International Students and Faculty across the Disciplines: A Language Socialization Perspective

The number of international students in U.S. higher education has increased in recent years. Many of these students face English language challenges, but we know little about what faculty across the disciplines are doing to support their linguistic needs. This article presents findings from a qualitative study comprised of interviews with 15 faculty members at one institution to answer two questions: a) To what extent do faculty across the disciplines recognize the role of socialization in second language learning? and b) What practices do faculty across the disciplines claim to use to linguistically socialize international students into local communities? Findings indicate that most faculty in the study recognize basic tenets of language socialization and claim to enact pedagogies to support international students’ socialization experiences. However, a smaller number of participants are resistant to acting as language socializers. The authors offer suggestions to administrators and faculty interested in supporting international students.