Challenges of ESL Students in American Universities - Essay Example

Naif Alosaimi Miller ENG. 222 29 November Challenges of ESL in American Universities The ‘Challenges of International Students in Universities’ is one that is not widely spoken of. Many people, including college and University professors are not fully aware of the little support and challenges these students have outside class. International students come to the United States and spend most of the time attending lectures moderated by American professors. College students are given homework assignments, quizzes, and research papers that must be completed in the native students’ language. The guidance that international students receive includes a syllabus that discusses an overview of the class and a list of the assignments or papers with due dates that must be completed. Technology even makes it more complicated as there is very little face to face interaction between students and lecturers outside class. Most of the college work is either done on the blackboard or administered through various e-learning programs. For international students, some of these learning methods make it extra difficult to learn and are not always user-friendly. A major question stands out today, ‘Why are international students attending college not in the agenda for improvements in the United States?’ Sulliman (39) points out that English as a Second Language students also pay almost twice the tuition that a resident United State student pays, plus other hidden fees. The costs may include immigration processing fees, along with other handling fees that may be associated with admissions. ESL students not only pay a higher tuition and processing costs, but they also face other challenges that are less visible. International students face more challenges than local students. Most of the ESL students, if not all, feel a sense of helplessness due to the lack of proficiency in the English language. Most ELS students come to the United States with some knowledge of the English language but not the culture or the college life. For international students that come to the United States after completing high school, it is especially difficult since the academic structure of colleges and universities is completely different than high school. ESL students are given strict deadlines and significantly higher standards compared to high school standards. Something must be done to accommodate international students if the assertion that the transfer learning is effective is to be considered true. “Classes for ELS students should be interactive with group discussions, role plays, and with problem-solving skills” (Sulliman 41). It is something that is not always seen in classes. The U.S history or Psychology are good examples of classes that are typically lectures followed by tests that are scheduled throughout the semester and a final paper. Crosson says that, “collaborative effort is needed on the part of all staff members, teachers, and administrators to see to it that ELLs and ESL instructions are fully integrated components of the schools’ culture and curriculum” (Crosson 1). A good fit culture is very important for it to be a good fit between student and university, but ideally in a collaborative environment as discussed above. When ELS students struggle in classes, they are not always given the opportunity to explain what causes their academic failure. The students do not always know that they can meet with their career advisor after their admission to discuss potential issues after their arrival. Some of the reasons why international (ELS) students are not successful are the lack of language orientation and inadequate post-support. Another important issue is the appeal process for students who are dismissed from colleges and universities. Most of these options that are available but are not always communicated to students. Statistics from the National Center for Education reveals that about40 million adults in the United States only, possess the basic level literacy skills (Jeswant 123). If these individuals have been born and raised here in the United States, they do not necessarily need to enter colleges and universities with the prerequisites that are imperative for their success. Sutton shares his experiences by saying that, “we suspect that transferring to a new school will negatively affect summer transfer students transitions to college compared with non-transfer students because it disrupts the accumulative nature of the high school career” (Sutton 67).What can be expected from an international student who struggles with the English language and furthermore grasping a new subject that introduces new concepts in the learning? Haynes says that, “not to mention that in the United States similar to other countries, there are the use dialects” (Haynes 11).These dialects make much harder to understand when international students are introduced accents and verbiage The daily challenges that international students go through do not only affect their academics, but are also life changing. Kenner, shares her experiences by explaining that “Adult learners enrolled in their entry level courses college instructors will need to realize that these adults or learners differ from traditional college students” (Kenner 1). Although these differences, presents the challenge for educators, they also provide opportunities for educators to embrace the life experiences and wisdom that these adult learners bring to the college community. Pathirage (25) explains that, “Universities offer support services to help international students adjust to the life in the US, but the specific services offered vary from university to university.” These types of services may depend on the university funds, tuition, and size of the international programs that may be available. Imagine traveling to China and studying in the University there; the initial culture shock and everyday living expectations of that society. ELS students sometimes suffer from symptoms of being homesick and display signs of depression here in the U.S.A. A country that is much more diverse, nonetheless, possesses the same challenges for international students. A similar situation is also common among students that migrate to the United States. According to (21 Scholars), “approximately 15 percent of Arizonas students who are ELS are continuing to lag far behind their English-speaking