USF has a LOT of resources. There are tons of student organizations and lots of people to help students adapt to life at USF, orient students to Tampa, connect with other international students, and find housing. International students may not know that these resources exist.
Guiding Principles
A Beginner's Guide to Teaching Classes with International Students
Be explicit. It is important to say what your expectations are for class, homework, etc.
Don’t underestimate cultural differences. “Doing school,” what it means to “be a good student” or “being engaged” vary between countries.
Be intentional. A “default” approach isn’t always enough for making students feel welcome or allowing them to understand. Inclusion statements are a good start.
Be patient. Remember that students are operating in their second, third, or fourth language. They may need extra thinking or processing time and sometimes ideas don’t translate exactly.
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Common Differences
What are some common differences between education abroad and in the US?
Students might not understand that ‘going to university’ is more than taking courses (which may be different from how university works in their home country). There are lots of clubs and other things to do to get involved. There are also honors societies and networking opportunities. Being a good student is more than just studying or memorizing the material.
Many students are not used to interacting with
faculty, either in class or outside of class.
Many students from a variety of backgrounds
are not used to the student-centeredness of
USF classes. It may take them a while to
adjust.
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If you are teaching online or in hybrid, appoint
a student to monitor the chat. Periodically ask
that student to tell about posted replies of
others and to tell the student’s name when
telling the comment. Some students are more
comfortable posting thoughtful comments than
trying to say them in a short time period.
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When students give an answer in class, ask others to comment on that student’s answer. That helps students to listen to one another and to build on each other’s ideas.
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First Day of Class
What should I do on the first day of class?
Give a background questionnaire to students including questions like:
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Name:​
Email:​
Hometown:​
Hobbies/Interests:​
Briefly describe yourself and career aspirations:​
What is your most memorable [subject; e.g., mathematics] experience?​
What are your strengths and weaknesses in [subject; e.g., mathematics]?​
What will you do to be successful in the class?​
What do you need from your class members and/or from your instructor to help you to be successful in this class?
Choose a number that is important to you, and explain the significance of that number.​
Who or what motivates you to pursue your dreams?​
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Welcoming Students
How can I make my international students feel welcome?
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Call ‘Office hours’ ‘Student hours’ to make it obvious that those are times specifically for students. This reduces its formality. Tell students what kinds of things they can talk about or ask during student hours.
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Make sure that there are diverse perspectives represented in your course materials and examples from cultures other than the US. These can be given by international students themselves.
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Have students give examples from their own countries/cultures about what the teacher is explaining; this allows the teacher to check their understanding and gives other students the opportunity to learn about new and exciting things.
Getting to Know My Students
How can I connect with my international students?
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Make international students feel seen; ask questions about their culture to show that who they are is important, and also so that domestic students can learn more about other cultures.
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Talk to individual students during breaks. Especially for graduate students, building personal relationships with professors/advisors is important. For undergraduate students, it helps them become more familiar with the idea that there is a closer relationship between US professors and undergraduates than is usual in many cultures.
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Talk about yourself, start building relationships; share more personal things about yourself to make you seem more human. If you’re open, your students are more likely to be as well. Share what you’re learning about, your pets, what you’re binging on Netflix, a new hobby, etc. It’s also important to mention any failures you experienced, and how you learned from those experiences.
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Background questionnaire on the first day can ask about cultural differences, languages spoken, what can I do to help you in the course; describe your favorite teacher and why that person was your favorite teacher. This could give insights into what their education was like and what they are used to doing in their experiences in the past.
Communication Barriers
What if I cannot understand what an international student is saying?
Unfamiliar accents mean it takes our brains longer to process what they hear; it is good to practice listening to certain accents that we need to become more familiar with to understand our students’ speech better.
One way to give ourselves the opportunity to get more exposure to the ways students talk is to get them to audio-record an introduction about themselves that we can listen to more than once.
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Increasing Communication
How can I help international students to understand class content?
Build in opportunities during the class to check in with students and make sure they’re understanding things the way you want them to understand them. Try not to put the entire burden of understanding on the student.
Explain syllabus and don’t assume that students necessarily know how to “do school” in US/at USF. Be really clear about what your expectations are. For example, send an email to all students after the first class and explain what will happen during the classes and what they are expected to do (and hand in) in the first couple of weeks. You also can use Canvas Modules. Each Module would represent one week of classes. Under that Module, post readings to do, any assignments due, and any activities you will do.
You can employ exit ticket method where students get to ask a question about the muddiest point. Another method is the group chat–ask a question. In this activity, the students ask questions that they think someone else has–this takes pressure off individuals, and allows the students to talk to each other instead of the teacher.
If you use PPTs in your teaching, consider posting your lessons' PowerPoints slides in advance so students can look up words and be prepared with questions.
Allow students to speak their native languages with each other; this can help them process cognitively new concepts and information.
Reduce the use of idioms and references to American cultural things, or explain them to those who might be unfamiliar (e.g., Big Macs, Thanksgiving customs/foods).
Record classes so students can go back and listen again. This allows the students to play the recording at a slower speed if needed.
