International+Student+Support

International Student Support  By: Mark James  Liberty University Education 661




 * Here is the scene**: you show up for work and begin reviewing your daily schedule - then the administrator's voice rings out of the walkie talkie requesting your assistance at the main office. As you arrive you see a foreign student and you quickly realize that the student is unable to communicate a complete sentence in English.


 * Ok** - take a deep breath and remind yourself that you have the resources you need to provide your wonderful new student with the support this student as they transition into your school!

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This scenario could be a reality as statistics show that in 2007; of the seventy three million children under the age of eighteen in the United States, five percent of those children were foreign born (NCES, 2010). The great and encouraging news is that the school counseling program has been expanding over the international scene for quite some time as schools **__all the world__** are employing school counselors!

Expectations and assumptions may come into play here as the school counselors role in other countries are different than a school counselor's role in America. To gain a perspective on possible assumptions that foreign students may have when adjusting to the the new school setting and their guess on the services provided by the guidance department; you are strongly encouraged to research the student's former country so that you will recognize the role the school counselor played. Here are some examples where miscommunication and assumptions may become a factor...

__**Finland**__ is a one example of a country with a developed school counseling program, however the student's interaction has really been hindered as until recently the principles have requested that more time for the school counselor to provide individual and group counseling for the students (Kikas & Magi, 2009)." So, if you receive a student from Finland and you approach the student; they will probably be very confused as to why you are even talking to them and then need some explaining.



counseling program, however they looked upon by the community leaders to encourage healthy lifestyles for the students to address the current HIV/Aids epidemic that is affecting their Country's population (Bhusumane & Nitza &Stockton, 2010)
 * __Botswana__** an adjacent country to South Africa also has an established school


 * __[[image:malawi.jpg width="148" height="164" align="left"]]Malawi__** is a country that is beginning to recognize the value of the school counselor and schools are beginning to employ people specifically for this role, however many times the person who fills this role has neither had formal training or work under a formal guidance program (Banda & Dixe, 1998). Transfer students and guardians may need an informed consent and a formal meeting so that the school counselor can better explain the responsive services that the counselor has to offer to the students.

__**Jerusalem**__ the guidance counselors in Israeli schools are called upon to provide crisis counseling on a regular basis as a means for one of the responsive services. Crisis counseling is a responsive services that school counselors in America provide, however over there it is expected to be utilized often (Amram & Tatar, 2008). Transfer students may feel a bit of anxiety when approached by the school counselor due to past experiences.

A big question that the school counselor may want to ask is: why did the student transfer? Was it for reasons of war, was the family fleeing the country, financial reason? These may also be producing stress and anxiety for the transfer student.

As the purpose of this presentation is to educate and encourage you on how the school counseling profession is becoming a global branch of education; it is also served to assist you on recognizing the many ways that miscommunication and wrong assumptions can quickly develop as a student is transitioning into your school. A great first step is to take a few moments and try to place your self in that students shoes and how lost or confused you may feel. **__Its Scary__**! The great news is - YOU ALREADY HAVE THE SKILLS NEEDED TO ASSIST THIS STUDENT! Its true! The ASCA National Model has already given you a comprehensive format of Responsive Services that __will__ adequately help your new foreign student.

__**Responsive Services**__
 * **__Consultation__** - you role as a school counselor will be to consult with the teachers, parents, and other faculty that will interact with the international student daily to make sure everybody is on the same page on how to properly assist this student.
 * **__Individual & Group Counseling__** - both can assist the student to process with the school counselor and other students on their daily obstacles/anxieties and receive feedback and support from others.
 * __**Crisis Counseling**__ - support that is made available for students who are in emergency situations.
 * **__Referrals__** - like the movie shown above; a student that meets the criteria for Limited English Proficiency (LEP) will need a translator especially for the transitional period.
 * __**Peer Facilitation**__ - look for the peer support for the student from other students with leadership qualities. Have a group of assigned students make a point to look for the new international student and offer assistance.

