Understanding community linguistic diversity: An ecological approach to examining language use patterns of international graduate students

Edith Camilla Cassell, Purdue University

Abstract

This descriptive study examines the characteristics and language use patterns of multilingual international graduate students to create a description of the way they function linguistically in an American university environment. The study was undertaken to provide quantitative evidence to better inform the University's ITA (international teaching assistant) training program and the University administration about their multilingual students' behavior with the goal of supporting the students' development of English proficiency while acknowledging their other language use needs and obligations. Data were collected through a 127-item survey administered over four semesters to 280 international graduate students enrolled in the ITA oral communication course. Items were organized by domains of use, so data were analyzed for time allocation to class, workplace, domestic (home), and community activities along with the percentage of English and other languages used in those activities. The considerations required for an ecological approach to language planning were employed as the conceptual framework for the study. Use of the ecological approach offers a perspective in which the value of linguistic diversity is emphasized and examined along with consideration of factors outside the immediate linguistic environment affecting language use choices, past traditions, future plans, and the limitations of community members' time, resources, and social obligations. This perspective also indicates the need to identify the language/culture support mechanisms being utilized as well as available resources that may be neglected. The findings of this study clearly indicate the ongoing use of multiple languages throughout all domains of activity by this population of multilingual students; however, more respondents indicate use of English in work and class domains, more use of other languages in the domestic domain, and about half English and half other languages in the community domain. An ecological approach to interpreting these findings points to a need to support students' engagement in community activities for which both English and other languages are used; to accept the domestic domain as an environment where predominantly other languages are used; and to investigate ways to expand the already predominant use of English in the work and class domains.

Degree

Ph.D.

Advisors

Ginther, Purdue University.

Subject Area

Bilingual education|Multicultural education|Linguistics

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