Image from a university website
“An amazing student experience awaits you!” – “a multicultural vibrant experience” in a “stunning landscape” covered by “year-round sunshine.”
These phrases do not come from a tourist brochure, but the websites of Australian universities. They are accompanied by stunning images of urban or natural landscapes and aim to attract international students.
International education is often hailed as a way to keep economies growing as higher education has shifted towards a commercialized model. However, the efforts to increase enrolment numbers are also accompanied by worries that in the haste to attract more students, the admission requirements – in particular that of English language proficiency – are lowered.
Gatekeeping
Countries built on immigration are looking to recover the immigration loss caused by the pandemic years and the ensuing border restrictions. A new proposal to overhaul the Australian visa system has attracted attention as the country is forecast to grow by 715,000 from 2022 to 2024.
International students are affected, of course, as student visas and possible immigration pathways attached to students visas are discussed in the report. In particular, the English language requirements for admission into university courses are recommended to be raised from a “low base” of Band 5.5 on the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) to be able to meet the language demands of the labour market after graduation.
We have addressed this deficit approach to international students before. Recent research by Ingrid Piller and I on university admission requirements found that English language proficiency requirements maintain exclusionary practices of international students by setting up the binary categories of tested and ‘inherent’ English language proficiency (read more about it here).
But how do universities reconcile these two opposing forces of, on the one hand, needing to attract international students for commercial reasons, and on the other, setting up linguistic requirements as a gatekeeping mechanism?
An idealized lifestyle
To answer this question, in my recently published paper at Higher Education Research & Development, I turned to university websites. I wanted to explore what role language plays in the admission process caught between these two opposing forces. And how does it affect the communication of English language proficiency requirements to prospective international applicants. The analysis went beyond looking at content and text and included the multimodal features of the websites: naming and positioning of webpages, the visuals accompanying the texts and, of course, the language use of the English language proficiency requirement webpages.
Image from a university website
I found that the language use, which ranged from highly formal to conversational, references the authority of the law, thus adds objectivity and authority to the requirements. The paper provides an analysis of how the generic features of legal language use are applied to the educational context and interact with marketing discourses.
The visuals on these webpages create a different effect, though.
They serve to depict an idealized student lifestyle to which English language proficiency is a vehicle. The pictures and videos on the websites analysed depict students engaging in various social situations and leisure activities such as shopping, eating out or engaging in activities at the beach. The participants in these activities are depicted in engaging in intercultural situations (indexed by looks of various ethnicities) and enjoying each other’s company, communicating with ease.
In reality, these are activities international students report to struggle with because of social isolation or the difficulty to use English in everyday situations. These visuals of ‘success’ legitimize the English language proficiency requirements, where participants become role models or protagonists in a video footage.
What effect does this representation have on the concept of English language proficiency used as an admission requirement?
A simplified English language proficiency and an accessible student experience
Firstly, English language proficiency gets simplified through the objectivity of simple numerical scores and the authority of legal discourse. After all, if the university policy states that an IELTS Band 6 is adequate to study in English and the students have this level, they should have no problem with their studies or socialization – a view commonly held.
At the same time, the website visuals communicate a desirable student experience. This is both a misrepresentation of the language proficiency needed for further studies, which in fact all students need to develop, not just internationals, and the realities of the international student experience.
As much as we would appreciate “year-round sunshine”, we need to acknowledge that the weather in Australia is more nuanced than that.
Likewise, university admission requirement communication should indicate that English language proficiency is not a fixed ‘product’ described by the applicant’s IELTS score but rather a process, and acknowledge that discipline-specific language proficiency may need to be developed by all students during their studies.
References
Bodis, A. (2023). Gatekeeping v. marketing: English language proficiency as a university admission requirement in Australia. Higher Education Research & Development. https://doi.org/10.1080/07294360.2023.2174082
Bodis, A. (2021). The discursive (mis) representation of English language proficiency: International students in the Australian media. Australian Review of Applied Linguistics, 44(1), 37-64.