Have routine and consistency with class sessions. It helps when students know what’s expected in a ‘turn and talk’ or how discussions work. This also saves time because the students know how things work.
Encouraging Shy Students
What if my international students won't talk to me or talk in class?
Give opportunities for students to think about what they will say by allowing them time to think and process. You can also try think-pair-share or 1-minute papers. These two methods are good for problems with different possible answers. After such pair/group discussions, have your students share what someone else said since some might be uncomfortable sharing their own thoughts or opinions.
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Have students teach you how to engage with them as this can reduce power distance; for example, you can ask what can you can do to help them participate.
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Many students are not accustomed to being directly called on to give an answer. It’s a good idea to ask international students if they are comfortable with this.
To give them a bit of warning, you can try saying something like:
“Student A, I haven’t heard your voice in a while, I’ll be asking you a question about this topic in a little while.”
In many countries, good students memorize information and are able to remember what the professor said. They typically aren’t asked for their opinion very much so it may take them a while to adjust to discussion groups, etc.
Students have remarked how much they appreciate how their teachers behave to them-
their willingness to help and support students, the value and acknowledgment teachers give of students’ own creativity, and how much hard work is valued and appreciated.
In some countries, they teach students a great deal of theory with little practical application. This means they often already know concepts taught in their courses at USF but have little experience in applying them.
There is a far greater emphasis on exams–many students are used to their entire grade depending on a single end-of-term exam. Consequently, having to turn in assignments regularly isn't something they are accustomed to.
In some Muslim countries (e.g., Saudi Arabia), boys and girls are educated separately. Women may not be comfortable working with or speaking up in a group of all other men. When you give the background information sheet at the beginning of the semester, be sure to encourage students to tell you what they need to be successful, and be respectful of their needs.
Plagiarism isn’t necessarily seen as ‘cheating.’ There likely isn’t malice involved. Instead, it’s often an issue of not understanding how citation works, not knowing how to rephrase, the need to produce more words, or a misunderstanding of expectation to simply restate what others have said. Citation in the US is a way to refer to others while also stating your own opinion, and some students aren’t as familiar with stating their opinion, so they state the words of others. Show students turn-it-in with a plagiarized versus non-plagiarized document, and explain the differences between the writing.
In some courses, when students know an answer to a question but are nervous about their own language abilities and reluctant to speak the answer, it may be possible for them to draw something on the whiteboard etc. as a response to the question. Consider using the arts (e.g., an artistic co-constructed by a group of students) as a way for students to represent different viewpoints presented during the semester.
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Students aren’t often aware of support services available to them, such as their academic advisors. They might withdraw instead of seeking out help. Make sure that students know about everything that’s available to them and that they’re meant to be used. They don’t have to just ‘figure it out’ on their own. Encourage them to use resources–using them isn’t a sign of weakness or a sign that you’re a bad student. Convey that they’re also anonymous and free.
Students may not know what kind of campus resources are available or how to access them, or they might be hesitant to reach out for help. Make sure that students know all the resources that are available to them and that it’s good to use them. Tutoring isn’t only for when you’re failing. All the resources they use are confidential - neither parents nor departments will be informed when a student uses the support resources.
Ways to connect with others in the class:
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Learn your students’ names and how to pronounce them. Don’t make comments like “Woah, your name is difficult to pronounce.”
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Acknowledge the courage and motivation international students have demonstrated by traveling so far and undertaking a university program in another language and academic culture.
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When giving feedback on assignments, discussion boards, etc. to the whole class, identify both general themes and also unique ideas so that students see any differences as positive and valued; also share what you, as a teacher, learned from the assignment responses/discussion board posts, etc.
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Be intentional about calling out students’ good ideas, strong points, etc. including those who are less outgoing.
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In class or to kick off research lab meetings, we do activities like sharing certain things about ourselves (favorite food/pastime/vacation, etc.) or strongest qualities or fun facts or pet peeves. Also, getting-to-know-each-other bingo is a great icebreaker.
"My students really love getting to know each other and also being seen/heard as a person beyond the student role. It may be good to ensure that the questions for these types of activities are inclusive/appropriate for international students/students from a wide range of backgrounds."
Allow students to introduce themselves, and who they are as a person/professional.
“Where is home?”
In one of my classes (on cultural competency and family-centered care) I ask them to “Tell me one thing about your family and one thing about your culture” - all students answer in a variety of ways and they really enjoy it. Mostly we find a lot of commonalities between local and international students (# of siblings, religiosity, foods, etc.)
“What does your typical day look like?”
“What is your favorite thing to do if you have free time?”
“What does your name mean?”
“Say one thing about your family and your culture”
These introductions also help everyone to become familiar with everyone else’s accents in a low-stakes environment; (as potential follow-up) find 2 commonalities you share with other students in the class.
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If you’re not still unsure what they said, try to guess rather than keep asking a student to repeat.
“Just give me a couple of words and I’ll try to understand what you’re asking and then you can tell me if I’m right or not”.
If you don’t understand what a student says,
ask the whole class a question like ‘Do you
agree or disagree?’, or ask someone else to repeat or paraphrase (since sometimes students understand each other better). After you or a student rephrase what you heard, ask something like ‘Is that what you meant to say?’ to make sure the student was fully understood.
