The Psychosocial Adjustment of ESL/EAP Students in the UK
Lee Hawkes April 2013
Intro Background EAP ESL
Introduction: “Psycho-social”?
Intro Background EAP ESL
Psycho Social
Feelings Emotions Identity
Friends Activities
Languages
Introduction: Why care?
Intro Background EAP ESL
Why care?
£0
£1
£2
£3
£4
£5
£6
£7
£8
£9
2004-5 2005-6 2006-7 2007-8 2008-9
HE ESL FE
Why care?
Introduction: Why care?
Intro Background EAP ESL
In £bn…
The Department for Business Innovation & Skills (2011)
Why care? EAP:
Intro Background EAP ESL
Introduction: Why care?
(Street, 1995; Lea & Street, 1998; Duff 2010)
(Academic) Literacy
Cultural identity
Cultural epistemology
Cultural ontology
Why care? ESL:
Intro Background EAP ESL
Introduction: Why care?
Cultural awareness
Confidence Socio-
linguistic competence
(Noels & Clement, 1996; Masgoret & Ward, 2006)
Intro Background EAP ESL
Background: Existing Research
Existing Research
“Student perceptions of their experiences have taught us that their interactions with native speakers may be far less intense and frequent than was once assumed…” (Freed, 1998)
Intro Background EAP ESL
Background: Existing Research
Existing Research
Japanese students in US: happier when NSs are accommodating (Imamura, Zhang, & Harwood, 2011)
Intro Background EAP ESL
Background: Existing Research
Existing Research Singaporeans in Australia: Extroverts good (Ward, Leong, & Low, 2004) Australians in Singapore: Extroverts bad (Armes & Ward, 1989)
Intro Background EAP ESL
Background: Existing Research
Existing Research
Chinese students in London: disappointed with accent/dialect (Tuneja, 2008)
Intro Background EAP ESL
Background: Existing Research
Existing Research
Intro Background EAP ESL
Background: Marginalisation
Marginalisation (Berry, 1997)
‘Acculturative stressors’ (Smith & Khawaja, 2011)
‘Maladaptive strategies’
Intro Background EAP ESL
Background: Marginalisation
Integration (Berry, 1997)
Intro Background EAP ESL
Background: Marginalisation
UK students’ perceptions of the French (Coleman, 2001)
Intro Background EAP ESL
Background: Marginalisation
UK students’ perceptions of the French (Coleman, 2001)
Intro Background EAP ESL
Background: Marginalisation
Perceptions of the French, ctd.. (Riley, 2008)
“lack of a greeting or eye contact, explicit remarks about their accent or linguistic incompetence, being kept waiting and lack of interest” (p.223)
“little objective difference in respect of these factors between the treatment meted out to native and non-native clients” (p.223)
“the French don’t find one another rude, in fact they think of themselves as being politer than many other nationalities” (p.220)
Intro Background EAP ESL
My Reseearch
My Research 2011 2012 2013
January EAP 1 EAP 2
February EAP 1 EAP 2
March EAP 1 EAP 2
April
May
June
July
August
September EAP 1 EAP 2 / ESL
October EAP 1 EAP 2 / ESL
November EAP 1 EAP 2 / ESL
December EAP 1 EAP 2 / ESL
Intro Background EAP ESL
My Reseearch
My Research 2011 2012 2013
January EAP 1 EAP 2
February EAP 1 EAP 2
March EAP 1 EAP 2
April
May
June
July
August
September EAP 1 EAP 2 / ESL
October EAP 1 EAP 2 / ESL
November EAP 1 EAP 2 / ESL
December EAP 1 EAP 2 / ESL
Intro Background EAP ESL
My Reseearch
My Research 2011 2012 2013
January EAP 1 EAP 2
February EAP 1 EAP 2
March EAP 1 EAP 2
April
May
June
July
August
September EAP 1 EAP 2 / ESL
October EAP 1 EAP 2 / ESL
November EAP 1 EAP 2 / ESL
December EAP 1 EAP 2 / ESL
Intro Background EAP ESL
My Reseearch
My Research 2011 2012 2013
January EAP 1 EAP 2
February EAP 1 EAP 2
March EAP 1 EAP 2
April
May
June
July
August
September EAP 1 EAP 2 / ESL
October EAP 1 EAP 2 / ESL
November EAP 1 EAP 2 / ESL
December EAP 1 EAP 2 / ESL
Intro Background EAP ESL
Research: EAP1
EAP 1: International Foundation Programme
China x2 Azerbaijan x2 Kazakhstan Pakistan
IELTS 6.0 Business / Economics
Intro Background EAP ESL
Research: EAP1
Marginalisation: 1. ‘Sat at the baby table’ 2. ‘Not good enough’ 3. ‘Later, but not now’
Intro Background EAP ESL
Research: EAP2
EAP2: Longitudinal Survey
IELTS
8.5
8.0
7.5
7.0
6.5
6.0
5.0
120 students
Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar
Intro Background EAP ESL
Research: EAP2
4
5
6
7
IELTS 5 IELTS 6 IELTS 7 IELTS 8
Contact
Confidence
Competence
IELTS scores and contact, confidence and competence (2012)
ESL Research
Intro Background EAP ESL
ESL Research
ESL Language Academies:
How old are you?
