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Identity and adjustment issues for Saudi Arabian students studying English in Australia by Rebecca Belchamber Supervisor Dr Michele de Courcy INTRODUCTION • • • • • • Context Issue The Study Literature Links Observations Conclusion CONTEXT Saudi enrolments in Western universities have escalated, with Australia reporting a 500% increase from 2002–2007. Why? Not enough tertiary institutions in KSA to accommodate all students. Policy of Saudization – to employ nationals rather than expatriates. Modernization. Scholarship programme. High youth unemployment → competition for jobs. THE ISSUE How do Saudi students feel when surrounded by Western influences, exposed to unfamiliar classroom practices and materials? Do cultural factors impinge on these students’ engagement and participation when learning English? Significant differences Saudi Arabia Australia religion informs legislation secular (religion + state separate) ‘tight’ society less restrictive society males + females socially segregated no segregation Do Saudi students here feel (culturally)… threatened? compromised? liberated? Potential benefits • For teachers – guidance making materials and classroom culture more conducive to learning by reducing potential anxiety related to cultural differences – to reduce stereotyping based on cultural practices • For students – to be treated as individuals with specific needs rather than grouped by region or nationality (Koehne, 2005) • For Education and other disciplines which focus on identity formation, especially in the context of study abroad – to further inform the understanding of processes and patterns THE STUDY Rationale This study aims to examine the experiences of Saudi students in Australia faced with Western influences and investigate the students’ own sense of identity in this context. Specifically, it hopes to discover what effects and influences identity for the Saudi students in the context of the study. Research Questions • RQ 1: What is the sense of identity for international students from Saudi Arabia studying English in Australia? • RQ 2: Does their sense of identity change while living and studying English in Australia? • RQ 3: What attitudinal and behavioural shifts do they experience while living and studying English in Australia? • RQ 4: Are there aspects of their sense of identity that affect their engagement and participation in their English language courses? LITERATURE REVIEW • The notion of identity (including religious identity) • Influences on identity for ‘academic sojourners’ and their experiences abroad • Muslim students’ responses to English Identity • Traditional - something fixed, degree of stability an essentialist view something we inherit focuses on “being” • Contemporary - ‘evolving, interactive process - constantly being (re)negotiated’ transformative influenced by a variety of factors, including language more about “becoming” (Norton, 1997) Representations of Identity collective ascription by others social self-ascription personal Multidimensional identities MORE TRADITIONAL MORE RECENT cultural ethnic racial gender generational online religious political professional student (or ESL learner) Religious Identity • religion prominent in student’s home environment → changed priorities when studying abroad (Browne, Carbonell and Merrill, 2003) • identity is best retained when religious beliefs are incorporated (Gordon, 1978, in Boekestijn, 1988) The Study Abroad Experience • Some nations exhibit a fear of “the hegemonic effects of English for its undesirable influence on the cultural identity of the young generation.” (Patron, 2007) • Uniform cultures are considered to be rigid in their enforcement of in-group members acting according to socially accepted norms of behaviour, otherwise members risk the imposition of harsh sanctions. (Patron, 2007) Experiences of international students in Australia Aspects from Australian culture which caused significant stress for French sojourners academic culture linguistic ability behavioural differences dissonance in social habits which led to value conflicts (Patron, 2007) Are these or other factors causes of stress for Saudi students? Muslim responses to English UAE students a) a naïve celebration of English b) pragmatic engagement with the English language. c) nostalgia for Islamic-Arabic purism (Clarke, 2007) Saudi students • an instrument for cultural and technological transfer and advancement, necessary for modernisation • practical acceptance where cultural loading is minimized (Al-Abed Al Haq and Smadi,1996) Post 9/11 Saudi Students • 37% think that their English textbooks contain some alien or taboo information. • 68% disagree with the separation of language and culture. (Elyas, 2008) • What about attitudes when studying abroad? • Do Saudis undergo a shift in their sense of self when abroad in the pursuit of their academic goals? • The narratives of male Saudi students in Australia explored by Midgley (2009) suggest different responses to similar contexts. Possible reasons for identity shifts • People are more mobile; national borders are less relevant in discussions of identity. • Even if not physically, people encounter different settings and ideas through a range of media options. • As a result, individuals are exposed to more diverse contexts, influencing their sense of self. OBSERVATIONS Contradictions • a male Saudi, from the north of the Kingdom: • shy female joined the class – unveiled and continued to do so • relaxing halal requirements • flexible attitudes → willingness to change Perceived influences on student engagement • mixed gender male teacher standing close new teacher sitting mixed nationalities together • oral presentations – with and without face veils CONCLUSION It is hoped the study will • lead to a more positive learning environment negative cultural assessment → resistance to English → input less effective • encourage the recognition of diversity International students Middle Eastern stds Gulf States stds etc Saudi stds students from Riyadh students from Jeddah REFERENCES Al-Abed Al Haq, F. and O. Smadi (1996) Spread of English and Westernization in Saudi Arabia. World Englishes, Volume 15, Issue 3, Pages 307 – 317 Published Online: 23 Feb 2007 Boekestijn, C. (1988) Intercultural migration and the development of personal identity: the dilemma between identity maintenance and cultural adaptation. International Journal of Intercultural Relations Vol.12: pp 83 -105. Browne, M., D. Carbonell and J. Merrill (2003) Intercultural Inquiry of Religion and Identity-Making at Carnegie Mellon University. Accessed on December 24, 2008 at http://english.cmu.edu/research/inquiry/religionidentity.pdf Clarke, M. (2007) Language Policy and Language Teacher Education in the United Arab Emirates, TESOL Quarterly, Volume 41, Number 3, pp. 583-591(9) Elyas, T. (2008) The Attitude and the Impact Of the American English as a Global Language Within the Saudi Education System. Novitas- ROYAL, Vol.: 2 (1), 28-48. Accessed on October 11, 2008 at http://www.novitasroyal.org/elyas.pdf Koehne, N. (2005) (Re)construction: Ways International Students Talk about Their Identity. Australian Journal of Education, Vol. 49 Krashen, S. (1982) Principles and Practice in Second Language Acquisition First internet edition July 2009. Accessed on August 6, 2009 at http://www.sdkrashen.com/Principles_and_Practice/index.html Midgley, W. (2009) They are, he is, and I am: Different adjustment accounts of two male Saudi Arabian nursing students at an Australian university, Studies in Learning, Evaluation, Innovation and Development, vol. 6, no. 1, pp. 82-97. Norton, B. (1997) Language, identity, and the ownership of English. TESOL Quarterly, Volume 31, Number 3, pp. 409-429. Patron, M. (2007) Culture and identity in study abroad contexts: after Australia, French without France. Oxford: Bern :Peter Lang.