I know that there are lots of students who are just arriving to start their summer pre-sessional courses in the UK over the next few weeks. I’d like to say a big WELCOME to all of you and to wish you luck on your English course. I talk to a lot of students about their experiences of studying in the UK, and I also read a lot of journal articles about academics who have done research into international students’experiences of living and studying here. There is general consensus that (notice the great academic phrase there is general consensus that which means exactly the same as everybody agrees that but is far more academic!) one of the things that international students go through when they come to study in the UK is language shock.
Language shock is what it sounds like! Often students who have just arrived in the UK feel completely confused by the English around them. Students who have good English language skills in their own countries can feel completely lost because of the difference in colloquial ‘street’ English and the formal English that they have studied in their home countries. Then you put in all the differences between English speakers from different places and different classes: help!
Prepare for Success is my favourite resource for international students because of the excellent orientation materials it has for new students getting ready to study at university. There are things that you can do to help you with your language shock – get some advice by following this link to Prepare for Success at Southampton University!