How cultural awareness at UAL impacts on academic success CHRIS BRYANT My Role Pastoral support Promote Support Services Facilities Collect Student Feedback Initiatives to improve the student experience ID: 272998
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Slide1
International StudentsHow cultural awareness at UAL impacts on academic success
CHRIS BRYANTSlide2
My RolePastoral supportPromote Support Services/ Facilities
Collect Student FeedbackInitiatives to improve the student experienceTo act as a ‘point of contact/ go between’ for students and teaching staff
Chase up students who may be having difficulties
Induction sessions/ tours of the campus Slide3
The three main barriers to academic success
Practical Issues (accommodation/ finance etc..)
Cultural/ Emotional Issues
(language issues/ homesickness/ independent study..)
Cultural Awareness at UAL
(Most Important!) Slide4
Pressure to succeed
Language difficulties
Unfamiliar food
Different teaching methods
Different climate/ Weather
Visa difficulties
Culture Shock
Making Friends
Financial Difficulties
Homesickness
Independent Living Time Management
Independent studyPlagiarismAdjusting to a more ‘equal’ relationship
Financial sacrifice others may have made
Family pride
Level of English
Accents/ dialects
Confidence in presenting/ academic writing etc...
Pace of London Life
London Transport
Drinking culture
Lack of UK guarantors / paying money upfront
Banking
Living on a budget
Finding suitable work
Restrictions on the number of working hours
Difficulties in travelling abroad (as part of course/ society)
Responsibility for accommodation/ bills
Health Slide5
How do we help students to overcome these difficulties? Providing up to date and relevant information (
i.e website/ leaflets) Flexibility in our delivery Simple and clear language
Taking the time to listen to their needs and concerns
Finding out who the best people are to deal with an issue or problem
It’s all about balance ...........
There are boundaries
International students don’t want
to feel patronised/ seen as a
special case
Help/ Advice Going the ‘extra mile’Slide6
Culturally Sensitive “... Being aware that cultural differences and similarities exist and have an effect on values, learning and behaviour.”
- Stafford, Bowman, Eking, Hanna & Loepes-
DeFede
(1997)Slide7
Staff at UAL are not expected to become experts on UK culture, or the cultures of International students
However by being culturally sensitive you can;
Help International students adjust to life here
Empathise with the International Student Experience
Gain a better understanding of our own cultureSlide8
Why Bother ?
“Research shows that people who feel connected to a community enjoy greater wellbeing in all areas of life- including academic work. When people can build relationships and share their experiences, they feel included in the life of a University Community.”
This should aid;
International Student Retention
Academic Achievement
- Confidence and Creativity
Student Satisfaction
NSS Results Slide9
There are several levels of cultural awareness that reflect how people grow to perceive cultural differences
.
Level 1: My
way is the only way
At
the first level, people are aware of their way of doing things, and their way is the only way. At this stage, they ignore the impact of cultural differences. (Parochial stage
)
Level 2: I
know their way, but my way is better At the second level, people are aware of other ways of doing things, but still consider their way as the best one. In this stage, cultural differences are perceived as source of problems and people tend to ignore them or reduce their significance. (Ethnocentric stage)Degrees of Cultural AwarenessSlide10
Level 3: My Way and Their Way
At this level people are aware of their own way of doing things and others’ ways of doing things, and they chose the best way according to the situation. At this stage people realize that cultural differences can lead both to problems and benefits and are willing to use cultural diversity to create new solutions and alternatives. (Synergistic stage)
Level 4: The ideal Way
This fourth and final stage brings people from different cultural background together for the creation of a culture of shared meanings. People dialogue repeatedly with others, create new meanings, new rules to meet the needs of a particular situation. (Participatory Stage)
At LCC we should be culturally aware to at least Level 3, but ideally Level 4 - The Ideal Way Slide11
Increasing
cultural awareness means to see both the positive and negative aspects of cultural differences.
Cultural
diversity could be a source of problems, in particular when the organization needs people to think or act in a similar way.
Diversity increases the level of complexity and confusion and makes agreement difficult to reach.