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
40
45
16-20 21-25 26-30 31-35 36-40 41+
Intro Background EAP ESL
ESL Research
What gender are you?
Gender
Male
Female
Intro Background EAP ESL
ESL Research
Where are you from?
Far East/East Asia
Europe
South/Central America
Middle East/Central Asia
Africa
Other
Intro Background EAP ESL
ESL Research
What English level are you?
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
40
45
B1 B2 C1 C2
Intro Background EAP ESL
ESL Research
How long have you been in London?
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
2-4 weeks 1-3 months 3-6 months 6-12 months 1-2 years 2 years+
Intro Background EAP ESL
ESL Research
How long will you be in London in total?
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
2-4 weeks 1-3 months 3-6 months 6-12 months 1-2 years 2+ years
Intro Background EAP ESL
ESL Research
Why did you choose to come to London?
Accent
Other
Reputation
Proximity
Friends
Intro Background EAP ESL
ESL Research
How many British friends do you have?
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
40
45
50
0 1 2 3 4 5+
Intro Background EAP ESL
ESL Research
How often do you feel nervous because you don’t know what to say?
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
Never 1-2 times a month 1-2 times a week Most days Every day
Intro Background EAP ESL
ESL Research
How often do you feel nervous because you don’t know what to say?
Intro Background EAP ESL
ESL Research
220
240
260
280
300
320
340
2-4 weeks 1-3 months 3-6 months 6-12 months 1-2 years 2+ years
How often do you feel nervous because you don’t know what to say?
Intro Background EAP ESL
ESL Research
Time Mode
2-4 weeks Once or twice a week
1-3 months Once or twice a week
3-6 months Once or twice a week
6 months - 1 year Most days
1-2 years Once or twice a week
2+ years Most days
How often do you read and write in English?
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
40
Never 1-2 times a month 1-2 times a week Most days Every day
Intro Background EAP ESL
ESL Research
How much do you think your English has improved since you arrived?
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
40
It has not A bit Noticeably A lot Massively
Intro Background EAP ESL
ESL Research
How much do you think your English has improved since you arrived?
Intro Background EAP ESL
ESL Research
200
220
240
260
280
300
320
340
2-4 weeks 1-3 months 3-6 months 6-12 months 1-2 years 2+ years
How much do you think you have learnt about Britain?
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
40
45
Nothing Not much A few things Quite a lot A lot
Intro Background EAP ESL
ESL Research
How much have you learnt about Britain?
Intro Background EAP ESL
ESL Research
320
330
340
350
360
370
380
2-4 weeks 1-3 months 3-6 months 6-12 months 1-2 years 2+ years
How happy are you, compared to before you came?
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
40
45
50
Much less Less Same More Much more
Intro Background EAP ESL
ESL Research
How often do you feel stressed, compared to before you arrived?
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
40
Much less Less Same More Much more
Intro Background EAP ESL
ESL Research
How well do you think you understand British culture?
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
Not at all Not much A bit Well Very well
Intro Background EAP ESL
ESL Research
How well do you think you understand British culture?
Intro Background EAP ESL
ESL Research
290
300
310
320
330
340
350
360
370
380
2-4 weeks 1-3 months 3-6 months 6-12 months 1-2 years 2+ years
What do you think about British people?
