For data analysis, I was able to adhere to fundamental qualitative methods through the use of semi-structured interviews and an inductive, thematic data analysis (Braun & Clarke, 2006, 2013; Merriam & Grenier, 2019). I followed a pattern in identifying the language identity experiences of participants across cultures and nations. So, I transcribed the interviews and then coded the data according to the emerging themes. This process has been done through Microsoft Word tracking and comments. I obtained a wide range of codes, but in my analysis and extraction of themes, I did not use all these codes. The analysis included two rounds: first, I performed open coding with color coding, and then those open codes were compared to the other codes, and then I was able to figure out how these codes could lead me to extract some themes. With reference to my research question, I tried to eliminate unnecessary codes and extract certain themes from them.
Preliminary Findings
The data gathered from the semi-structured interviews was then subjected to analysis in order to discover common themes and patterns among the responses of the participants. This section summarizes the key findings of the study, with an emphasis on the main themes that were developed from the data. More specifically, in this section, the researcher examined the issues international students face with English language learning, the identity and language challenges they face in the context of a second language, and the strategies they used for dealing with those obstacles.
Their Language History
The L2 speakers disclosed different amounts of time that they spent studying English. The experiences of one of the Indian participant's family, community, and school have shaped and developed his linguistics. His mother introduced some English vocabulary to her children, predominantly through nurturing settings such as bath time.
This Indian participant remembered visiting his grandparents, as they were from the past generation and affected by colonization and its outcomes. They learned English well, and spending some time with them could effectively help him learn the language.
In the Indian context, despite the encouragement one of the other Indian participants received from certain instructors and the large number of Indian students at his school, his language, culture, and identity were frequently challenged. He remembered the challenge that he came across in his early school years, which led him to decide to learn English, more purposefully:
In kindergarten, I had an American-native substitute instructor who did not recognize or make any attempt to figure out the need to use the restroom. The teacher was visibly offended by the fact that he, as a substitute instructor, had to clean up the mess after I was unable to make it to class on time due to my struggle to obtain permission in English. I vividly recall this horrifying experience and the manner in which it ultimately influenced my language development.
The Iranian participant’s story was somehow different:
I started learning English professionally from the time that I decided to study abroad. So, I purposefully started studying English for the IELTS (International English Language Testing System), and having this test score would help me in completing my application to some higher education institutions in the US. So, I was in a very forceful English immersion situation. My ESL instructor's strict methods and my purpose for studying abroad inspired me to learn the English language quickly and effectively.
The Pakistani participants started learning basic English in elementary school. One of them mentioned that;
I did not take any language course here. As for the purpose of studying abroad, I had to take the GRE and standard language test in his home country to be able to apply to US universities. So, I had obtained the minimum language requirement to enter the United States.
In answering the research questions of this study, the best way to describe the analysis of semi- structured interview transcripts was a structural coding analysis. In this type of analysis, a code refers to memos that are employed to sum up and classify data (Saldaña, 2013). For each interview transcript excerpt, codes were employed to denote the essence of its meaning. In accordance with Saldaña (2013), these codes are then grouped and classified according to their overarching themes or the themes that a researcher considers within them. The emerging themes from the challenges they faced in the new second language environment and the answers provided by them regarding how they tried to adjust to the US milieu are shown below.
To answer the first research question; what challenges do international graduate students in the US experience in the formation of their new identity? some codes have been attained. They are reported as follows:
Language Issues
Almost Indian and Iranian students expressed having issues with specific sounds and accents and having to double-check their pronunciation. In spite of having sufficient background knowledge of the English language as an Indian peer, they had problems with the American accent. While the Indian students states that they were able to adapt to a new environment and communicate more effectively than before, all other Iranian and Pakistani students seemed to struggle with speaking, whether as a result of shyness or a feeling that their language skills are inadequate. The marginalization causes them to feel stressed, which adversely impacts their L2 communication.
As one of the Indian participants claimed:
Initially, when I moved here, I learned that American English is a little different from the kind of English that we have learned. It was difficult for me to understand the American accent of the native speakers, but I slowly got used to listening to them, and within three months I was able to fluently converse with them.
One of the Iranian students mentioned about the communication breakdown that exists between him and the American community, especially his professor:
When I examine myself, the primary factor that affects my speaking is not just my accent but how I feel when I speak to a person, such as my supervisor, who is always composed and fair. But if I talk to my international friends, who I know don't speak English fluently, I am able to communicate more effectively.
One of the Pakistani students expresses concern that their identity is not comprehended or appreciated in their new environment. The Pakistani student expressed the feeling that they are unable to fully communicate themselves, especially when it comes to their sense of humor. He mentioned that "at home, I was known for my sense of humor, but not here, as in this context, I was not able to be so expressive."
Also, the other Iranian recounts experiencing cultural shocks upon his arrival in the United States, especially in terms of language usage and informality:
When I came here, I felt a kind of curiosity or shock. For example, in the language among the teenagers, which is even normal in other countries as well, they are giving you an informative statement, but they pronounce it in a question format. So I think there is a name for it... It was really interesting that I saw it in Iran and in my country as well among teenagers, but here is too much, and I think that our country or our teenagers may get inspired by foreigners in speaking like that.
Integration into American Society
The Iranian and Pakistani students address the difficulties of integrating into American society, referring to language as an important impediment to communication and academic self-expression. Whereas the Indian students highlighted the importance of knowing English for self-confidence and self-esteem. One of them mentioned, "I think if I know English enough, that actually helps me be self-assertive enough, so it does play a major role in someone’s self-esteem."
