Language Barrier as a Reason for Alienation - Essay Example

Alienation English is one of the most important languages spoken all over the world. English serves as a connection between people of different ethnicities, religions and areas when they move around the world for various purposes. People going to other countries for either recreational purposes or business matters, they rely on English language to communicate with the locals. English has become a universal language and even locals of various countries are vaguely familiar with this language even if they are not sufficiently fluent. Education has enhanced the significance of English immensely. English serves as a medium of study for those who aspire to study abroad in the finest academic institutions. Approximately 1.7 million students from all over the world go to foreign countries for academic purposes. Out of this estimated number, half of the students belong to non-English speaking countries in Asia. They have to learn this language as quickly as possible as it serves as the only means for them to communicate in the classroom, university administration and socially as well (Sawir 2005). Hence, it has become an obligation for international students to not only understand English but also excel in fluent English speaking skills. Learning English as their second language will not only give them an upper hand in their educational goals but also help them blend more easily in their surroundings. However, this is not a piece of cake and students are faced with a plethora of obstacles and pressures while commanding over English as their second language. Language barrier for the international students is one of the biggest hurdles they face while settling in a new country and environment. Students coming to U.S.A., Australia or United Kingdom are majorly facing the difficulties of learning English as their second language. This language barrier gives them a sense of alienation which makes them feel as outsiders in their surroundings. International students find themselves a victim of anxiety and constant stress caused majorly by the language barrier caused by English. They have a hard time coping with their academic burden as well as socio-cultural stress also adds up to their worries. With a stressful mind they cannot focus on their studies and academic routines. English serves as a means of communication for the international students. With good English reading, writing and speaking skills they can have an effective learning experience. If a student succeeds in acquiring these skills he or she will not only attain high academic goals but also understand the people and culture surrounding him. Understanding English is a difficult procedure for the international students because of the difference in accents. The locals of an area for instance Americans speak with a different accent and they speak quite fast. This makes it difficult for a listener, with English as his second language, to understand what the other person is trying to say. This problem is common in the classroom atmosphere. Most of the professors or teachers in the academic institutions use English as their medium of communication. The international students find themselves lagging behind in the classroom because most of the times they cannot even understand what the teacher is saying! This affects their academic performance as they cannot understand most of the topics or assignments. Students are hence faced my educational stress and anxiety. They are constantly faced with the fear that they would fail or they will not be able to master the subjects. Most of the international students are not fluent in speaking English. They have a difficult time interacting in the classrooms with their teachers and classmates. They are not confident enough to take part in productive academic discussions or speak up. They cannot express their views and opinions in a satisfactory manner. Apart from having a negative effect on their education, this also serves as a strong blow to their self-esteems. Many students experience discrimination on the basis of their accents and poor English speaking qualities. They are humiliated by their classmates when they try to speak openly. According to a research which interviewed international students studying in an Australian university, it was put forward that the different educational systems also caused difficulties for the international students. Most of the foreign students came from Asian countries where, teacher-student interaction and classroom discussions were not encouraged. However, in Australia, classroom discussions and participation was highly required. The students who were not proficient in English could not participate in such class activities and affected their academic performance (Sawir 2005). Thus, in most of the institutions in America and Australia classroom participation is given first priority. This increases the significance of getting proficient in English for the foreign students. Language barrier also increases the workload for the foreign students. Since English is the common medium of study, they cannot understand most of the books and assignments. They take greater time to finish their books and complete their homework. They have to give extra time to their studies and consume greater time to finish their work. This is quite stressful as they have to cut down their extracurricular activities and have less time to relax. 40 Chinese students were included in a survey in eight different Australian universities and the effect of their English skills as a second language on their academic performance was reported. The survey revealed that the Chinese foreign students were facing difficulties in listening and speaking due to their lack of proficiency in English language. Those courses that were linguistically less demanding posed less burden and complexity for the students. However, all students expressed that the learning hurdles were restricted to the first two years of their academic duration and with time they resolved (Zhang 2009). Students feel uncomfortable while talking to others and feel like an outsider in the educational environments as well as in their social circle. When students feel inadequate in their knowledge about English they hesitate to take part in the classroom and interacting with their teachers and classmates (Sawir 2005). This feeling of alienation in their academic environment is a big drawback for them. Most of the foreign students coming abroad for education are very bright students and have been acquiring good grades in their native countries. When they find themselves in such stressful environment and experience poor grades because of this, their self-confidence and esteem is affected immensely. Another important aspect to be considered is the way English is taught at these institutions. Mostly the grammatical aspects are highlighted while teaching English as a language. English was not taught as a conversational language but as a subject that encompassed putting forward the grammatical errors and improving reading and writing skills. Although this is important too, but to improve the speaking and listening powers of the international students it is important that English is taught more as a living language in the form of conversations (Sawir 2005). During the first few years of their academic life in foreign countries, international students face many educational, cultural and social hurdles. Language barrier is one of th major ones. They have to learn English as their second language and gain command over reading, writing and more significantly speaking and listening skills for an effective learning process. During this process, they are faced with anxiety, stress and discouragement in various forms and circumstances. Their inadequate English knowledge restricts their learning capabilities in the classroom, academic output, extracurricular performance and social mingling. However, the students should not feel discouraged or lower their self-confidence in such demanding circumstances. Mingling with the native speakers, listening to the local news stations and watching English movies are some very helpful methods of improving one’s listening and speaking skills. To achieve their higher education goals, international students must excel in English language and they should not hesitate in relying on different helping hands to get through this phase. Works Cited Sawir E. “Language difficulties of international students in Australia: The effects of prior learning experience”. International Education Journal. 2005. Web. 6 May 2012. Zhang Y. “Another look at the language difficulties of international students”. Journal of studies in International Education. May 4, 2009. Web. 6 May 2012. Read More