many who do) are the first noticed by faculty. If they do not speak in the classroom, you may not notice until they hand in a paper or take an exam. You may notice that they don't seem to follow your lecture. You may find conferences with them to be extremely taxing.

All international students must pass a language exam and provide a specific score to be admitted to the university. This exam, however, does not test oral skills, a major component of communication! Our office tests all new students who attend our pre-semester orientation in listening, grammar and written English. Depending on the results of these three exams, we will recommend specific English classes to those we feel would benefit. However, not all new students come to orientation and not all students who are tested will take the classes.

Therefore, at the first sign that one of your students may be risking failure because of deficient English skills, please contact one of our International Student Advisors, Mark Galloway or Bill McKibben. The Advisors will work with you.

The university provides several resources for language assistance. Our office employs a tutor to assist with classroom assignments and written English. The English Department offers two courses specifically designed for international students: English 109 provides help in oral skills and English 110 provides assistance with written skills. Both are 3 hour credit-bearing courses. The Advisors also work in cooperation with the Learning Center and its resources, especially those for the learning disabled. Additionally, if through testing or other means, we feel that the student may benefit from courses in the English as a Second Language Program, we may discuss that.

The important point that we must all remember, however, is that our office cannot force students to participate in any English language support service. They have complied with all the requirements for admission, and are therefore fully-enrolled students. Our experience tells us that international students will respond, however, when faculty and our office work together. They have not come this distance, nor paid this amount of money, nor made their families proud, simply to fail. Please call us.

Attendance
Poor attendance is not just an international phenomenon, of course. But if you have an international student who is repeatedly missing class, we encourage you to treat him/her as you would any other student! Talk with him first. Explain again the necessity of attending class and emphasize your particular attendance policy. Make sure that policy is written into your syllabus. If you feel you need assistance with this, please call or email an International Student Advisor. But in the end, enforce the policy. We try to discuss attendance in the American system during our orientation. You can only help supplement our discussion.

Plagiarism
The American definition of plagiarism, believe it or not, is different from most of the rest of the world. Our office is very aware of this difference, and we spend some time in orientation and with individual students trying to explain the concept of cheating. We need your help. Please include your department's policies on plagiarism in your syllabi, or discuss them seriously with your classes...especially if your classes include international students. Be explicit and firm. Address the issue of citation with examples. More international students come here as graduates than undergraduates. Most will therefore NOT have taken English 102, and have never heard of the concept of citation. In some academic cultures outside the US, sharing information is what we would call stealing information. Intellectual property rights may be a new concept.

In conclusion, if you feel the problem is significant enough to warrant special attention in your classroom, contact an International Student Advisor. Talk with the student. Be firm, but be prepared to explain plagiarism from scratch.

Tests
Faculty often realize that international students may need additional time to complete tests, because of their slower pace in English. We sincerely appreciate your assistance with this and your effort to give all students equal time. If this is a serious problem in your classroom, then perhaps assistance with English improvement may be the solution, rather than longer testing times. Again, call our office to discuss this.



