Learning experiences of overseas non-English speaking background students: a case study of an Australian University

Abstract

In recent decades, there are increasing number of Asian students who choose to study abroad. This paper addresses the academic needs and learning difficulties of a group of newly arrived non-English speaking background (NESB) 1 Asia-Pacific students who registered to study a Bachelor of Education (in-service) program in an Australia Tertiary Institution. Funded and supported by an equity grant, a learning support program was set up to allow these NESB students to share among them their experiences in academic needs and learning difficulties. The outcome revealed a need to provide mentoring assistance to the newly arrived NESB students in the areas of academic and social support in order to enable them to adapt quickly to a new and different social-educational environment.

近數拾年來，愈來愈多亞太區的學生選擇往海外的大學就讀。本文是針對一群來自亞太區的非英語為主道背景的學生，就讀於一所澳洲大學時所面對的學術需要和學習困難。藉著一個平等基金的資助，成立了一個學習支援的計劃，提供一個機會讓這一群以非英語為主道背景的學生互相分享他們在大學裏所面對的學習困難和需要。從中反映出大學當局需要提供有關的輔導支援，以幫助這些學生盡快地適應新的社會學習環境。