International Students in Higher Education: Language, Identity, and Experience from a Holistic Perspective

International Students in Higher Education: Language, Identity, and Experience from a Holistic Perspective explores the lived experiences of multilingual international students at a Canadian University, highlighting the impact of the institutional context on their experiences and challenging the prevailing discourse of deficit.

Format: Hardback
Length: 246 pages
Publication date: 10 August 2021
Publisher: Lexington Books

International students in higher education face unique challenges and opportunities due to their language, identity, and experiences. This book explores the lived experiences of four multilingual international students at a Canadian university, shedding light on their language proficiency, identity construction, and integration into the host community.

Vander Tavares, the author, delves into the complexities of these students' lives, examining how they navigate the challenges of living in a foreign country, developing multiple identities, and improving their English language skills. The book also highlights the institutional context, emphasizing the perspectives of domestic students, faculty, and support staff on international students, multiculturalism, and multilingualism.

Drawing from various theories such as cultural and social psychology, post-structuralism, multilingualism, and a sociocognitive approach to second language acquisition, Tavares provides rich ethnographic portraits of the students' experiences. This contextualized and humanized portrayal challenges the prevailing discourse of deficit that often characterizes the multilingual international student experience.

The book demonstrates that an ethical understanding of multilingual international students' experiences requires critical attention to the sociocultural and sociolinguistic contexts of their academic communities and a holistic approach that considers the multiple domains of lived experience that these students navigate.

Overall, this book offers valuable insights into the lives of international students and contributes to the growing body of literature on multilingualism and higher education. It provides a deeper understanding of the challenges and rewards of studying abroad and highlights the importance of supporting and empowering multilingual students in their academic journeys.

Weight: 517g
Dimension: 228 x 161 x 23 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781793641113