Overcoming Language Difficulties in Australian Universities: for International
Students
Introduction
English has been a worldwide used language in international education and other
sectors. However, a non-native international student who wants to obtain a higher
education qualification in an English-speaking country may experience multiple
language difficulties. In recent years, numerous international students choose to study
in Australia instead of other countries for multifaceted reasons, such as interest in the
Australian lifestyle, consideration for immigration, financial balance between costs and
outcomes, personal career options, higher salary, and higher social status of general
professions (Dos Santos 2021).
International students' monthly data of February (2022) have been finalized by
Department of Education, Skills and Employment of Australian Government.
Although during the pandemic of Covid-19, the numbers of international students in
Australia have decreased 13% in January to February 2022 compared to the same
period of 2021, there are still approximately 422,095 international students and nearly
59% (263,752) of the total number studying in higher education. Moreover, around 61%
international students are from China, India, Nepal, Vietnam and Indonesia, and the
students from China has the largest proportion of 30%. This shows that there are large
number of international students in Australian universities who speak English as their
second language or non-mainstream British or American English, and obviously
pronunciation, accent, tone, and speed are various among them in the context of
geographical and cultural varieties, even though they may apply for Australian higher
education with an equivalent overall English entrance score.
Specifically, Yu (2013) conducted his model test research with collecting data from
questionnaires of 261 Asian international students at an Australian university. He
found that adaptabilities of cross-cultures and academic studies can be a significant
association of higher competence in better development of social communication and
professional goals acquisition, especially among students integrating with motivation
and competence in second language communication. Thus, according to Sawir (2005),
more concerns and enhancements on development of English proficiency for social
and academic adaption among non-native English-speaking international students
should be raised by relevant groups, such as Australian universities, international
students, and original home countries.
This essay aims to highlight the language difficulties that international students may
encounter and how to overcome these difficulties with effort of three main groups as
international students, Australian universities, and home countries.
Language Difficulties Among International Students
Studies (Ai 2017; Dos Santos 2021; Due & Baker 2018; Gatwiri 2015; God & Zhang
2019; Sawir 2005; Yu 2013) conducted in Australian universities demonstrate that
overseas students with various competence in English may encounter several
language difficulties which can impact them emotionally, physically, socially, and
academically. First, they may not be able to express themselves due to lack of
vocabulary and practice. Consequently, they may experience depression and loss of
confidence due to oral mistakes during presentations and tutorials. Second, introvert
personalities and some language disorders, such as quietness and dyslexia, may
negatively impact cross-culture groups engagement and reduces the chances for
language development as root reasons. Third, international students may plagiarise
due to prior education background or lack of self-competence in English study. Most
seriously, this can lead to academic failure due to dropping behind the other students.
In general, because of these language difficulties, most international students tend to
struggle in academic and conversational communication in the English teaching
curriculum, especially in their first month of adaptation period.
As Chinese students in Australian university being a largest group, most of them may
experience language difficulties such as social language barries in English
communication because of non-English speaking tone and habits, academic integrity
challenges in plagiarism because of less educational background on academic norms
and being silent and obedient in study because of cultural reasons. For example,
according to Ai (2017), being influenced by cultural characteristics and exam-based
education background, Chinese students tend to be passive and obedient in
universities, even they can obtain higher grades in reading and writing assignments,
it may weaken their expression abilities and lose chances to succeed in social
activities and intercultural communication. Besides, English teachers in Chinese
school mostly explain grammar and concepts in Mandarin and tend to focus more on
reading and writing, and speaking is excluded from routine exams. Therefore, when
Chinese international students face a new education style in Australian universities
which places more emphasis on listening and speaking competences, their language
difficulties may manifest intensively (Sawir 2005).
Language barries can be generated by internal and external reasons for an
international student, especially for English as a second language learner at an
Australian university. However, according to Due and Baker (2018), real reasons for a
silent international student may be masked due to complexity and challenge of the
education background and language disorder, such as various level of understandings
on complicated course concepts, as well as suffer of dyslexia. Besides, for universities,
tutors or other teaching staffs can experience hardships to succeed in educating
international students to overcome language difficulties due to lack of support and
systematic guidelines, or sometimes, even less achievement of better communication
with students, although university staffs expect to make good effort on their teaching
(Daniels 2013). In addition, Asian students speak English as foreign language can be
influenced by prior English learning experience in their home countries, mostly, they
accept American English teaching style, and tend to be passive communicator due to
less exposure of linguistic environment of Australian English (Sawir 2005). Except for
a particular physical issue or teaching policies, the personal factors of language
difficulties also can be crucial. Researcher found that both in English study and
academic skills, students’ expectation, automaticity, self-correction, and linguistic
proficiency are core to academic progress and learning results (Phakiti et al. 2013).