If you are employed as a school counselor, then take a look at the school report card of your school and the schools around you to monitor the number of students that meet the criteria of Limited English Proficiency (LEP). This is defined as "persons who are unable to communicate effectively in English because their primary language is not English and they have not developed fluency in the English language.” (HHS.gov, 2010) If there are students in the elementary school in your district that are being reported then now is a time to prepare for when they arrive at your school, or looking at the schools that you are applying, so that going into that school you already have a grasp of what is to be expected.
 * __Be Prepared__**

This article was to serve as an encouragement and a reminder to the school counselors that the position of "School Counselor" is not exclusive to American students and is becoming a developing profession all over the world. The reminder is that even as students are still transferring into the United States; we as school counselors already have a framework of responsive services are ready to welcome these new students and help their transition goes as smoothly as possible!
 * __Summary__**

__**Conclusion**__ This is such a great opportunity to not only represent your school but be a welcoming face and represent your country when a foreign student arrives at your school. As I have had the wonderful opportunity to go on eight international trips I can clearly recall how cold and unwelcoming it felt as I was going through customs and trying to re-enter my own country. I can not imagine how it would feel with a foreign student coming to the United States. The great opportunity comes when you can plant that feeling that they are safe and greatly welcomed at the place where they are educated!!! The student will want to come to school and draw from the resources that are there and as a result; they will receive a quality education!

American School Counseling Association (2005). //The ASCA National Model: A Framework for School Counseling Programs, Second Edition.// Alexandria, VA: Author
 * __Reference List:__**

Amram, S, Tatar, M., (2008) Israeli Adolescents’ help-seeking behaviors in relation to terrorist attacks: the perception of students, school counselors and teachers. British Journal of Guidance & Counseling, Vol. 36: 1, p51-70

Banda, M, Dixie, W., (1998) School counselors’ perceptions of a guidance and counseling programme in Malawi’s secondary schools, British Journal of Guidance & Counseling, Vol 26: 2

Bhusumane, D, Nitza, A, Stockton, R., (2010) The Development of Professional Counseling in Botswana, Journal of Counseling & Development, Vol 88

Hanassab, S, Tidwell, R., (2007) New Challenges for professional counselors: The higher education international student population, Counseling Psychology Quarterly, Vol 20: 4 p. 313-324U.S. Department of Health & Human Services. (2010). Limited English Proficiency [Data file]. Retrieved from United States

Kikas, E, Magi, K., (2009) School Psychologists’ Role in School: Expectations of School Principals on the Work of School Psychologists, School Psychology International, Vol 30: 331

Madrigal, J, Russell, T., (1998) Counseling in the U.S.- Mexico Border Region. Educational Resources Information Center (ERIC) 422-552

National Center for Educational Statistics. (2010). //Status and Trends in Education of Racial and Ethnic Minorities// [Data File]. Retrieved from the United States Department of Education website, (2010) Retrieved from []

U.S. Department of Health & Human Services. (2010). //Limited English Proficiency// [Data file]. Retrieved from United States Department of Housing and Urban Development. (2008).//Indiana// //income limits// [Data file]. Retrieved from http://www.huduser.org/Datasets/IL/IL08/in_fy2008.pdf

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5 Questions:

1. According to the National Center for Educational Statistics; what percentage of children under the age of 18 were foreign born? a. 5% b. 15% c. 25% d. 30%

2. Which foreign country has an established school counseling program that until lately focused on adult interaction only and allowed little time for individual counseling? a. Iceland b. New Zealand c. Finland

3. Which foreign country has an established school counseling program that will primarily focus on healthy lifestyles? a. Botswana b. Finland c. Malawi d. United States

4. Which of the following is __not__ a Responsive Service that is taught by ASCA? a. Mentoring b. Individual Counseling c. Crisis Counseling d. Referral

5. True or False? Consultation is not a responsive service taught by the ASCA? a. T b. F