Exploring the Academic Literacy Socialization of Mainland China Undergraduates in a Malaysian Tertiary Institution

Internationalization of higher education has witnessed a growing number of students from Southeast Asian countries moving within the region in search of a degree. There is a common tendency among these international students to assume that study will be easier within the region and this has led to issues that need to be addressed. This paper explores one such issue, the academic literacy socialization of mainland China undergraduates in a Malaysian tertiary institution. Specifically this paper will discuss these students’ experiences and the literacy practices they employed during a fourteen-week semester doing two reading courses – Academic Reading and Selected Literary Works. Data were collected using background and literacy experience interviews, literacy logs and analytical field notes. The findings suggest while these students think they are prepared to assimilate into the new environment they encounter difficulties and have to negotiate their literacy practices within those of the host country. The paper proposes the need for better preparedness on the part of both study abroad and host country students to enable them to socialize into the new environment and employ appropriate strategies to renegotiate their literacy practices. Teachers should also help these students adjust to their new environment by adapting better inclusive classroom practices.