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.