English self-confidence and classroom engagement among international university students in Australia

Abstract

Australia has become a popular destination for international students to pursue higher education. As Australia is an English-speaking country, international students must complete an English proficiency test prior to commencing their studies at university. Lacking confidence in English has been identified as a barrier to international students’ engagement in the classroom. This study investigated self-confidence in English skills differs between first year international and domestic students, and whether it predicts student engagement. A total of 66 participants (international = 34, domestic = 32) completed an online questionnaire collecting quantitative data. Results found that international students had significantly lower self-confidence in English skills than domestic students. Furthermore, this study found that self-confidence in speaking English was an overall significant predictor of student engagement which may discourage active engagement in the classroom. Therefore, it is important to explore this relationship further to provide strategies to improve international students’ confidence and engagement.