MELDing Engagement with Language Development

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Dr. Anna Moro, David Kingma, & Kim Henrie

McMaster University

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Marcus, J. (2015). Welcome to Canada- but don’t expect to make friends. Times Higher Education, June 4, 2015. Retrieved from: https://www.timeshighereducation.co.uk/content/welcome-to-canada-but-dont-expect-to-make-friends.

• Data obtained from Nafsa states that 56 % of international students in Canada have no Canadian friends

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• Knight-Grofe stated the idea of international education presupposes, “a mix of cultures and ideas and domestic students will as a result be more globalised.”

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• But is that what actually happens?

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• Poor language skills + a lack of confidence = little/no integration

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• Exacerbating factors can include: cultural differences, a lack of domestic peers in chose discipline.

Student Engagement

• Acculturative stress can result from individual stress (financial, psychological, personal) being combined with social and academic stress (Bertram, Poukalis, Elsasser and Kumar, 2014; Fritz, Chin and DeMarinis, 2008; Glass and Westmont, 2014; Yan and Berliner, 2013; Yeh and Inose, 2003)

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• Lowes (2013) states that institutions need to get the ball rolling for international students to encourage buy-in

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• taking part in on-campus clubs and services helps to build relationships and assist in acculturation (Lee, 2014)

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• Penny Light & Chen (2010) and Penny Light et al. (2012) point to the integration of learning experiences as a catalyst for academic success

McMaster English Language Development Diploma (MELD)

• McMaster launched the MELD program in Sept 2014
• Previously, no EAP program for international students
• Conditional acceptance for international students who meet all academic requirements but not language requirements (TOEFL 86/IELTS 6.5)
• Upon successful completion of program, MELD students enter year 1 in their faculties

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MELD Diploma Requirements

McMaster English Language Development Diploma (MELD)

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The first MELD cohort consisted of 36 students from various faculties.

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How do we try to mitigate the effects of acculturative stress in the MELD Program?�

Program Philosophy

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• student-centred, comprehensive approach focused on the:
• development of all language skills
• academic integrity
• acculturation – cultural awareness, academic literacies
• engagement with university – active participation
• development of professional skills

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Student Engagement Features

• Students were required to take part in on campus services and activities as course work in both terms
• Options included: on-campus clubs, sports, and sessions organized through the Student Success Centre
• Majority of students completed all required activities (some ‘tweaking’ regarding acceptable activities/completion)

• Students completed Learning Portfolios as part of their ‘Academic Success’ course in the MELD program (30 % final grade)

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• Students were also required to attend PD sessions to assist in the creation of their Learning Portfolios outside of class (documented in their MELD Passport and in addition to term passport requirements)

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• majority completed LP which was intended to introduce students to campus-wide learning tool prior to entering year 1 of their programs and to engage students in meaningful self-reflection

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• The MELD program is attempting to share cultural knowledge and experiences between mentors and mentees; experiences are intended to be reciprocal (Ryan 2012)

Reflections from MELD Year 1

• All three components seemed to benefit students as measured by their participation, grades, and reflections
• Students who did well on course work related to MELD Passports and Learning Portfolios generally had higher overall course grades and met or exceeded the end of year language targets of IELTS 6.5
• Going forward more data will be collected to analyze the apparent correlation between all three components, students course work during the bridging year, and their post-MELD studies

MELD Cohort 1 (September 2014- April 2015)

Thank-you!

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http://meld.mcmaster.ca/

References

Bertram, D. M., Poulakis, M., Elsasser, B. S. and Kumar, E.. (2014). Social support and acculturation in Chinese international students. Multicultural Counseling and Development, 42, 107-124.

Cox, M. F. and Diefes-Dux, H. (2006). Development and assessment of an undergraduate curriculum for first-year international engineering students. 36th ASEE/IEEE Frontiers in Education Conference, S3E, 15-18.

Fritz, M. V., Chin, D. and DeMarinis, V. (2008). Stressors, anxiety, acculturation and adjustment among international and North American students. International Journal of Intercultural Relations, 32, 244-259.

Glass, C. R. and Westmont, C. M. (2014). Comparative effects of belongingness on the academic success and cross-cultural interactions of domestic and international students. International Journal of Intercultural Relations, 38, 106-119.

Hawkes, L. (2013). Why the international student experience matters: Exploring the relationships between international students; psychological acculturation and academic literacy development. International Student Experience Journal, 1(2), pp.1-4.

Kirk, S. (2015). Teaching academic reflective writing: Learning to weave and wave. BALEAP Conference 2015: EAP in a rapidly changing landscape: issues, challenges and solutions. University of Leicester, UK: author.

Lee, K. C. (2014). Tips for international students’ success and adjustment. International Student Experience Journal, 2(1), pp. 1-6.

Lowes, R. (2013). Bringing them together: International students and others. International Student Experience Journal, 1(1), pp. 1-6.

Marcus, J. (2015). Welcome to Canada- but don’t expect to make friends. Times Higher Education, June 4, 2015. Retrieved from: https://www.timeshighereducation.co.uk/content/welcome-to-canada-but-dont-expect-to-make-friends.

Outhred, T. and Chester, A. (2013). Improving the international student experience in Australia through embedded peer mentoring. Mentoring & Tutoring: Partnership in Learning, 21(3), 312-332.

Park-Saltzman, J., Wada, K. and Mogami, T. (2012). Culturally sensitive mentoring for Asian international students in Counseling Psychology. The Counseling Psychologist, 40(6), 895-915.

Penny Light, T. Chen, H.L., Ittelson, J.C. (2011). Documenting learning with eportfolios: A guide for college instructors. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.

Penny Light, T. & Chen, H.L. (2010). Electronic portfolios and student success: Effectiveness, efficiency, and learning. Washington, DC: AAC&U.

Ragavan, S. K. (2014). Peer mentoring for international students in a UK law school: lessons from a pilot case study. Innovations in Education and Teaching International, 51(3), 292-302.

Ryan, J. (2012). A whole of institutional approach to teaching and supporting international students. UK Higher Education Academy Talk. Retrieved from: https://www.srhe.ac.uk/downloads/events/49_PauloCharlesPimenteBotaspresentation.pptx.

Sherry, M., Thomas, P. and Chui, W. H. (2010). International students: a vulnerable student population. Higher Education, 60, 33-46.

Yan, K. and Berliner, D.C. (2013). Chinese International Students’ Personal and Sociocultural Stressors in the United States. Journal of College Student Development, 54(1), 62-84.

Yeh, C. J. and Inose, M. (2003). International students’ reported English fluency, social support satisfaction, and social connectedness as predictors of acculturative stress. Counselling Psychology Quarterly, 16(1), 15-28.

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