To shelter or unshelter? An analysis of international students’ experience in introductory communication courses

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to assess the degree to which sheltered versus unsheltered contexts of introductory communication courses impact communication skill development and overall learning outcomes for international students. Specifically, this study examined the following outcome variables: public speaking anxiety, engagement, communication mindset, communication efficacy, and student performance to investigate whether it is beneficial to sheltered international students in introductory courses. Results showed that there was no significant difference between groups for the public speaking anxiety, student engagement, or overall course performance, except for the final group presentation performance. However, there was a significant interaction effect for communication mindset and communication efficacy; students in sheltered sections saw increases in these outcomes over the course of the semester, while unsheltered students experienced the opposite.

An Exploration of Chinese English Language Learners’ Foreign Language Anxiety

“…The research also indicates that the combination of students with English proficiency levels can help reduce the anxiety of students with lower English proficiency levels since students who are good at English can provide support for other students and reduce their embarrassment and active engagement [13]. The combination of international students and native speakers can improve students' communication mindset and efficacy, even though it does not influence anxiety levels [14].…”