Challenges and Strategies Facing International Students and Faculty in U.S. Higher Education: A Comprehensive Literature Review

Abstract

With increasing numbers of international students on university campuses in the U.S., culturally and linguistically responsive (CLR) practices become more important than ever in helping students fit in a new environment and achieve their academic goals. However, not all universities and faculty are prepared or equipped with the knowledge to adopt CLR methods in classrooms across the disciplines. The purpose of this literature review is three-fold: (1) to examine the cultural and linguistic challenges that international students face in U.S. higher institutions; (2) to investigate faculty’s perspectives on international students and implementing CLR practices in their classroom teaching; and (3) to explore CLR strategies or recommendations that have been used successfully to alleviate the challenges. In assessing the current status of CLR in tertiary education, this article reviewed 21 research studies and found that both international students and faculty at U.S. institutions of higher education are facing challenges in terms of language, culture, classroom discussions, academic expectations, and interpersonal relationships. These findings hold implications for promoting the development of CLR practices among faculty and tertiary institutions to foster a diverse campus capable of truly accommodating and supporting students from multicultural backgrounds. Keywordsinternational students, culturally and linguistically responsive practices, challenges, faculty

Challenges Facing Expatriate Nursing Students at Cairo University: Suggested Guidelines

“…These findings agreed with the findings of a comprehensive literature review by Ma, (2022) who reviewed 21 studies and found that both international students and faculty faced obstacles in terms of language, culture, discussion in class, academic expectations, and adaptation to each other. The previous educational, cultural, and language backgrounds of the international students were both sources of knowledge and barriers to adaptation in a new learning environment.…”

Classroom Experiences of International Students in Canadian Postsecondary Education

“…To start, similar to many past studies (Alqudayri & Gounko, 2018;Bai & Wang, 2022a;Gomes, 2020;Heng, 2018;Hu & Gao, 2021;Igwe et al, 2020;Jackson & Chen, 2018;Ma, 2022;Ogunsanya et al, 2018;Tang et al, 2018), this research reinforces the idea many international students feel ostracized during classroom discussions, because international students need time to articulate their thoughts in English. As well, many past studies document that international students struggle with foreign English accents and/or local accents (Bai & Wang, 2022a;Gomes, 2022;Heng, 2018;Jiang & Altinyelkan, 2022;Lindner & Margetts, 2022;Matsunaga et al, 2021;McGarvey et al, 2021;Ploner, 2018).…”

“…A common challenge encountered by many international students enrolled in Western institutions is English language proficiency (Alqudayri & Gounko, 2018;Bai & Wang, 2022a;Gomes, 2020;Heng, 2018;Hu & Gao, 2021;Igwe et al, 2020;Jackson & Chen, 2018;Ma, 2022;Ogunsanya et al, 2018;Tang et al, 2018). Tavares (2021) explained that multilingualism is tied to successfully navigating within diverse social contexts and via dynamic communicative practices.…”

Assessment of Learning Outcomes - A Global Academic Challenge

“…Ma, Ji. (2022) [5] As the number of overseas students attending U.S. universities continues to rise, the need for culturally and linguistically responsive (CLR) methods in assisting these students in adjusting to their new surroundings and achieving their academic objectives is paramount. However, not all institutions of higher education or their teaching staff have the necessary expertise to use CLR strategies in their courses.…”