International Students’ Perceptions of Communication Challenges in English Medium Instruction

Abstract

The main research objective of this corpus-based study is to identify communication challenges faced by international students of business management in the context of using English as a Medium of Instruction (EMI) in a non-English speaking country. It attempts to gain an insight on learners' perceptions of intercultural communication (ICC) barriers, associated with their native language and cultural background in the process of developing academic and cultural competences. Quantitative data was derived through a small specialised corpus, comprising of 13,896 words, constructed from 47 students' reflective essays. The research assumptions and analysis of discourse were based on the model of the six Stumbling Blocks in Intercultural Communication developed by LaRay M. Barna (1994). The evidence from the study suggests that differences in verbal and non-verbal language expressions are perceived as a more significant communication block, due to the fact that they seem to be attributed with clear self-awareness of the problem. The results also indicate that language differences and cultural ambiguity are more significantly expressed by students raised and educated in higher context cultures, sharing more collectivist values. To handle these issues in EMI, an approach to self-conscious actions and efforts is needed from all participants in the process to develop linguistic and intercultural communication competence (ICCC).