The experiences of bilingual Chinese international students studying in english at a small Canadian university

Abstract

This study explores the experiences of ten Chinese students learning in English at a small Canadian university using Linguistic Portrait Silhouettes and semi-structured interviews in a phenomenologically-influenced case study. Five major themes were summarized: (1) The Language Portrait Silhouette (LPS); (2) The overall experience of studying in English at a Canadian university; (3) Transformation: Expectations, changes in expectations, changes in motivations, biggest changes and success; (4) Resources and support; and 5) Technology applications and learning experiences. The Language Portrait Silhouette proved useful in understanding participants’ linguistic identity, learning challenges, and cultural understanding. In terms of overall experience, although the majority of participants viewed the opportunities to use English to study at a Canadian university positively—including the cultural experience—the challenges and dilemmas faced by students were many, including culture shock and linguistic barriers. Most participants underwent transformations while studying in terms of motivations and expectations, with career prospects and personal growth seen as important. Participants made extensive use of technology to support their learning and offered suggestions for its use. Professors, for example, were expected to provide some advice and support in their teaching to help students make better use of these technologies. Recommendations are made for professors, universities and future Chinese students studying at Canadian universities. Recommendations are also made for future study.