	Home Study Abroad International Students ESL Program Faculty Resources - Research - Development - Invite Scholars - Database International Events Calendar Our Staff Download Forms Inst. Intl. Studies 165 Woods Hall Murray State Univ. Murray, KY 42071 Phone: 270.809.4152 Fax: 270.809.3237 Email Us		Working with International Students IIS > Faculty > Intl Students Most faculty find that having an international student in their classroom can be both a gift and a challenge. International students bring their own backgrounds and knowledge to the classroom which can significantly enhance discussion if tapped. This page is designed to help instructors meet the benefits and challenges offered by having a non-native speaker in the classroom. Using the Benefits International students are often eager to share what they know, and what they know may provide an alternative view of the material being discussed. International students are often older than the average American student, they may have experienced a significantly different culture or have faced a more challenging early life. These are resources that can only enhance your classroom. At the same time, those very differences in background may prevent them from interfering with participation in the classroom. Most international students have a high regard for teachers and may have been taught to respect teaching by remaining silent in the classroom. This is not always the case, of course. Some students come from cultures where interrupting the teacher is an acceptable part of the classroom experience. These differences can be disconcerting when you teach. You may want one student to share and wish another would just be quiet. In the pre-semester orientations that we provide and in our office's continuing advisement with students, we try to encourage them to respond in the classroom, but to respond using certain "rules" like raising your hand, and not talking while someone else is (like the teacher!). We would hope that all instructors would supplement this by reminding their classes that teaching is interactive. Ask international students direct questions. Involve them specifically in conversation in the classroom. It may be an awkward process at the beginning, especially if the student is not used to speaking in school and if their spoken English is difficult to understand. At first, they may decline. Keep at it. Be inventive. You may be surprised at what they will finally feel comfortable in contributing. Dealing with the Challenges Faculty are often unaware that the Institute for International Studies provides assistance to international students and to faculty who work with international students. Solving problems is one of our jobs. International students should be treated no differently from any other student. But often their problems are, or may seem to be, unique to their status. If you feel you need to discuss any problems with our office, then consider the following. We have found that there are four major areas of need: Language Needs International students who do not speak English as their first language (and there are many who do) are the first noticed by faculty. If they do not speak in the classroom, you may not notice until they hand in a paper or take an exam. You may notice that they don't seem to follow your lecture. You may find conferences with them to be extremely taxing. All international students must pass a language exam and provide a specific score to be admitted to the university. This exam, however, does not test oral skills, a major component of communication! Our office tests all new students who attend our pre-semester orientation in listening, grammar and written English. Depending on the results of these three exams, we will recommend specific English classes to those we feel would benefit. However, not all new students come to orientation and not all students who are tested will take the classes. Therefore, at the first sign that one of your students may be risking failure because of deficient English skills, please contact one of our International Student Advisors, Mark Galloway or Bill McKibben. The Advisors will work with you. The university provides several resources for language assistance. Our office employs a tutor to assist with classroom assignments and written English. The English Department offers two courses specifically designed for international students: English 109 provides help in oral skills and English 110 provides assistance with written skills. Both are 3 hour credit-bearing courses. The Advisors also work in cooperation with the Learning Center and its resources, especially those for the learning disabled. Additionally, if through testing or other means, we feel that the student may benefit from courses in the English as a Second Language Program, we may discuss that. The important point that we must all remember, however, is that our office cannot force students to participate in any English language support service. They have complied with all the requirements for admission, and are therefore fully-enrolled students. Our experience tells us that international students will respond, however, when faculty and our office work together. They have not come this distance, nor paid this amount of money, nor made their families proud, simply to fail. Please call us. Attendance Poor attendance is not just an international phenomenon, of course. But if you have an international student who is repeatedly missing class, we encourage you to treat him/her as you would any other student! Talk with him first. Explain again the necessity of attending class and emphasize your particular attendance policy. Make sure that policy is written into your syllabus. If you feel you need assistance with this, please call or email an International Student Advisor. But in the end, enforce the policy. We try to discuss attendance in the American system during our orientation. You can only help supplement our discussion. Plagiarism The American definition of plagiarism, believe it or not, is different from most of the rest of the world. Our office is very aware of this difference, and we spend some time in orientation and with individual students trying to explain the concept of cheating. We need your help. Please include your department's policies on plagiarism in your syllabi, or discuss them seriously with your classes...especially if your classes include international students. Be explicit and firm. Address the issue of citation with examples. More international students come here as graduates than undergraduates. Most will therefore NOT have taken English 102, and have never heard of the concept of citation. In some academic cultures outside the US, sharing information is what we would call stealing information. Intellectual property rights may be a new concept. In conclusion, if you feel the problem is significant enough to warrant special attention in your classroom, contact an International Student Advisor. Talk with the student. Be firm, but be prepared to explain plagiarism from scratch. Tests Faculty often realize that international students may need additional time to complete tests, because of their slower pace in English. We sincerely appreciate your assistance with this and your effort to give all students equal time. If this is a serious problem in your classroom, then perhaps assistance with English improvement may be the solution, rather than longer testing times. Again, call our office to discuss this.



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