EAP programs begin with Needs Assessments (Benesch, 2001; Brinton, Snow & Wesche, 2003; Bruce, 2011; Hyland, 2006) of where students are (present situation analysis) and where they need to go (target situation analysis) (Benesch, 2001; Bruce, 2011; Hyland, 2006). We, as EAP professionals, are concerned with bridging the gap between students’ current language proficiency to that which is required for academic success. As such, there is a large body of research to identify those needs (Benesch, 2001; Bruce, 2011; Hyland, 2006). Moreover, I do not think anyone would disagree that EAP is high-stakes.

My context is such. I teach in an intensive, pre-sessional EAP program at the advanced level. Our curricula are based on the language and skills ‘needed’ for post-secondary programs. Most of my students are international pre-undergrads who have been in Canada fewer than 4 months and are on their own for the first time.

Given our SLA knowledge, needs analyses, and what is at stake, why do some of our students display ineffective learning behaviours? In our quest as EAP professionals to define the academy and its English, sometimes the person has been lost. Although there are many factors involved in adult SLA success (or not) such as aptitude and affect (Gregerson & Horwitz, 2002; Horwitz, 2001), motivation (Dörnyei, 2001), and L1 proficiency (Sparks & Ganschow, 1991, 1995), intercultural experiences are the focus of this article.

Personal Interest

I had the opportunity to move to a small village in Austria after taking German as a foreign language for only 6 months. The experience of total language and cultural immersion was eye-opening. I now understand that my EAP students not only face language issues, but they also face socio-cultural issues that can be more pressing than academic vocabulary or note-taking. Adopting a new culture, temporarily or permanently, causes more immediate issues than simply learning language, and sometimes life’s social needs will take precedence over academic language needs. One need only go back to Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs to find explanations for unproductive classroom behaviours that we sometimes assume to be a lack motivation.

Although I am applying these issues to my EAP context, I believe what I am saying also applies to community ESL programs. My personal examples stem from my experience as a recent immigrant and not as an academic. The experiences in this article are anecdotal; my goal is to raise awareness and understanding of intercultural experiences that could affect classroom behaviours.

Theoretical Framework

Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs (see figure 1) requires the lower levels to be fulfilled before attainment of the higher level needs can begin (Owens & Loomes, 2010). Owen and Loomes (2010) contend that international students are generally at the bottom of the hierarchy whereas domestic students are at the levels associated with post-secondary studies (see Figure 1).

Figure 1. Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs. (Based on Owens & Loomes, 2010).

Furthermore, I would argue, domestic students are concerned with Belongingness and Esteem Needs predominantly within the academy as they are already members of the dominant society. International students, however, not only additionally face Physiological and Safety Needs, they are facing Belongingness and Esteem Needs in the ‘new’ society and also within the academy.

Hierarchy Affecting Learning

Physiological needs are the most basic, and if they are not met, it is difficult to focus on anything else. While my EAP students have the basic needs, as I did, this does not mean that there are no issues. To illustrate, the food in Austria is good but different from what I was used to. I suffered some gastro-intestinal distress while my body adjusted; I was quite uncomfortable some days. Additionally, some students have explained to me that Canadian meal sizes and times are quite different from those in their countries. For students staying with host-families, hunger in the classroom can occur as they may be used to larger breakfasts or lunches and smaller dinners than is the Canadian custom. It is not their house, so they often do not explain this to their host-families and simply come to class hungry. It is difficult to concentrate on what makes a good thesis statement when you are uncomfortable or hungry.

Maslow’s Safety Needs entail adjusting to a new/no family environment (figure 1) and having a sense of security (Owens & Loomes, 2010). In my experience, social networks offer a sense of security. I, like many of my students, left my family behind. I moved to Austria with only my husband, who worked full time. I ‘knew’ adjusting would be difficult, but I had no idea how difficult. My first few months were fraught with fear. I did not feel completely secure in my apartment or with my health because I worried that an issue would arise, and I would not be able to explain it. I drove, so my husband got me a cell phone. I still did not feel completely secure: What if I got a flat tire? I didn’t know that vocabulary! And what if I got into an accident? How would I explain? There have been many times that students have requested a meeting with me only to ask about very personal medical issues or legal contracts (ie: apartment leases) instead of course content; they have no idea where to go or what to say, and they are worried and/or scared. I suspect that many more of my students are also experiencing similar anxieties, and although there is an optimal level of anxiety that can foster performance, too much can be debilitating.