Bodis, A. (2021). ‘Double deficit’ and exclusion: Mediated language ideologies and international students’ multilingualism. Multilingua, 40(3), 367-392. doi:doi:10.1515/multi-2019-0106
Piller, I., & Bodis, A. (2022). Marking and unmarking the (non)native speaker through English language proficiency requirements for university admission. Language in Society. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0047404522000689
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Thank you Agnes for your very pertinent research. It is my experience both as a language teacher and student, that language learning skills, such as academic writing, are an ongoing process. I agree that university IELTS entrance requirements can be misleading, and some students believe once they pass the IELTS exam with a high enough score, their language level is sufficient and there is no need for further language or writing studies. Also, I agree that all students, native or non-native English speaking, local or international students, need to continually work on their academic writing skills. It’s really an ongoing process and this needs to be discussed, supported and emphasized more by all teachers with support programs to direct students into, some of which Macquarie already has. Additionally, I have met many students in Macquarie who have been disappointed with their social experience in Australia, very different in reality from the marketing images promised on websites and in the media. What they were promised and dreamed their life would be like, is far from their actual experiences. International student life can be very overwhelming and isolating. Certainly, many students experience some degree of culture shock trying to adapt to the new customs of Australia. These multiple challenges of navigating day to day life in a new language, adjusting to new classroom and academic customs, trying to figure out online registration, administration, extension requests etc as well as attempting to create a social life is a lot for anyone. When I was a university exchange student at Ristumeikan University in Kyoto, Japan, I stayed at two different homestay families and was assigned five official buddies. Yes five! They took their role very seriously and accompanied me everywhere on and off campus. They helped me navigate the university campus and some academic customs. Also, they showed me around Kyoto and took me to experience different aspects of Japanese culture. Also we just hung out, ate, laughed and chatted a lot. Even though they were initially assigned to be my buddies, we became real friends. I had a truly fabulous time studying in Japan both academically and socially and never felt lonely. This language and cultural exchange experience dramatically changed the trajectory of my life! My teacher was an exceptional example of a very motivating and skilled language teacher. I got the idea of teaching English from the amazing experience I had in her class and have tried to model some of my teaching style after her. I wish that Australian universities could adapt some of these common-sense programs that I had the privilege of benefiting from in Japan. For example, it would be simple to ask for volunteers to assist and befriend international students and give each student a couple of official buddies. It would also be possible to connect students with community organizations so they could experience some Aussie customs like bush walking or camping, visiting museums or attending musical events, and participating in Australian holidays and celebrations.
Wow – 5 buddies for one person?! That’s VIP very 🙂
We have a joke like this in Vietnam, even if you get IELTS 8.0 or 9.0, you will still encounter culture shock when studying abroad. And actually, sometimes that’s true. Although IELTS Academic is an exam that evaluates academic English ability, students certainly still have difficulty writing a 2000-word essay. On the contrary, I noticed that there are many people whose English is not good; they will even communicate in “broken English,” but they still communicate well with people, and their English is getting better daily. In my mind, exams like IELTS are just the beginning and only assess your language ability when taking the test. Your level can ultimately increase or decrease depending on how you are exposed to English daily.
Thanks, Hao! Different ways of learning set us up on different learning paths … like you, I think that the kind of tested English studied for IELTS can actually impede successful communication because of its excessive focus on accuracy …
I cannot agree more with Hao’s comment. Immigrants who moved from various countries, especially countries where the language spoken is not in the same language group as English or where English is not an official language can have their speaking ability vary drastically depending on what influence they have once they move to another country. I’ve noticed that a lot of Korean students only spend time with other Korean students because they are a bit intimidated by the locals or fellow students and tend to be more reserved. This results in their English ability not getting any better, despite studying abroad for several years. It is interesting how the kind of life within a country also determines speaking ability.
Thank you for providing this article! I’ve had numerous discussions with my friends regarding the idea of studying abroad. They have a strong desire to study in a foreign country; however, the schools require them to take the IELTS test. This requirement is advantageous as it ensures that they possess a sufficient level of English language proficiency to succeed in their academic programs. It is important for comprehension, active participation in classes, and the successful completion of assignments.
I consider myself fortunate because I am from the Philippines, where all I need to do is submit a Medium of Instruction Certificate. This means I don’t have to pass the IELTS test to apply as an international student.
Thanks, Sha! As someone who came in with an MoI Certificate, do you experience any difficulties with English or would you say your English was a good match for the English required to do well at uni in Australia?
I totally agree as I had some similar experiences when I came to Australia. The real life English that I experienced is different from textbooks regarding pragmatics. When I joined my first class in Australia, I didn’t know how to call my teacher whether I should call her first name or last name, and what pronoun or title should I use. As in Vietnam, we don’t call our teachers by their name, but we have 2 different words for female (cô) and male (thầy) teachers. Many other language difficulties also happened to me such as different accents from many languages, technical terms, slangs, and words for some items that I didn’t see in my hometown. In my opinion, the solution is considering those experiences as English lessons, not problems, and let them motivate us to keep studying. For example, when I don’t understand a phrase or a word. I will note it down and check the meaning on internet when I am free, then I try to use it in conversation. Sometimes I ask my Australian friends to check whether the way to use those phrases or words correct or not.
Thanks, Brownie! Terms of address are always tricky in intercultural communication and there is no right or wrong … I usually state in the first session how I like to be addressed (either, “Ingrid” or “Professor Piller”) but this semester fewer people than usual seem to have been paying attention because I’ve been addressed by students as “Sir” (why???), “Ma’am”, and “Piller” – along with the usual “Dr Ingrid” (which I don’t mind although it sounds like I’m the agony aunt … which I often am 😉 and “Mrs Piller” (which is the only one I find truly objectionable, because it’s low on solidarity (the kind of politeness involved in using first names) and low on respect (the kind of politeness involved in using titles like “Dr” or “Professor”).