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
40
45
50
I hate them I don't like them They're okay I like them I really like them
Intro Background EAP ESL
ESL Research
What do you think about British people?
Intro Background EAP ESL
ESL Research
320
330
340
350
360
370
380
390
2-4 weeks 1-3 months 3-6 months 6-12 months 1-2 years 2+ years
How healthy are you, compared to before you arrived?
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
40
Much less healthy Less healthy The same Healthier Much healthier
Intro Background EAP ESL
ESL Research
How well do you sleep, compared to before you arrived?
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
Much worse Worse Same Better Much better
Intro Background EAP ESL
ESL Research
How often do you feel ill, compared to before you arrived?
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
Much less Less Same More Much more
Intro Background EAP ESL
ESL Research
Summary
Intro Background EAP ESL
ESL Research
• No crisis
• Lots of English
• Learn about culture, language anxiety – no change for <1 year.
• ‘Fitting in’ – 1+ year
• (most students are not here for 1 year)
Example: Buying a beer
Intro Background EAP ESL
ESL Research
[pub in Liverpool Street Station, 5:00pm Thursday] ME: (waiting) BM: (looks me in eyes, raises eyebrows) ME: (“) BM: yes please… ME: pint of stella please mate BM: pint of stella… (draws beer, gives it to me) four pounds twenty please mate ME: (give him £5) BM: thank you (sorts out change) 80 pence change cheers mate ME: cheers
Example: Buying a beer
Intro Background EAP ESL
ESL Research
“The presumed background knowledge for communication, if culturally or socially relative, can prove especially problematic for L2 learners” (Loveday, 1981:123)
Example: Buying a beer
Intro Background EAP ESL
ESL Research
ACTORS: Me, barman GENDERS: Male, male AGES: Early 30s, late 20s SOCIOECONOMIC STATUS: (same) LOCALE: Train station pub POWER DISTANCE: Minimal RELATIONSHIP: Professional, anonymous TIME: Limited
End
Intro Background EAP ESL
Summary
Referencees
Armes, K., & Ward, C. (1989). Cross-Cultural Transitions and Sojourner Adjustment in Singapore. The Journal of Social Psychology, 129(2), 273-275.
Berry, J. W. (1997). Immigration, Acculturatio ad Adaptation. Applied Psychology: An International Review, 46(1), 5-68.
Coleman, J. (1998). Language Learning and Study Abroad: the European Perspective. Frontiers: The Interdisciplinary Journal of Study Abroad, v4 n2 Fall, 167-203.
Duff, P. (2010). Language socialization into academic discourse communities. Annual Review of Applied Linguistics, 30, 169-192.
Freed, B. (1998). An Overview of Issues and Research in Language Learning in a Study Abroad Setting. Frontiers: The Interdisciplinary Journal of Study Abroad, 4, 31-60.
Imamura, M., Zhang, Y. B., & Harwood, J. (2011). Japanese sojourners' attitudes toward Americans. Journal of Asian Pacific Communication, 115-132.
Lea, M., & Street, B. (1998). Student Writing in Higher Education: An Academic Literacies Approach. Studies in Higher Education, 23(2), 152-172.
Masgoret, A.-M., & Ward, C. (2006). Culture Learning Approach to Acculturation. In D. L. Sam, & J. W. Berry, The Cambridge Handbook of Acculturation Psychology (pp. 58-77). New York: Cambridge University Press.
Noels, K., & Clément, R. (1996). Communicating Across Cultures: Social Determinants and Acculturative Experiences. Canadian Journal of Behavioural Science, 28(3), 214-228.
Riley, P. (2008). Language, Culture and Identity. London: Continuum.
Smith, R. A., & Khawaja, N. G. (2011). A review of the acculturation experiences of international students. International Journal of Intercultural Relations, 35, 699-713.
Street, B. (1995). Social Literacies: Critical Approaches to Literacy in Development, Ethnography and Education. Harlow: Pearson.
The Department for Business Innovation & Skills. (2011). Estimating the Value to the UK of Education Exports. London: London Economics.
Tuneja, E. (2008). Aspects of intercultural awareness through an MBA study abroad programme: Going "backstage". Business Communication Quarterly, 71(3), 314-337.