Therefore, the key internal and external reasons for language difficulties of an
international student can be language disorder as dyslexia, or educational limitations
and general personal factors.
Most international students can be very struggled to settle down in academic study for
their beginning months in university because of language difficulties, some of them
may experience repeated depression and deficient performance. Furthermore, God
and Zhang (2019) indicate that students can be stressed in understanding specific
issues and sharing opinions because of language and cultural differences, which also
can be their negativity to complete an ongoing interaction. Moreover, Park et al. (2017)
clarify that international students can experience accented communication problems
in the context of multicultural students and teachers. Thus, international students,
especially Asian students in Australian universities may have disconcertment with
internal language barries (psychological or physical), cultural language barries
(conceptual) and accented language barries (geographical). Finally, facing language
difficulties may ulteriorly influence academic performance, aggravate feeling of loss,
worsen multi-cultural experience, initiative for social support and emotional and
physical wellbeing (Sawir 2005; Gatwiri 2015).
Strategies for international students
1. International Students
It is believed that strategies to overcome those barries can be effective under strong
beliefs and actions of international students. According to Sawir (2005), international
students’ beliefs in language learning can affect their motivation for continuing
improvement. From some Chinese students’ previous experience, it is common to hold
the belief that vocabulary and grammar are important in developing English
competence. Thus, these students may weigh less on progress of speaking practice
and maybe better in writing than in oral communication. Besides, Sawir (2005) also
mentions that instilled beliefs and habits from prior experience which not easy to
change over in a short time maybe continuing limiting their performances of class
interaction and in later academic expectation in university studies. Therefore, depends
on uneven focuses on language learning, international students with language
difficulties need to build up strong beliefs of overcoming their current language
weaknesses, some for lower competence in listening and speaking, they can find a
parttime job involving more talking with local people, or engage in more university
groups to communicate with other cross-culture international students in their spare
time. However, students’ self-discipline can be challenged sometimes. They may not
successfully follow their plans to build up stable confidence and hold strong beliefs to
change their current unsatisfied English performance. Therefore, students should
recognise their weaknesses in English learning, formulate practical plans for selfimprovement and adjust their beliefs and plans when situations change.
2. Australian Universities
Universities and students can adopt a range of strategies involving analysing types of
language difficulties in communication and practicing the proficiency of English
learning through preparation programs and pathway courses in Australian universities.
First, universities can set up international student preparation programs to identify
language difficulties, provide essential resources and comprehensive assistance in
language development (Sawir 2005). Second, educational preparation programs also
can be applied to support teachers to develop intercultural teaching skills, encourage
effective communication with students, increase opportunities to enhance students’
listening and speaking capabilities, and assist students to engage in small learning
groups (Yu 2013). Third, teaching staffs should consider current international students’
experience and view their issues differently, because it is crucial for them to make
suitable adjustments to courses instantly. For example, teachers can create an
understanding environment for students with accented English difficulties, such as
increasing their experience of pronunciation and assisting them with their listening and
speaking (Park et al. 2017). To sum up, preparation programs and courses in
Australian universities should be designed adaptable for international students and
adjusted by teaching staffs to optimise the outcomes.
3. Home countries
Education support from home countries can facilitate international students achieve
academic goals in Australian universities. However, most English institutions and
bridging course programs of home countries focus more on teaching students'
strategies to pass IELTS or English level tests. Sawir (2005) indicates that programs
prior to commencement of international education for students in the country of origin
should be designed to assist them to prepare for further studies in the destination
countries. First, home countries need to provide suitable communication skills and
learning practices for students. Second, bridging programs should be modified to
adjust students' needs for academic studies and personal lives in Australian
universities and communities. Third, more psychological programs between home
countries and Australia needs to be linked to reduce anxiety of international students.
Whereas the outcomes from these strategies may not be always satisfying because
of connections among Australian universities, international students and their home
countries may be too weak to cooperate closely. Therefore, all groups such as
students, original countries and Australian universities should develop the continuing
interest and concern for international educational progress, collecting feedbacks and
keeping moving on to better improvements (Sawir 2005).
Conclusion
International students who learn English as their second language choose to study in
Australia to obtain higher education for various reasons, such as personal
consideration for study, pursuit of future career and permanent residency in Australia.
However, international students may have different language difficulties in Australian
universities during their studies. These language difficulties include poor expression,
inefficient communication, failed cross-culture engagement, and most serious for them,
academic failure. Reasons for the language difficulties can be various from person to
person, and most commonly, they can be internal and external, such as language
disorder as dyslexia, educational limitations of host universities, lack of support from
home countries and some general personal factors. Strategies can be effective if
international students, Australian universities, and home countries can build up
steadfast beliefs, have continuing interest and work tightly to overcome language
difficulties.
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