Teaching International Students

As of 2023-24, international students made up almost 20% of the student body at UCI. As that number is expected to grow, instructors need to recognize how differences in culture, language, and expectations impact international students and their performance in the classroom. Instructors can make minor changes to their teaching methods that increase opportunities for international students to succeed. Here are some steps to make this happen:

• Clarify Expectations – be clear about your expectations in terms of class policies, due dates, and student conduct. This helps international students better understand the unwritten rules of college that many will not be familiar with.
• Use Visuals in Lecture – write out key terms and big ideas, record your classes for later viewing, and handout outlines or summaries during class. This helps international students comprehend information through a variety of formats.
• Encourage Multiple Forms of Participation – allow students to discuss in groups, write down ideas, or pause to think before offering answers. This helps international students prepare their answers while also practicing speaking and writing.
• Structure Reading Assignments – give students questions to consider while reading and encourage them to annotate readings with questions and definitions of unknown terms. This helps international students focus on important takeaways while also marking areas of confusion to receive clarification.
• Know Your Students – offer to meet with your international students on a one-on-one basis to offer them support and learn what would help them in your class. This time can also be used to clarify assignment instructions or course content in a more personalized manner.

The following links provide more information on teaching international students:

• Supporting International Student Learning in the Classroom
• Investing in Support for International Students
• About the UCI International Center