IELTS Research Reports

Learning to play the ‘classroom tennis’ well:IELTS and international students in teacher education2 LBOTE STUDENTS, ENGLISH LANGUAGE PROFICIENCY, TESTINGINSTRUMENTS AND TEACHER EDUCATION: A REVIEW OFLITERATUREAt the time of writing, international education is Australia’s third largest export after coal and iron ore(Bradley, 2008, p 88). Over 80% of international students come from Asia, including twenty-one percent from mainland China (Bradley, 2008, p 92). The Bradley review of Australian higher educationlinks global engagement with international education, global research networks and student mobilitybecause Australia has the ‘highest proportion of international students in higher education in theOECD’(Bradley 2008, p 12) .Australian higher education is seen as facing a risk because ‘international students are concentratedin a narrow range of subject fields’ (Bradley, 2008, p 12). There is pressure to broaden the fields andlevels of studies being undertaken by international students. Sixty-seven per cent of the Chinesestudent cohort of 58,588 students in 2007 were undertaking degrees in management and commercedisciplines, while ‘only 3.6 per cent (were) undertaking a research higher degree’ (Bradley, 2008,pp 92, 93). In terms of research higher degrees, compared with other OECD countries, a ‘relativelylow proportion of Australia’s higher degree students are international students’ (Bradley, 2008, p 12).Significantly, it is argued that Australian ‘immigration policies that target international students andscholars can yield positive results and can be critical in building the necessary skilled workforce forthe future’ (Bradley, 2008, p 99). In order to fill labour shortages and skills mismatches, internationalstudents are expected ‘to become work ready in the Australian context’ (Bradley, 2008, p 103). Inparticular, Bradley (2008, p 12) argues that because of ‘looming shortages of academic staff (inAustralia) it is time to consider how increases in higher degree enrolments from high-performinginternational students might be encouraged.’ From these combined perspectives it is, therefore,‘essential for Australian (higher education) institutions to maintain high standards and excellentstudent support services to maintain (international) student numbers’ (Bradley, 2008, p 107). Thefollowing review delineates the key debates and concepts concerning English language testing andtertiary students in general and teacher education students in particular, with particular emphasis onthe Australian context.2.1 International students in English language universitiesOver a decade ago, Barrett-Lennard (1997) reported that international students in Australia were notreceiving the support needed for successful university study. These students needed help in preparingfor IELTS and also with learning at Australian universities. Academic courses that addressed bothneeds were recommended. Krause et al (2005) investigated the changes over a ten year period in theexperiences of first year students in Australian universities. They found that international students wereless satisfied that their expectations had been met than were their domestic counterparts. Likewise,the analysis of the first year experiences of students from equity groups revealed sufficient subgroupdifferences to warrant institutional strategies designed to meet their specific needs.Ramsay et al’s (2007) study of first year students in an Australian university included comparisons ofyoung (17–21 year olds), mature-aged, local and international students. While there was no significantdifference between young and mature-aged students, local students rated their level of adjustmentsignificantly higher than international students. The results of Ramsay et al’s (2007) study indicatethat the design of first year programs for all first year university students, and some categories of firstyear students in particular, need much more careful consideration by universities. They recommendan ‘intercultural training approach which focuses on general or culture specific critical incidents andIELTS Research Reports Volume 1179