One of the Iranian participant said that "I can’t express myself because I am not fluent in English (especially, with respect to my pronunciation ability). I feel like it hinders my possibilities a lot. I can think of English as just a medium of communication, though."
One of the Pakistani participants stated that "I found my difficulty to be due to the sense of being a minority, a lack of familiarity with the English language, and proficiency difficulties."
Iranian students emphasized the significance of preserving their cultural heritage and identity while adapting to American customs and standards, while the Pakistani and Indian students emphasized the importance of having an open mind and respect for cultural differences in order to foster positive interactions and be self-assertive among the American community.
Adjusting to American Culture
The Iranian individuals highlighted the importance and, in the meantime, the difficulty of getting rid of some past behavior and previous identities and embracing new selves, which was not addressed by the other participants from the two other countries.
One of the Iranians stated that:
I struggled to move on from my past identities and embrace my new selves. For example, I used to be a person who expressed my feelings and trusted people around me very quickly, but with the emergence of a bunch of problems, I tried to suppress and fade this feeling, and especially here in the US, I feel more comfortable because I set aside this habit of being open to everybody.
Valuing the culture of one's home country would be the main principle for an Indian participants. However, reverse culture shock would manifest for the Indian participant as he felt difficulty reconnecting with old friends and family. It would cause misunderstandings with the home culture's principles and customs, as an individual would feel like he no longer belonged to his previous group and had abandoned his sense of identity and, consequently, formed a new identity. He claimed that:
If I return to India, I will continue to honor my culture while also appreciating the valuable lessons and experiences I gained during my time abroad. But, on my first trip to India after two years living in the US, I faced significant communication challenges, and I quickly realized that the US environment has affected me, and even my family could not understand me and my viewpoints well.
One of the Pakistani participants said that "back in Pakistan, I never used to eat beef, but after coming here, I explored those options and things like that, which helped me culturally figure out stuff and give a different perspective on how things are."
RQ2. What is the role of environmental factors in shaping international students’ identities?
To answer the second research question, the following codes and detailed descriptions have been reported:
The Role of Communities of Practice
All participants would agree that interacting with local students can be extremely beneficial for their identity formation. One of the Indians discussed the difficulty of understanding accents, but he was able to communicate effectively by interacting with locals. The other indian asserted that "engaging with native Americans helped me out with communicating effectively in the US. This is like the best thing that could honestly help anyone survive better."
The Pakistani students mentioned that “how interacting with local students broadened my understanding of different cultures”. The other Pakistani said, "I still have my Pakistani accent, but you know some of my friends are native Americans and some are internationals, so it should not be so difficult." Also, the Iranian student talked about a program that employs American students as dialogue facilitators, which he found to be extremely useful, not only in terms of language but also emotionally. The other Iranian also asserted that "my neighbor is American, and interacting with her made me feel better with respect to my language skills."
As a whole, all students agree that interacting with locals can help them shape their language identity, and their experiences and perspectives regarding the specific benefits of this interaction could be helpful to these participants.
The Role of Language Courses
The Iranian, Indian, and Pakistani participants have different viewpoints on how they can successfully learn a second language. One of the Iranian participants believed that taking language courses allows them to adjust to their new environment and gain cultural awareness, whereas for the Indian participant choosing the independent study to improve their language skills would be a better option. For one of the Pakistani participants, on the other hand, utilizing online resources and physical engagement with native speakers to learn and acclimate to various accents and dialects would be a helpful facilitator.
One of the Iranian participants assumed that:
It is good to know some of the cultural differences. I think learning those things is good, but the universities here, the institutions, and the schools can provide training courses or some language courses that I think they have here, just like orientation sessions. Right. Yeah, it’s good, for example. I myself learned a lot during the conversation in the Conversation Café meetings held by our university.
The Indian participant asserted that "If I need to learn English, this can be done by taking help online from some online resources."
The Pakistani participant believed that:
Online resources and engaging with native English speakers have further honed my language skills, helping me adapt to various accents and dialects. While I appreciate my mother tongue, I recognize the importance of English as a global language and feel comfortable using it as a medium of instruction.
The Role of American Institutional Behavior
The impact of American institutions on shaping identity in the international student language-learning experience is a theme shared by all of these Asian participants. Each participant's cultural background influences their communication styles, assertiveness, and behavior. The Iranian participants emphasized the professor's role as a facilitator of language learning in a non-authoritarian context. One of them said that:
I used to live in a high context culture with a centralized system; usually you have a hierarchy in the school, even the teacher, but here It's more bottom-up; everybody has a power in it, and there is no authority in the institution, at least in my department.
Also, the Indian participants emphasized cultural differences in communication styles and the influence of a more collaborative approach in the United States on his assertiveness. One of them claimed that:
The colleagues and professors I have in the US are not afraid to be challenged, by interacting with them, I realized that it is okay to ask questions and even criticize them, and this is something I have started appreciating more because of the people from my institution.
The Pakistani participants emphasized the influence of institutional behavior on his own cultural practices and the necessity of adapting to new contexts by removing competitive and individualized feelings from themselves. One of them said:
If I were in Pakistan, I would definitely show a different reaction, and I would show more competitive behavior with my colleagues. Additionally, what I learned here is that you should kind of remove that ‘I’ from yourself. For example, my language should be other than speaking about myself and my identity, and I’m trying to remove that ‘I’ from giving a lecture in the class and also a lot of other things, and I assume our education system in the US as a whole contributed effectively to this change in me.