On
the other hand, cultural diversity becomes an advantage when the organization expands its solutions and its sense of identity, and begins to take different approaches to problem solving. Diversity in this case creates valuable new skills and
behaviours.Slide12
Aspects of cultural differences Highly visible
Hidden
Dress
Food
Greetings
Language
Etiquette
Body Language
Customs
?
Aspects below the waterline can be ambiguous. It is possible to think one understands them, but closer examination often reveals areas where knowledge and understanding are lacking Slide13
Aspects of cultural differences Highly visible
Hidden
Dress
Food
Greetings
Language
Etiquette
Body Language
Customs
Communication Art
Relationships Family Structure
Marriage Teaching/Learning styles
Religion Prejudices Beliefs/ Values
Concept of Beauty Timekeeping
Aspects below the waterline can be ambiguous. It is possible to think one understands them, but closer examination often reveals areas where knowledge and understanding are lacking Slide14
THE IDEAL
Our way of doing things
Their way of doing things
UAL
INTERNATIONAL STUDENT
They learn from us
We learn from them
Find best practiceSlide15
..................................................................................................................................................
‘The two approaches to cross cultural living’
Our approach
.
(LCC)
Openness
Acceptability
Trust
Adaptability
Suspicion Fear Superiority Prejudice
CULTURAL DIFFERENCES
FRUSTRATION
MISUNDERSTANDING
TENSION
EMBARRASSMENT
Coping Skills
(our response)
Observe
Enquire
Listen
Criticise
Dismiss
Result
Understanding
Empathy
Respect
Deepening
Relationship
AlienationWithdrawal
Broken RelationshipFacts of cross cultural living
Open approach
Suspicion approachSlide16
Our culture
We take our culture for granted, but much of our social behaviour isn’t immediately obvious to International students...
Time keeping:
In the UK being late for a class or a meeting is seen as bad manners. Time keeping is valued a lot higher here than in some other countries.
Queuing:
In Britain we queue for EVERYTHING; for trains and buses, in shops, for toilets and sometimes even to enter rooms for classes or meetings. Queuing is seen as being polite and respectful of others, but in many other cultures this is not the case.
Small Talk :
In Britain we are famous for our small talk, everything from the weather to weekend plans.
I find it really odd in this country the way people ask, “How are you?”
without really caring about your answer. Slide17
Showing Respect in other Countries
Handshakes A simple handshake may have different meanings in other cultures.
Most Americans prefer a firm handshake while the French prefer a soft and quick one.
The Japanese offer their handshake with a bow.
In the middle East it is the custom to place your free hand on the forearm of the other person when you shake their hand
Bowing
Most Asian cultures consider bowing as a sign of respect but there are different degrees of bowing in different cultures.
The Japanese bow with their arms pressed to their sides. Pakistanis bow with their right hand palm on their forehead while Cambodians and Laotians bow with their hands in front of their chests.
Slide18
Eye Contact Middle Eastern cultures, largely Muslim, have strict rules regarding eye contact between the sexes; these rules are connected to religious laws about appropriateness. Only a brief moment of eye contact would be permitted between a man and a woman, if at all.
ln
many Asian and Latin American cultures, extended eye contact can be taken as an affront or a challenge of authority. It is often considered more polite to have only sporadic or brief eye contact, especially between people of different social registers (like a student and a teacher, or a child and his elder relatives).
For example, if a Japanese woman avoids looking someone in the eyes, she is not showing a lack of interest nor is she demonstrating a lack of self-confidence; instead, she is being polite, respectful and appropriate according to her culture.Slide19
1. Everything is new, different & exciting
2. Frustration/ annoyance with everyday differences
3. Adjustment to culture
4. Confronting deeper cultural/ personal issues
5. Adaption & assimilation
Native culture
Native culture
Foreign culture
Level of comfort and satisfaction
Time
This chart shows the five stages that the majority of International/ EU students will go through over the course of a year
THE CULTURAL ADJUSTMENT CURVESlide20
Can you think of any examples of issues/ difficulties that might happen during these first four stages & what emotions/ thoughts students may be having?Slide21
STAGE 1
STAGE 2STAGE 3
STAGE 4
STAGE 5
‘Everything
is new, different and exciting’
‘Frustration/
annoyance with everyday differences’
‘Adjustment to culture’
‘Confronting deeper personal issues’
‘Adaption and assimilation’ Emotions/ Thoughts Anticipation Excitement Naivety Emotions/ Thoughts Culture shock
Am I on the right course ? Why don’t people speak ‘proper’ english ?
