What is the Level of Investment by International Students in the US in English Language Learning outside the Classroom? What are the Factors that Affect their Investment?

Author

Youssouf Magassouba, Minnesota State University - Mankato

Abstract

Upon their arrival in the United States, International students' interactions with the target language group outside classroom situation constitute one of their biggest social experiences. Their adjustment to their new environment creates some problems. Their experience of adjustment is manifested differently as some may suffer from differences in cultures in relation to the American cultural values, while some may just feel homesick and become lonely. Other may suffer from the loss of their status back home and may not regarded by their American peers as they should be. The paper seeks to understand the complex nature of international students' exposure to English outside the classroom influenced by some factors such as motivation, acculturation, identity and learning styles as supported by some prominent researchers in the field of second language acquisition such as Gardner, Schumann, Norton and others. While looking into the difficulty of international exposure, the paper will strive to come up with some tentative solutions and suggestions for the success of international students. Their success will not only depend on the overcoming of the limitative factors but also on the effort of host institutions and teachers to help their students adjust to their new life.

Advisor

Karen Lybeck

Committee Member

Stephen J. Stoynoff

Date of Degree

2011

Language

english

Document Type

APP

Degree

Master of Arts (MA)

Department

English

College

Arts and Humanities

Recommended Citation

Magassouba, Y. (2011). What is the Level of Investment by International Students in the US in English Language Learning outside the Classroom? What are the Factors that Affect their Investment? [Master’s alternative plan paper, Minnesota State University, Mankato]. Cornerstone: A Collection of Scholarly and Creative Works for Minnesota State University, Mankato. https://cornerstone.lib.mnsu.edu/etds/280/

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License