You can also turn a simple question/answer into a discussion to include more people.
Emphasize to domestic students how valuable it is for their future professional activities to learn to understand different English accents and how others speak English differently.
"There is no stupid question" policy
Remind students to ask questions during class and that many questions are OK!
For example,
“Can you repeat that please?”
“What do you mean by [fundamental concept e.g. accounting]?"
Also, lead students into asking questions -
“Now is a good time to ask questions about…”
Point out that others often have the same question but are afraid to ask, so they are doing everyone a favor when they ask a question.
Since these students come from varying backgrounds, discuss what engagement/participation looks like in class, what expectations are since engagement can look really different in different cultures. This works for both f2f and online discussions. You can also ask the students “How do you show you’re a good student in your culture?”
Be explicit about what you expect in terms of engagement and participation - and help them understand how to get full participation grades. In many cultures, calling out responses and showing how good you are and what you know is considered ill-mannered.
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Sometimes it’s OK to cold call on students (some students don’t feel comfortable raising their hands). It is also OK to ask students what their preferences are and if they want you to call on them.
Have several open avenues of communication since students may have different levels of comfort with approaching a professor rather than just raising a question in class. For example, inform them that they can ask questions via emails. You can also encourage them by setting up appointments in Canvas for them to sign up for, by allowing exit slips, or by filling out anonymous surveys.
Understand that international students whose first language is not English take longer to process the language they hear and read. So, it is always helpful to provide longer wait times.
Group Work 101
How should I handle group work?
A good idea is to start mixed nationality groups with low stakes tasks and introductions to give the students a chance to get to know each other and to become more familiar with how other group members talk.
It’s always OK to ask the students privately what their preferences are in terms of groups, communication, etc., especially if in doubt about what might be comfortable or uncomfortable for them. Ask the students if there’s something they’d like you to consider when making groups.
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Another approach that is helpful is dividing the labor amongst the group members. It is always a good idea to assign roles for each individual in mixed-nationality groups. For example, in each group, there should be a spokesperson, note-taker, researcher, time-keeper, etc. This can ensure that everyone has an opportunity to participate and less opportunity for one person to dominate. International students also report that sometimes they and their work are ignored in group projects, or they are expected to do all the work. Try to appoint different leaders of groups each week, so everyone has that experience.
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It is also a good idea to mix international students with domestic students in groups, and to give roles to group members. Giving roles to group members can help reduce the possibility that domestic students will dominate the group.
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Ask students working in smallish groups to talk about their backgrounds and cultures, identify what is different and discuss (and then share with the whole class) how those differences have strengthened the group as a whole.
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Students may get the same grade on group project, but each student can give reflections on different aspects of the group, their own strengths and what they brought to the group, and what others brought to the group. You can even consider telling the students group grades will be adjusted by workload and results of their individual tasks. Before any presentation by a group, ask the group members to write which group member was accountable for which aspect of the group’s final project. Part of group project grade can include students showing how their collaboration happened (e.g., who did what - “Explain what your role in the group was”).
Buddy system–pairing. Who should you pair with whom? Try to pair students with more experience with those who have less experience (sort of like a peer mentor). Someone who they can always ask questions. This works very well in a research setting too. Having students work together with a more experienced student (who is a grad/phd student or project coordinator, for example) can create mini-teams to build rapport and confidence. Promote smart and reliable students, but also include the international students to take up team lead roles on things like literature reviews, research posters, presentations or reports.
Teach what it means to be respectful to each other, and what that speech looks/sounds like.
Emphasize that a group project is a professional activity and they should behave professionally. They don’t have to become friends (or marry each other :-) ). Stress that all members are accountable for doing work on the project.
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Point out that groups are a great opportunity to practice and develop professional behavior.
Tutoring Services at USF
What are the available tutoring services at USF?
USF has two tutoring centers that your students can benefit from: the Academic Success Center (ASC) and INTO USF Learning Resources Services.
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The Academic Success Center (ASC) is the centralized learning center on the Tampa campus of the University of South Florida (USF). The ASC is comprised of three major sub-centers, the Writing Studio, the Tutoring Hub, and the SMART Lab. These sub-centers provide tutoring and learning assistance in various STEM courses as well as college level writing. All 3 sub-centers are located on the second floor of the library and work together to support USF students across a variety of disciplines. ​To learn more about the ASC and their tutoring services, please visit: https://www.usf.edu/undergrad/academic-success-center/
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The INTO USF Learning Resources Services is the centralized learning center on the Tampa campus of the University of South Florida (USF). The tutoring is located in FAO building (same building as INTO USF English Language Institution. INTO USF strives to offer tutoring sessions in every course within A.E. and Pathway, in addition to helping with Test Prep, Conversational English and other writing needs. Pathway students can receive help in courses such as English, Chemistry, Engineering, Business, Math, Humanities, and many others. The available hours of each tutor are listed when you make an appointment. To learn more about INTO USF Learning Resources Services, please visit: https://www.usf.edu/intousf/resources/learning-resource-services/
