Relationships and Friendships across Cultures:
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Kate Borrett and Ania Zysk
Abstract: Talking about sexuality, relationships and friendships may be perceived as a ‘taboo’ topic of conversation in many cultures. This poses a challenge for engaging international students and in providing education on sexual health and the negotiation of healthy relationships. As part of their orientation activities, commencing international students at UniSA were invited to attend a forum on relationships and friendships across cultures on 14 February 2007. The forum was held as part of Valentine’s Day celebrations and Sexual Health Awareness Week and was followed by a morning tea where SHine SA provided information about sexual health and relationships. This paper describes an educative model that utilises ‘story telling’ to engage international students in discussion about relationships and friendships in their new University and cultural environment. It offers a format by which students can seek information in a culturally appropriate and sensitive manner. It also explores the possibilities for student engagement and the shared moments that occur outside the formal classroom environment.
Keywords International students, sexual health, cross-cultural relationships, cross-cultural friendships, student engagement, story telling
Setting Standards for International Student Support
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Paula Dunstan
Abstract: The substance of this paper was delivered at the 2007 Australian International Education Conference in Melbourne, and presented as a stimulus for discussion about practical approaches to the issues of international student support management. This later version contains additional material that reflects the discussion and panel presentations at the AIEC session.
The impetus for this presentation remains the responses of providers to Standard 6 of The National Code 2007. One of the obligations, in Standard 6.6 of the Code, requires ‘sufficient support personnel to meet the needs of students…’ What do providers understand by this? What are our obligations to meet this specific requirement? Have we adequately defined the needs of international students? What is being done to implement this Standard? The paper describes a small research study conducted with a number of universities and secondary schools. Staff capability, staff resources and international student services, all matters addressed in the National Code, are considered in a number of contexts. Focus is on the effective use of staffing to offer maximum opportunities for students to achieve overall success while they are studying in Australia.
Keywords: National code, international student services, staff resources, staff capability, support management
Social Integration of International Students:
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Kay McNamara, Izabela Skorka
Abstract: The purpose of this paper is to share the practical ways in which teachers at Kelvin Grove State College (Qld) have attempted to improve contact between international and local students using the award winning Teaching Emphases for English Proficiency Levels (TEEPL) http://www.kelvingrovesc.eq.edu.au/asp/teepl/teepl_cover.asp (presented at ISANA conference 2005).
TEEPL is a comprehensive database of suggestions to support students both academically and socially at the various stages of their development as outlined in the NLLIA ESL Bandscales (McKay, Hudson & Sapuppo, 1994) In addressing the issue of poor rates of interaction between local and international students at KGSC, ESL staff drew on suggestions in the TEEPL database to develop workshops designed to increase the quantity and quality of contact between domestic and international students. Weekly workshops conducted over two terms, were supplemented with between workshop activities (BWA’s) involving practice of skills learnt with an expectation to feed back in the ensuing workshop.
Keywords: Social, Success, Interaction, Strategies, ESL
Stress Less for Better Success in International SL Education
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Dr Stanley W Theron.
Abstract: A basic premise of this paper is that stress experienced is in an inverse ratio to learning outcomes. Practically applied it means that in any learning situation – especially SL situations – there should be subjective and objective awareness of the stress factor, continuing attention, assessment, alleviation and addressing of stress-producing factors to optimise outcomes. These aspects should be both preventative as well as therapeutic when stress situation arise.
Key words: stress management, SL learning, awareness, international students
Supporting International Postgraduate Research Students
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Gerry Mullins
Abstract: This workshop is designed to help you develop effective strategies for helping international postgraduate research students in your university. What we will do
is spend the time discussing:
• What are the issues?
• What strategies are available?
• What might you do in your university?
Keywords: International students, post graduate research students
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