Semester by the Sea Presentation: Instructing Students with Diverse Backgrounds

Semester By the Sea Presentation: Instructing Students With Diverse Backgrounds

by J Theodore Repa

July 1, 2014

Darling Center, University of Maine, Walpole, ME

2:15-2:35

I. Exercise: Sharing Experiences With International Students (2:15-2:23)

A.How many of you have taught international students?

1.I ask this question because we can learn from our shared experience about expectations the students have about us as professors and we of them.

2. Let me share a couple of stories taken from my now over 40 year career as a professor in New York City working with international students there and in multiple countries abroad to illustrated some expectations they had of me and I had of them.

a. Attending the wedding of one of my Japanese master's student in Central Park in 80's (honored gueston dais and asked to make a toastguests that included her family that only spoke Japanese (asked her to simultaneously translate).

b.Belarusian lecture hall just after perestroika in the early 90's (stood up when entered, spoke from raised platform, took notes of every word when paper and pencil in short supply, stood when asking questions-respect, e.g., deference to expert, hesitancy when speaking second

language, reading skills better than speaking skills that are better than writing skills; bright- sponsoring countries expect student to improve English and return to share gained knowledge).

2.But we must remember that just like most generalizations, the expectations and behaviors of international students are distributed along a normal curve. There are likely patterns exhibited by half to 2/3 that occur on average, but there are always going to be outliers at the ends of the normal curve.

II.Presentation: Sample Clinical Skills Taught My Doctoral Students To Improve Ability to Instruct Students with Diverse Backgrounds (2:23-2:30)

A.Molar Skills

1.Clear expectations (oral and written- see sample assignments; have a more detailed syllabus than maybe you usually write-see sample; post an outline of your lecture notes after the lecture).

2.Two way communication (more accurate, feel better, more time); group work can providepractice opportunities in a protected setting (provide time to assigned and self-selected grouping; technology can be used to break down concerns around language barriers.

B.Macro Skills

1.Placing (beginning and end of message most likely

remembered)

2.Spacing (place important points further apart)

3.Pacing (easy, hard, easy)

4.Use silence to your advantage

C.Micro Skills

1.Verb towards beginning of sentence.

2.Sentences 25 words or less.

3.One question at a time.

III.Conclusions and Questions (2:30-2:35)

A. Expectations-find out theirs and beware of yours

B. Molar, macro, and micro skills can help you improve communications with your international students.

C. Hope these suggestions helps. Questions or comments?

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