Excuse Me, Can You Repeat That?: How to Communicate in the U.S. as an International Student

Imagine you hail from Asia, Africa or South America and have been accepted to a college in the United States. You have made the necessary plans to attend -- sent in your deposit, obtained the required documents to travel and purchased your plane ticket. As the day to board the plane with your belongings neatly packed in a suitcase arrives you wonder -- have I made the right decision? How will I fit in? Are my English communication skills good enough? Will I adjust to a new culture? According to the Open Doors Report a little over 723,000 students from around the world chose to attend U.S. educational institutions in 2010/2011. Each had their own reasons to leave their native countries in pursuit of education in the United States. Some sought to broaden their learning in academic areas not available in their native country while others wanted to experience a different culture and believed that studying abroad would enrich their lives and future careers. Whatever the reason, they took the risk to change their lives -- even if for a limited time. This may sound like a simple concept -- after all many of us have traveled and experienced a different culture and with the exception of a few minor bumps, have returned with stories to tell and memories for a lifetime. Attending a school in a foreign country is entirely different. From adapting to different living accommodations, adjusting to new instructional styles, meeting academic expectations and making friends, students who study abroad risk everything. Combine these challenges with speaking, reading, writing and listening in a second language and we begin to see how demanding an endeavor this really is. As a college professor, I have educated many international students who face academic challenges that at times seem insurmountable. The constant effort they exert to fit in and complete their assignments successfully often astound me. They often tell me it takes an hour to read and process just a few pages of a textbook

Local woman's new book has words of wisdom- By Andrew Merritt amerritt@wickedlocal.com: Over her 30 years of working in speech and communication, Cathryn Edelstein has seen the difficulties experienced by people who come to the United States and try to learn our language and culture. Edelstein, a Waltham resident and professor at Emerson College, has written a book to help newcomers with that process. "Excuse Me, Can You Repeat That?" takes answers from a survey of 50 foreign students who were asked to describe their experience learning in America, and how it compared with their expectations. The book "demystifes pronunciation, confusing situations and common gestures for non-native English speakers," according to a release. "The rules of communication are not universal -- they are specific to particular cultures," Edelstein said in the release. "International students who learn the language can speak basic English, but the clarity of their speech and lack of knowledge about what to say in daily situational dialogues is less than good, leaving them frustrated with their skills. In this guide, I provide readers with insight into navigating through ways of communicating in the United States, so language and cultural frustrations are lessened." "Excuse Me, Can You Repeat That?" is available at Amazon.com and BarnesandNoble.com. For more information visit Facebook and ExcuseMe-CanYouRepeatThat.com. Edelstein, 53, also runs a consulting company, Verbal Impact, whose past clients include employees of Fidelity, Hitachi, Homesite, Inktomi, Fox News, Biosphere Medical, MIT and more. Edelstein, who was born in France, has two daughters -- Alexandra, 24, and Carly, 21. Edelstein recently took some time to answer our questions. What first sparked the idea to write the book? I decided to write this book because there are a limited number of easy to use, concise communication guides available for international students who simply need information on how to communicate more effect

Excuse Me, Can You Repeat That? Cathryn Cushner Edelstein Scholar-In-Residence at Emerson College: The rules of communication are not universal -- they are specific to particular cultures. International students who attend school in the U.S. often prepare for years by learning English. Often they have learned English from a non-native speaker who teaches with the use of a textbook, scripted dialogues and audio recordings. Though the basics of grammar and vocabulary are included, accurate pronunciation instruction and realistic cultural nuances are usually absent from lessons. Lack of speech clarity and an absence of knowledge about what to say in daily situational dialogues often leave these students frustrated with their skills when they actually live and study in the U.S. Expectations of communicating with ease are often challenged because the lessons learned in English classes don't parallel real life situations encountered in North America. Take for example the student who, in their native country, attended classes where the teachers always lectured and the students sat attentively listening. This style of teaching is rare in the United States where classes are most often interactive and participatory. American students eagerly raise their hands hoping to share their thoughts and questions with the teacher and the rest of the class. If a student hasn't prepared for this type of classroom environment, they will be less equipped with strategies to not only participate but to be successful. It is important that English lessons prepare students for real life situations so that when students make that journey to the U.S. or another English speaking country, they know what to expect culturally. By Cathryn Cushner Edelstein, Scholar-in-Residence at Emerson College in Boston, Massachusetts, USA and author of Excuse Me, Can You Repeat That? How to Communicate in the U.S. as an International Student - A Reference Guide
Global Education Magazine