An Assets-Based Approach to Serving Multilingual International Students in Higher Education

This guide will help higher education institutions create a more purposeful and supportive learning and cultural environment for their multilingual international students.

Through a lens of equity and social justice, this volume offers a comprehensive look at the education of multilingual international students (MISs) in higher education. Featuring contributions from leading scholars, this collection tackles issues of inequity in admissions, language testing, mentoring, mental health, and more. It provides critical insights into the diverse experiences of MISs on multilingual and multicultural campuses, along with evidence-based practices and policy recommendations. As universities increasingly recruit international students, this book will help a wide range of professionals to address the specific linguistic, academic, and sociocultural needs of this student population.

Book Features:

• Designed as a practical resource for faculty, administrators, advisors, and decision-makers.
• Fills a crucial gap in higher education by centering the voices, goals, and needs of MISs and advocating for more just and inclusive institutional policy and practices.
• Offers a focus on the intersection of both international students and multilingual learners, addressing their unique characteristics.
• Brings together research-active experts and topics from different fields (counseling and mental health, trauma, teaching pedagogies) that are not often integrated into one resource.

Laura Mahalingappa is an associate professor of applied linguistics and language education at the University of Maryland. Hayriye Kayi-Aydar is a professor of English applied linguistics/TESOL at the University of Arizona. Nihat Polat is a professor and chair of the Department of Teaching and Learning, Policy and Leadership at the University of Maryland.

“This much-needed book provides a comprehensive guide for higher education professionals serving multilingual international students in undergraduate or graduate programs. The authors provide concepts and ideas to establish a more supportive learning environment for this student population. This important collection addresses relevant topics within the Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) field.”
—Luciana C. de Oliveira, professor, Department of Teaching and Learning, Virginia Commonwealth University

“Anyone working with Multilingual International Students (MISs) will find this book to be an invaluable resource. It educates stakeholders across university campuses on how best to help MISs succeed through creating equitable learning spaces and supportive relationships. Perhaps more important, it underscores the need to recognize these students’ diverse experiences and broad range of competences as assets rather than impediments to their success, showing how their contributions to university communities benefit everyone.”
—Elizabeth R. Miller, professor of applied linguistics, University of North Carolina at Charlotte