Literacy Encounters in a Non-Anglophone Context: Korean Study Abroad Students in a Malaysian Classroom

Abstract

The rapid proliferation of study abroad and transnational programmes have witnessed increasing student mobility within the Southeast Asian region that has thrust many learners into new learning environments and cultures. These students come with their own academic literacy practices built on experiences in their home countries and have to quickly shift to a new academic culture in the host country. This research highlights that it is erroneous to assume that academic culture and practices are the same across the region by investigating how Korean study abroad students are navigating their literacy practices in a Malaysian tertiary classroom. Data was collected using interviews, student literacy logs and researcher field notes over fourteen weeks. Findings show that these students were unprepared to deal with the new environment and resorted to literacy practices that they were comfortable with and useful in their home country's academic culture. This implies that it is important to identify what is similar and different in the two learning environments to help study abroad students adjust and connect with their new learning context.

Providing a positive learning experience for international students studying at UK universities: A literature review

“…Students reported that the video was useful, but suggested that a stronger focus on solutions should be included rather than only highlighting differences. Nambiar et al (2012) also noted the importance of students understanding the literacy practices of the host country, while Dyson (2005) suggested that students would be helped if information regarding admission could be related to the political context in which the relationship between the United Kingdom and the sponsoring country exists.…”

“…Language proficiency does not affect the academic achievement of international students, but the results vary according to Andrade (2006). To assist the student, academics/teachers need to make the environment non-threatening (Nambiar et al, 2012) and help the student to practise English and contribute to discussions. Douglas et al (2006) notes that teaching and learning had the greatest impact on the international student's satisfaction, and that the least significant factor was concerned with the physical environment.…”

Understanding the Relationship between SelfConstruals, Self-Esteem, Social Support, and the Sociocultural Adaptation of African Students in Northern Cyprus

“…University lecturers, professors and the administrative staff can promote a sense of togetherness among students by promoting the idea that the students and the teaching and administrative staff of the university form one body and everyone has to lookout for the successful acculturation of the others (Hill, 2012;Huang, 2012;Nambiar, Ibrahim, & Meerah, 2012). Encouraging such relatedness like that found in collectivist societies might enhance the students' interdependent self which might result in better sociocultural adaptation as suggested by the findings of this study.…”

'We know what to say, we know what to write, but we don't know how': the challenges of becoming academically literate in a new linguistic and socio-cultural space

“…In fact, the students' previous academic 'ways with words' (Heath 1983), one of the resources that could have been used to foster an improved understanding of 'the new' academic language (Lee 2005;Paxton 2007;Nambiar, Ibrahim & Meerah 2012) and to adapt to new discourse communities (Gee 2012), were either ignored or sometimes 'fought' against by the lecturers. The practice of imposing university/ ies' own academic discourses and ignoring those of postgraduate students/scholars from the periphery is exercised by the 'centre' universities and by many academic journals (Lillis & Curry 2010).…”