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Cited by 6International Student and Expatriate ChallengesEducation and experiences of immigrants and refugeesHigher Education Governance and Development

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International Students in Ontario Secondary Schools: Demystifying the Stereotype

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Schecter, Sandra, Merecoulias, Maria·2023·Comparative and International Education
DOI 10.5206/cie-eci.v51i2.13973
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Abstract

This article addresses findings of a pilot study focused on the schooling experiences and social and cultural adaptation of international/visa students who have come to Canada to learn English and obtain an Ontario Secondary School Diploma. Nonnative speakers of English and noncitizens of Canada, they are generally brought to Canada by relatives who depart after installing them with host families with whom they have had virtually no previous contact. Respondents reported that most of these youths’ parents have made considerable sacrifices in the hope that acquisition of “legitimate” English will give their child access to global citizenship and a secure future. Findings indicate that many early study abroad international students experience difficulties with second language socialization and are considered “at risk” for academic failure. Testimony from educators and focal students reveals that this cohort experiences significant adaptation issues, including: loneliness and disorientation, depression, and disabling circumstances resulting from injudicious choices.

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  • Immigrant adolescents who spoke their heritage language at home were more likely to become proficient in that language.

    “Schecter and Merecoulias (2023) study found that when immigrant adolescents spoke their heritage language at home, they were more likely to become proficient in that language.”

    From Heritage Language Maintenance Among Immigrant Youth: Factors Influencing Proficiency and Identity (2024) · cites this paper as Schecter and Merecoulias (2023)

    The Social and Cultural Adaptation section says that spending time with students from the same ethnic background may help maintain a mother tongue. The Discussion describes first-language interactions as support for students’ emotional needs. Neither passage reports whether immigrant adolescents who spoke a heritage language at home were more likely to become proficient in it; searches for home-language use and proficiency found no such finding. (LLM, conf=0.74)

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Metadata

Authors
Schecter, S., & Merecoulias, M.
Affiliations
York University (CA)
Venue
Comparative and International Education
Publisher
University of Western Ontario, Western Libraries
Published
2023-03-23
Volume
51
Issue
2
ISSN
2369-2634 (ISSN-L)
DOI
10.5206/cie-eci.v51i2.13973
OpenAlex
W4360843596
Cited by
6
References
56
Citations by year
2026: 1 · 2025: 2 · 2024: 2 · 2023: 1
FWCI
2.85
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Licence
Locations
  • Comparative and International Education (publishedVersion, cc-by-nc)
  • Érudit (Université de Montréal) (submittedVersion)
Funders
Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada
Topics
  • Social Sciences › Communication › International Student and Expatriate Challenges
  • Social Sciences › Education › Education and experiences of immigrants and refugees
  • Social Sciences › Education › Higher Education Governance and Development
Keywords
international students, high school students, English language learning, second language socialization, cultural adaptation, social adaptation, at-risk students, school failure, loneliness, depression, host families, parental sacrifice, stereotypes, Ontario

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