Emotions/ Thoughts
Confidence Greater
.. Independence
Emotions/ Thoughts
Depression Homesickness Loneliness Emotions/ Thoughts
Confidence Relief
Potential Difficulties
Bombarded by information so may not take all of it in.
Sense of Priority
Potential Difficulties
Timekeeping (being late for classes and/ or appointments)
Lack of discipline with self study/ further reading
Potential
Difficulties
As students embrace UK culture university work may start to sufferPotential Difficulties
Reluctance to engage
Students’ questioning if they have done the right thing/ are they on the right course ?Slide22
It’s a good thing Dave raised his voice because Pedro understood loud English
Language
Constantly listening and speaking in a foreign language is tiring
Even native English speakers have trouble understanding regional accents.
Students may feel too embarrassed to ask someone to repeat themselves
Language support is available
In
sessional
Language Support
Study SupportSlide23
Problematic Language
English is full of sayings and phrases that seem to make no sense at all
Colloquialisms/ Slang
Knackered (tired)
Argy-
bargy
(argument or confrontation)
Wind up (tease, irritate or annoy)
Bloke (man)
Bottle (nerve or courage)
Chuffed (pleased) Dodgy (risky, difficult or dangerous) Tenner (ten pounds) Fork out (pay out, usually with reluctance) Jammy (lucky) Miffed (confused) Off the hook (free from obligation/ danger) Warts and all (including negative characteristics) Slide24
Idioms
An 'idiom' is an expression. It's meaning is different from all the meanings of the individual words in it. It may be difficult to understand idioms if you are not a native English speaker.
Here is a Dutch Idiom:
Daar
komt
de
aap
uit
de mouwTranslation: There comes the monkey out of the sleeve Actual meaning: So that’s what’s really going on hereUK example: ‘Talk the hind legs off a donkey’ We know what all the individual words mean but the phrase doesn’t mean ‘talking to a donkey so that its back legs fall off.’ ! Can you think of any other British Idioms ?Slide25
Get cold feet
Rule of thumb Bite the bullet
Bend over backwards
Actions speak louder than words
A little bird told me
A piece of cake
Bite the dust
Go the extra mile
A needle in a haystack
Saved by the bell
Under the weatherEat humble Pie The ball’s in your court It’s not over until the fat lady sings Blow your own trumpet A bee in your bonnet The early bird catches the worm
Im pulling your leg
He kicked the bucket Have a crack at it
Fish out of water
At a loose end Can’t see the wood through the trees
Just the ticketSlide26
American English
Many International students (as well as Americans and Canadians) will be more used to American English. There are many saying/ phrases that differ;
What we call the ground floor is called the first floor in American English
(this makes the tower block even more confusing!)
In American usage the term ‘Curriculum Vitae’
(CV)
has a slightly different meaning. A resume condenses all one's accomplishments into one page, whereas a CV is a complete account that can be many pages long.
If you say you live in a flat to an American, they are likely to ask "a flat what?“
They use the term ‘apartment’.
The Underground is known as ‘The Subway’ in America. What we call
a subway is usually called an underpass in American English. If someone at LCC were to say ‘take the subway to get to the Elephant & Castle Underground’ this would be very confusing to a known native speaker. Slide27
International students may have a range of difficulties with language especially at the beginning of their studies. They may have trouble with fast-paced lectures, non-standard English, accents, local references and discipline-specific language. Especially at the beginning of their studies, International students use a lot of ‘guesswork’ if terms and language are unclear and inaccurate guesses can spiral into poor performance. It is therefore important that staff try to make their
language as clear as possible.
