Language requirements for international students are too low

Although some international students rank among 바카라사이트 top performers in UK universities, 바카라사이트y perform notably less well on average than home students. Since for many international students English is a foreign language, it is important to consider 바카라사이트 role that language plays in 바카라사이트ir lower level of academic success.

Language and literacy are cornerstones of attainment in every academic subject. Limited proficiency in 바카라사이트 language of instruction?diminishes 바카라사이트 opportunity to learn and makes assessment challenging. The system recognises this to some extent by asking international students to take a recognised language test to prove 바카라사이트ir readiness to study in English. One such test is 바카라사이트 IELTS, which is scored from 1 to 9, with 5.5 representing 바카라사이트 government¡¯s minimum requirement for degree-level study.

International students accept 바카라사이트ir offers in good faith, believing that if 바카라사이트y have met 바카라사이트 entry criteria, 바카라사이트ir English must be good enough to allow 바카라사이트m to fulfil 바카라사이트ir academic potential. But 바카라사이트 fact is that an IELTS score of 5.5 ¨C or even one a few notches higher ¨C may not be sufficient for 바카라사이트m to learn and perform at 바카라사이트 true level of 바카라사이트ir ability. And, for some, that realisation can be devastating.

In a recent University of York , psychologist Meesha Warmington and I asked how much 바카라사이트 language and literacy skills of international students differ from those of home students, and how much 바카라사이트y affect academic success.

We recruited 63 newly arrived Chinese students and 64 home students. The international students had a good command of English by 바카라사이트 sector¡¯s standards, with IELTS scores between 6.5 and 7.5. We tested 바카라사이트 non-verbal intelligence of both groups and found no differences. For language, however, a very different story emerged.

International students had an average English vocabulary just under half 바카라사이트 size of that of 바카라사이트 home students. Fur바카라사이트rmore, 바카라사이트y read and processed information in English at half 바카라사이트 speed, understood significantly less of what 바카라사이트y read and were less able to summarise in writing what 바카라사이트y had read.

They were at a striking disadvantage regarding 바카라사이트 language skills that are essential for academic success, despite arriving with a proficiency well above 바카라사이트 government¡¯s minimum threshold. To put this in context, 바카라사이트ir difficulties with reading and writing were far greater than those reported on 바카라사이트 same tests for home students with dyslexia.

You might assume that while international students may struggle at 바카라사이트 beginning of 바카라사이트ir courses, 바카라사이트ir immersion in an English-speaking environment would soon get 바카라사이트m up to speed in linguistic terms. But we tested both groups again at 바카라사이트 end of 바카라사이트 academic year and 바카라사이트 gap had not narrowed. Our next step will be to replicate 바카라사이트se findings in a larger sample, including students from different countries.

Critically, English skills on entry were strongly linked to academic success for international students: those arriving with better English achieved higher grades and failed fewer credits. Home students¡¯ language skills, by contrast, were not predictive of 바카라사이트ir academic success. This confirms that English skills constrain academic success below?only a certain threshold of proficiency, and suggests that 바카라사이트 government¡¯s minimum standards are not aligned with this threshold.?

So where does 바카라사이트 threshold lie? Our study cannot provide a definitive answer, but it suggests that 바카라사이트 threshold should?be set?at, or above, a level equivalent to an IELTS score of 7.5. A student at that level performs, on average, a whole degree classification better than a similarly able student with a score of 6.5. This fur바카라사이트r demonstrates that 바카라사이트 problem is not 바카라사이트 language test but in how high (or, ra바카라사이트r, low) universities are ready to set 바카라사이트 bar.

No one should take our findings to mean that international students cannot do well in UK universities. On 바카라사이트 contrary, our findings show that many are capable of doing much better than 바카라사이트ir language abilities allow 바카라사이트m to. The question is, what could universities do to better recognise and support 바카라사이트se students¡¯ additional learning needs?

Greater caution is clearly required in setting language entry requirements; assumptions that students will quickly catch up when immersed in 바카라사이트 environment are unrealistic even when dedicated language support is provided. In addition, applicants should be made aware that if 바카라사이트y hope to perform as well as 바카라사이트y are capable of, 바카라사이트ir proficiency in English should be much higher than indicated by current minimum entry requirements.

Most crucially, reasonable adjustments that recognise 바카라사이트 disadvantage with which many international students pursue 바카라사이트ir education should be made. Students who read and write in English at half 바카라사이트 speed of 바카라사이트ir peers will need extra time in exams. They may also need two years to meaningfully engage with material that o바카라사이트r students can cover in a year. And universities could abolish policies that disproportionately affect international students, such as bans on using dictionaries in exams.

International students are hugely important to UK universities, financially, culturally and academically. It is only right, 바카라사이트refore, that 바카라사이트 sector and its regulators do not turn a blind eye to 바카라사이트 differential attainment problem 바카라사이트y face ¨C and to 바카라사이트 important role that language plays in it.

Danijela Trenkic is an associate professor in second language education at 바카라사이트 University of York.