peers with virtually no narrowing of achievement gaps under the state policy.” It is an issue that not only affects international students that come to the United States to obtain their higher education. It is a problem that is always talked about and though there is still little research and propaganda. Freshmen international students could be more involved in their academic success by actively participating in university-wide events and career coaching sessions that may be offered at their university. The coaching sessions may include career planning, studying techniques, and a list of available resources on campus that will aid students with their college work. Ideally having the list of resources in their native language would be ideal. In case, the student is not familiar with the common terminology and verbiage of the university, the student is able to identify and clearly understand what is available to them. At the same time, the university is able to use this type of resources that are offered to international student and have it publicized on their website or use it as a form of promotion during their outreach. “Mastering the English language is the passport to unlimited opportunities in education, business, and professional development” (Jeswant 123). These opportunities can be seen in international students learning, completing their degrees, and taking the knowledge learned to their homes countries for improvements. Furthermore, statistics show that international and ELS students in continue to perform significantly lower than students whose primary language is English (Razfar 14). Razfar says that, “the increasing number of linguistically diverse students in US classrooms coupled with the widening achievement gap has brought the literacy needs of students from non-English speaking backgrounds to the forefront of American education research and policy.” If these numbers continue to increase, what effect will it have on the United States of America’s education system? Currently, the United States compared to other countries provides education to all students regardless of disability or mental illness, something that is not all always seen in most third world countries. There is concern on whether America is concentrating on all aspects of education and ignoring foreign education affairs, and how this will impact the future ELS students. There are some universities that are implementing some reactive approaches. Pathirage explains that, “Universities are committed to assisting international students in overcoming these challenges, by offering the variety of support services including ESL courses” (Pathirage 26). If the lack of support from colleges and university students continues the way they are for ELS or international students, it can be anticipated that there will be a decline in immigration to the U.S.A. Future international students’ enrollments will decrease significantly, and this will affect the colleges’ yearly revenue and funds. Prat says that, “in November 2002 Duke and Stanford Universities, among the wealthiest private universities in the nation, announced budget cuts” (Prat 33). These universities announced budget cuts for various reasons, but the cuts are not different. These reductions could lead to potential layoffs of professors, a decrease in the pay and benefits for staff, and lower international recognition of the college. These types of effects are true and are seen all the time in private companies all over the world, which suffer financial consequences due to the negligence and lack of attention. In Conclusion, there is still time and room for improvement even though this issue is affecting many international students all over the United States. The issue needs to be addressed, not with some law that states that no children will be left behind, but with a strong strategy to correct the current education issues and international issues with the United States. An ‘Introductory U.S Culture/English’ should be implemented, which must be completed by all students complete as part of their degree. It may also be taken as a substitute for some of the elective classes that are required for graduation. A few days could also be set aside for orientation, especially on some of the things that the international students do not understand in the native language. Translators could be hired to assist new students. With these steps in place, the rate of dropouts can be reduced and the negative reputation on the United States solved. Works Cited "21 Scholars, Four Major Research Universities Question Arizonas Segregation of ELs." Hispanic Outlook in Higher Education 6 Sept. 2010 http://search.proquest.com/docview/751198402/8B9E37580F9B430FPQ/2?accountid=35715 Crosson, Brian. “10 Things Every School Leader Should Know About ESL”. National Association of Secondary Principals Sept. 2012. Haynes, Judie. “Challenges for ELLs in content Area Learning”. ELS Learning Net. 2015http://www.everythingesl.net/inservices/challenges_ells_content_area_l_65322.php http://search.proquest.com/docview/926190856/8B9E37580F9B430FPQ/3?accountid=35715 http://www.nassp.org/Content.aspx?topic=10_Things_Every_School_Leader_Should_Know_About_ESL https://www.els.edu/en/ELSCenters/Detail?locid=ORA Jeswant, Kaur. “ELS- Leader in English Courses” 7 Nov. 2015: 123. Kenner, Cari. English Learning School. (2015). No Child Left Behind. News American Organization. July 201. http://atlas.newamerica.org/no-child-left-behind-overview Pathirage, D P Niranji A; Morrow, Jennifer A; Walpitage, Dammika L; Skolits, Gary J. “Helpfulness Of ESL Courses For International Students Studying In The United States” Pratt, Linda Ray. “Will Budget Troubles Restructure Higher Educaton?” Academe 89.1. Jan/Feb 2003: 33-37. http://search.proquest.com/docview/232310363/A9086C6A8F894EDCPQ/5?accountid=35715 Rafazar, Aria. "Repairing with Confianza: Rethinking the Context of Corrective Feedback for English Learners (ELs)." English Teaching: Practice and Critique 1 Sept. 2010: 11-32. Silliman, Benjamin. “Federal Tax Policy in the Making: 32 years of Enact College Tuition Tax Credits”. Review of Business 23.1. (Winter 2002): 38-43). http://search.proquest.com/docview/220965354/E69DDBB0E23D4E39PQ/2?accountid=35715 Sutton, A., Muller, C., & Langenkamp, A. (2013). High School Transfer Students and the Transition to College: Timing and the Structure of the School Year. Sociology of Education, 63-82. Read More