Speak clearly and not too quickly
Take time to explain important concepts and ideas
Explain new words and concepts in several ways to help students understand
Using clear language to communicateSlide28
Define or explain figurative or abstract language or conceptsUse both simple and complex words and expressions so that students can understand but can also gradually increase their vocabulary
Develop a system where international students can discretely alert you to things they don’t understand
Try to leave at least 5 minutes after a lecture for students to ask individual questions. If engaged in email/ phone dialogue with a student at the end of the correspondence ask ‘Do you understand?’ or ‘Do you have any more questions ?’Slide29
Remember...
Students with limited English will often hear what they
want
to hear
For example if you say to a student “ I think you can extend your visa” they may interpret that as
“ You can extend your visa”.
International Students may not have a concept of strict deadlines
For example if you say “The deadline is 18
th
January” they may interpret that as “ I need to hand
.... my work in on 18th January.” If things go wrong there may be no time to resolve the situation and students with a limited grasp .... of english may feel they have been misinformed. If you are speaking to a student either face to face or over the phone, and you feel . that they may not fully understand something, it’s often useful to send them a .... follow up email. By doing this; - You are reinforcing what you have said to the student
- You are leaving a paper trail so that nothing can come back on youSlide30
Case Study
A Chinese student emails Joe Blogs saying that they are having financial difficulties and would like some advice. They also mention that they don’t want to speak to someone face to face as they are worried about confidentiality. Joe doesn’t think that it’s his job to give financial advice and replies with this response;
Dear Wing,
I’m afraid you have come through to the wrong department- we do not offer financial advice to students. You will need to bite the bullet and speak to someone in person in Student Services.
Regards
Joe
Bloggs
What is wrong with this response? Slide31
–
Words used
;
Why this may not be clear
;
‘ I’m afraid ’
This has negative connotations
‘We do not offer financial advice to students’
This could
be interpreted that the University as a whole does not offer financial advice.
‘You will need to bite the bullet’
Would
make no sense
to a non native speaker
‘Student Services’
No contact
details or location given. As far as the student knows they could be an external organisation
‘In Person’
No mention of confidentiality which may put the student at ease. Also this is incorrect as Student Services can respond via email
‘Regards Joe Bloggs
’Joe has provided no phone number so the student cannot contact for clarity.Slide32
A clearer and more informative response would read something like this;
Dear Wing,
Thank you for your email. The best people to speak with would be Student Services. They are based at the front of the building next to the Information Centre and can also be contacted by email or phone.
Telephone: 020 7514 8492
Email:
studentservices@llc.arts.ac.uk
They also have information on the LCC website which may answer your question;
www.studentservices@lcc.co.uk
All the advice they offer is completely confidential and they won’t pass it on without your permission. Do you have any other questions? Kind RegardsJoe Bloggs
Academic Co-ordinator, T410020 7514 8494Slide33
INTERNATIONAL
STUDENT
INTERNAL ISSUES
Communication
LCC Environment
EXTERNAL ISSUES
Managing Expectations
Language Barrier
PERSONAL ISSUES
Culture Shock
Practical things (
i.e
finance)
CULTURAL ISSUES
Misunderstanding
Independent study
International Student Cycle of ProblemsSlide34
Advice for International Students who may be struggling
They should be aware that culture shock is normal The need to balance their academic and non-academic life
They should try and make friends not just from their own own culture and develop a social network where they can regularly speak English
They should talk to family and friends about how they feel
They should take advantage of help and support that is offered: the Students’ Union, the International Team, Study Support, Student Services etc...
They should make contact with the Students’ Union and join societies that interest them
Keep healthy: exercise regularly, get enough sleep and eat healthily
They should find a supplier of familiar food. Slide35
My Observations at LCC
The majority of International BA/ Foundation students don’t know what to expect before they arrive. (Early communication regarding workload/ self study/ managing expectations is vital)International students need to feel part of a community
They don’t want to be seen as a ‘special case’
They want to feel that people are listening to their needs and concerns/ They want to feel valued
They want value for money
Appreciation when UAL staff go ‘the extra mile’Slide36
Areas I’ve Tried To ImproveProvide clear Information
(improving the website/ better communication between teams)International Student Ambassadors
Events for International/ EU students (inclusion?)
Skype Booth
International/EU Information Sessions: e.g
accommodation talks
Collecting Feedback (and acting on it)
Cultural Awareness Training for staffSlide37
ANYQUESTIONS ?