Kim, Jeongyeon. 2018. “A Case Study of Nonnative English-Speaking International
Students' Adjustment to a Korean University”. The Sociolinguistic Journal of Korea 26(1).
111~133. In the midst of intense global economic competition, institutions of higher
education in many non-English-speaking societies have rigorously expanded
internationalization and seen a dramatic increase of international students. This study
investigated a case of nonnative English-speaking international students' adjustment to
a Korean university devoted to internationalization. A mixed method was adopted to
examine the relationships between adjustment and factors including perception of
English as a lingua franca (ELF), perception of English-medium instruction, cultural
knowledge, and perceived language proficiency. The analysis of the questionnaire
responses of 132 international students and qualitative interviews with seven of the
respondents revealed their negative view of EMI, which was frequently associated with
the local language used in class. Their adjustment correlated significantly with the
amount of the knowledge of the Korean culture and with the extent to which they
would perceive English as a means of intercultural communication. Although the
relationship between their view of EMI and adjustment was not significant, it was found
still valid and indirect through the factor of the Korean language proficiency. Notably,
in the qualitative interviews, the participants revealed limited understanding of the way
interaction is framed in different local communities. These findings are discussed to
propose improved support for international students of non-English-speaking higher
education.