Once safety has been established, Belongingness (figure 1) is next: wanting to feel accepted and being able to communicate effectively (Owens & Loomes, 2010). In my experience, the former can work against the latter. The first few months in Austria, I felt detached, so I sought out English speakers, and I mostly watched CNN. This did not help my German and I knew it, but I felt less detached. A ‘common’ comment I hear is ‘their English would improve faster if they didn’t switch to L1 as soon as class is over!’ Clearly, this practice does not foster L2 acquisition (Owens & Loomes, 2010), but as international students “...commonly experience comprehensive social separation and isolation...” (Owens & Loomes, 2010, p.276), it does help foster a sense of belonging and community.

Suggestions

We are probably all guilty of complaining about students that are not ‘doing their homework’, ‘working hard enough’, or ‘attending class regularly’. As previously stated, there are a multitude of reasons for these behaviours, but socio-cultural factors may be affecting some students more than others. Talk to the student and find out why they were online all night: was it to decrease loneliness? In situations where socio-cultural adjustment is particularly difficult, I have found that directing students to college counsellors, bringing them to the International Office and introducing them to staff and students, and sending them links to campus cultural clubs can assist in their transition by fostering community membership, meeting potential advocates, and talking to those who have ‘survived’ the transition for advice and empathy. We are not trained to assist with these issues; we are teachers, but we can guide them to those who can.

Conclusion

International students are not just negotiating academic needs; they are concurrently navigating basic, safety and belonging needs socio-culturally. Sometimes, physiological issues and safety needs or concerns will manifest as a lack of concentration in class. Homework may not be done because of hours on the internet researching health information or Skyping with family to diminish loneliness. The lives of international students, especially at the beginning, are complex. We need to be aware that there are many possible, but invisible, causes to ineffective classroom behaviours and not make assumptions. My students need EAP, but sometimes life will be more pressing than the ten academic words I assigned for homework. “Education that ignores the conditions of students’ lives and simply focuses on transferring knowledge denies students their humanity” (Benesch, 2001, p.52).

References

Benesch, S. (2001). Critical English for academic purposes: theory, politics, and practice. Mahwah, NJ:Lawrence Erlbaum.

Brinton, D.,M., Snow, M.,A., & Wesche, M. (2003). Content-based Second language Instruction (Classics Ed.) MI: University of Michigan Press.

Bruce, I. (2011). Theory and concepts of English for Academic Purposes. New York, NY: Palgrave Macmillan.

Dörnyei, Z. (2001). New themes and approaches in second language motivation research. Annual Review of Applied Linguistics, 21, 43-59

Gregerson, T. & Horwitz, E.K. (2002). Language learning and perfectionism: Anxious and non-anxious language learners’ reactions to their own oral performance. The Modern Language Journal, 68 (iv), 562-570.

Horwitz, E.K. (2001). Language anxiety and achievement. Annual Review of Applied Linguistics, 21, 112-126.

Hyland, K. (2006). English for Academic Purposes. New York, NY: Routledge

Owens, A.R., & Loomes, S.L. (2010). Managing and resourcing a program of social integration initiatives for international university students: What are the benefits? Journal of Higher Education Policy and Management, 32 (3), 275-290.

Sparks, R.L., & Ganschow, L. (1991). Foreign language learning differences: Affective or native language aptitude differences? The Modern Language Journal, 75 (i), 3-16.

Sparks, R.L., & Ganschow, L. (1995). A strong inference approach to causal factors in foreign language learning: A response to MacIntyre. The Modern Language Journal, 79 (ii), 235- 244.

Angela teaches EAP at Fanshawe College in London, Ontario and is a Doctoral student in Applied Linguistics at York University in Toronto. Her research and teaching interests include EAP, reading comprehension, academic writing, and teacher education.