Negotiating academic discourses: Challenges facing international students from non-English speaking backgrounds, and their teachers
Year: 2009
Type: dissertation
Abstract: When international students from non-English speaking backgrounds choose to study in an Australian university they come with hopes, expectations and understandings regarding their Australian experience in both everyday and academic contexts. Apart from wanting to graduate with a degree from a Western university and to experience Australian culture', one of the main reasons these students choose to study in an Australian university is that they want to improve their English language. Students also say that they do not want simply to memorise what they are studying, but want to understand the concepts being taught. A further aspiration, initially at least, is that students want to achieve high grades. Achieving these aspirations requires time and practice for students to learn new ways of knowing' and new ways of doing' in both everyday and academic contexts. It also requires students to learn how to negotiate the multiple and interrelated languages, contexts and practices “ or academic discourses “ in an Australian university. Learning to negotiate and use these academic discourses represents challenges for many students. For international students whose first language is not English, the challenges become even greater.
Author: Dianne F. Jonasson
Language: English
Subfield: Linguistics and Language
Field: Social Sciences
Domain: Social Sciences
SDG: Quality education
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W2921728271