How to Teach Go Abroad Program Students

Go Abroad students are college students who choose to spend some part of their undergraduate careers in a foreign country. Some colleges offer credit for courses that are completed in approved programs abroad. Other students choose to spend a year in another country for independent studies that will not lead to a transfer of credits during a so-called "gap year." Teaching Go Abroad students can be challenging because they are neither accustomed to the new culture nor proficient in the language. Instructors with foreign students can adopt certain good practices to attain course objectives.

Instructions

    • 1

      Get to know the foreign students enrolled in your class. Find out where your students are from and why they chose to study in your country. Encourage students to talk about their goals and what they think about the country.

    • 2

      Communicate course requirements clearly. While your syllabus and class website should explain all course requirements, that is not enough. You must also verbally explain the course requirements, written assignments, research projects, group assignments and test content to the students and answer their questions about the requirements.

    • 3

      Refrain from using jargon and slang when giving lectures or leading small group discussions. Students who are studying in a foreign language may find it difficult to understand local colloquial expressions or dialect. Strive to explain terms and to speak in simple language.

    • 4

      Provide graphic organizers and visual aids. If you find it necessary to lecture, it is also helpful to use visual aids to accompany the lecture. These graphic organizers (charts, graphs, pictograms) assist foreign students to understand the materials.

    • 5

      Encourage foreign students to get to know native students and to learn more about the culture. If you have small group discussions, make sure to get a good cross section of students so that the class doesn't break down into all native student groups and all foreign student groups. Give assignments that let foreign students make contact with people from the country. For example, if you are teaching a course on the political history of your country, you can ask students to interview a native of the country regarding their opinion about a political party or a recent event.

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