Share Paper: Creating Connections for International Students on College Campus: Languages Other Than English Conversation Tables
Abstract: International students, especially those studying in English Language Institutes at US universities, often struggle to create connections with local students and the host community. This paper describes a creative intervention to increase campus engagement for international students that simultaneously provided an opportunity for local students to exchange cultures and life experiences while learning and practicing a language other than English (LOTE). Weekly Non-English conversation tables led by international students at a mid-sized rural university created meaningful connections, which promoted student engagement. These connections fostered self-growth and intercultural competence in both international and local students, some of whom with very limited ...