Conversely, I’m struggling with how to address international students who have one name in the system but then introduce themselves to me with a completely different English name. I know it’s intended to simplify things for me but it actually makes it more difficult to remember any name because I’ll be struggling for the longest time to figure out what the connection between a physical student in class to an online name in the system is … another challenge with Vietnamese names in particular is to figure out what the first name is (everything before the surname? Just the last element before the surname? the 2 elements before the surname?)
It’s complicated but also part of the fun of intercultural communication 🙂
Thank you so much, Agi, for an interesting topic. It is true that IELTS is now a standard to assess our English levels and helps us with various things in life, such as enrolment in universities or getting a job. I have to share the fact that, in Vietnam now, we are attracted by a phenomenon named ”Getting an IELTS score”. I have experienced that various IELTS students in bands 5.0 to 6.5 could not use the language comprehensively in their daily communication. They even have some problems with vocabulary, grammar and pronunciation. This is because they got high scores in Reading and Writing but tended to get lower scores in Listening and Speaking. And IELTS test, in my opinion, only assesses learners at the time students were taking the tests. The assessment of how learners use the language needs to be conducted more than that. It is true that, in Vietnam, we only have a few opportunities to use English and practice to improve our listening and speaking skills. Having a valuable chance to study in Australia has helped us to live in an actual ”English-using” environment. Moreover, learning a language is a long process that we do day by day.
Good point, Lynn, about language learning being a journey … all those advertising and marketing discourses that promise shortcuts and quick fixes for language learners can never live up to their promises.
Thank you, Ingrid, for bringing the point up. I totally agree. In my opinion, the success of language learning depends greatly on the learners themselves (their autonomy and motivation).
Hi Lynn, I completely agree with you. “IELTS fever” has never stopped being hot in Vietnam when with an IELTS of 4.5 – 5, you are exempted from taking the English subject at the national high school graduation exam, even though there is nothing we can do with an IELTS score of 4.5.
Thank you for sharing your perspective, Lynn. That one score on a proficiency test can indeed mean many different things in terms of language skills. As you say developing learner autonomy when studying abroad is a whole new area that language tests do not prepare you for.
In May 2020, I scored an overall 6.5 in my first ever IELTS exam, which allowed me to enter the Macquarie University. At the time, I was the only person who got the high score like that in my group of friends who were on a working holiday makers with me, and I had a huge chip on my shoulder. Not only that, but Macquarie University’s entry requirements also specified an IELTS 6.5, so I knew I would be able to get through school without any problems. I dreamed of a class where I could make friends from different nationalities, communicate in English with my Australian classmates and talk about academic subjects together, just like the international students in the marketing materials on Macquarie University’s website.
However, once I got there, I realised that my ideal was too high from who I was. After the first week of school, I remember that I wanted to give up everything and asked my professor at the time following:
“Is this the right class for me? I came in with a IELTS 6.5 and I can’t understand anything and even I can’t communicate with my friends.”
I remember my professor at the time reassuring me that I was only feeling isolated because there were fewer international students due to the COVID-19, and that there were usually many international students in a similar English level to mine.
After the pandemic ended, I met many new international students who were in a similar situation to me. Most of them complained of difficulties and wanted to give up just like what I wanted.
And now it’s been three years. Today I went to Student Connect to apply for graduation and returned to home. As I read this, many thoughts are running through my mind. Despite my limited English skills, I managed to study with a group of very caring and good friends, meet some excellent professors, and make it to graduate school.
I am so grateful, but I hope that the increasingly low English language entry requirements for Australian universities for marketing purposes will not lead to more international students dropping out at the middle of their studies.
Congratulations on your imminent graduation! Great to see that you’ve been able to overcome all these hurdles and get so far! Language learning takes time …
Congratulations! You forgot to mention that you are also an English language teacher now and you can help your students adjust to new environments 🙂
Hi Jung Ung, I’m also an international student and I have a lot of sympathy with you. Although I prepared myself mentally that I may not listen and understand completely what other Australian or international friends saying in Australia, I was also really shock. It’s getting better now and I believe that the more we immerse to English, the more we can understand. I think the problem can be from the content of IELTS tests which are different from the real life. For example, in IELTS speaking, we try to cover as many as possible the criteria to get the high score, we try to use some complicated words or idioms which are barely used in Australia. In listening skills, even though we have many content relating to academia life, however, I haven’t listen to any content about intercultural communication which are really dynamic. I think the preparation about communication in multicultural country as Australia is important for international students.
Thanks for this overview of your recent work, Agi. It certainly resonates; we’ve all heard these sorts of mistaken assumptions about fixed language proficiency gauged by (or buck passed to) IELTS from colleagues, along with their reluctance to participate in actually helping international students learn the specifics of English for their discipline, Australian English etc. I certainly see in teaching law that, as you note, language learning is a process in which all university students are engaged, including the domestic students. Hats off to the rare university educators out there who do involve themselves actively in language learning and try to avoid a deficit approach.
Thank you, Alex. I would be interested to hear how you tackle language development in the discipline of law.