International Students Workshop

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International Students Workshop

• Jane Sedgwick, Mental Health and Well-being
  Adviser
• Lynne Roberts, Study Adviser
• Adam Sandelson, Senior Counsellor
• Teaching and Learning Centre (TLC)
• Wednesday 4 November 2009
• 2-3pm, NABLG08
• Moodle Learning World (LW)

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Todays programme

• CULTURE SHOCK
• Jane Sedgwick, Mental Health and Well-being
  Adviser
• ACADEMIC EXPECTATIONS
• Lynne Roberts, Study Skills Adviser
• SETTLING IN STRESS MANAGEMENT
• Adam Sandelson, Senior Counsellor

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Culture Shock

• Jane Sedgwick
• Mental Health and Well-being Adviser
• What is it?
• Transitional phases
• Helping with culture shock
• Dealing with culture shock

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Culture Shock

• Is the term used to describe a period of
  transition to a new culture.
• The new culture here is British culture.
• Characteristics individualism, British
  reserve, politeness, punctuality, queuing,
  having fun (dressing up, going out, binge
  drinking).
• These cultural attitudes may not be common in
  other cultures including other English speaking
  cultures (USA, Canada, etc), or Europe.

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Culture Shock

• is often discussed in terms of transitional
  phases.
• These are
• Initial shock
• Honeymoon period
• Distress period
• Adjustment Phase
• Independence

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Initial Shock

• This usually happens in the first few weeks of
  arriving in London. Everything seems strange,
  different, maybe even exciting. Immediate things
  like getting to the LSE, knowing where to buy
  food, knowing how to contact home and generally
  having someone available to ask questions is VERY
  important.
• If all is well prepared then this phase of
  arriving in London usually lasts for 2-3 weeks.

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Honeymoon Period

• This is the stage of learning new skills so that
  you fit in with the new culture.
• Things like knowing how to travel around the
  city, where to go out, what to wear and feeling
  more confident about being in a new culture are
  important.
• This time is usually for enjoying new
  experiences, sights, people and activities.
• It can feel like an exciting adventure. It is
  also a time that one identifies similarities and
  differences between London and home.

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Distress Period

• During this phase, differences between London and
  home are apparent. Some of these differences may
  be irritating, annoying or they may make you
  think about your ability to cope. Loneliness
  could set in as you begin to miss home (ie
  friends, family, places, favourite leisure
  activities, foods).
• You start to realise what people, including the
  LSE, expect and you could self doubt, lose
  confidence and feel stressed.
• Questions like .. Will I be able to cope with
  the demands of my degree?, will I find new
  friends? or what will I do if I cant cope?..,
  may become bothersome. This may be a time to seek
  counsel or support .

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Adjustment Phase

• During this time you start to come to terms with
  being in London and at the LSE.
• You are more accepting of your new environment,
  and really get on with studying and living your
  life.
• Once acceptance sets in things get much better
  quickly. It is easier to join in new groups, do
  new things and you find your own place.

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Independence

• By this stage most students have overcome the
  challenge of adapting to a new environment and
  have achieved some degree of independence.

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Helping with Culture Shock

• Your level of distress is often dependent on how
  different you find British culture to your own
  culture.
• You may experience headaches, problems sleeping,
  tiredness, low mood, muscle cramps, digestive
  upsets, allergies, loneliness anxiety.
• When these occur you may be unaware that you are
  experiencing culture shock.
• These symptoms are uncomfortable, but they are a
  normal part of the adjustment process.

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Recognition is the first step

• Some suggestions are as follows
• Get yourself some small treats as if you were
  feeling unwell or a bit low at home.
• Identify the situations that confuse or irritate
  you the most in London.
• Observe how others act in these situations.
• Speak to a local person about the situations and
  your feelings of discomfort (a local person could
  be another student, academic advisor, the
  male/female advisor to students, Student Union
  Advice Centre, student counsellor, mental health
  wellbeing advisor so on).

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Dealing with Culture Shock

• Also, talk to experienced international students
  about their experiences and ask them how they
  dealt with these situations.
• Note that behaviour that may seem out of order to
  you may not be intended to be this way. Polite
  customs are different in each culture and it is
  OK to ask questions about social customs.
• Encourage the student to join clubs and
  societies, as this helps them in feeling less
  isolated and in meeting other people.

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Dealing with Culture Shock

• Rest, do exercise, eat well and maintain a
  positive view of the changes you are
  experiencing, this will help to help reduce
  stress.
• Attend the workshops/classes run by the Teaching
  and Learning Centre, the Language Centre, Careers
  Service etc.
• If it is still difficult to cope then seek
  support through the Well-being Office or Student
  Counselling Service. You could engage if much
  self improvement work.

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Academic expectations

• Lynne Roberts
• Study Skills Adviser
• International education systems
• What is valued?
• Differences
• Writing good essays at the LSE
• Training

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• China
• Iran
• Syria
• Jordan
• South Korea
• Taiwan
• Indonesia
• France
• Germany
• Spain
• Mexico
• Dominican Republic
• Japan

• Algeria
• Morocco
• Libya
• Egypt
• Ghana
• Canada
• United States
• Australia
• Kazakhstan
• Turkmenistan
• Uzbekistan
• Russia
• Finland

• Saudi Arabia
• Oman
• Latvia
• Poland
• Greece
• India
• Sri Lanka
• Mauritius
• Bulgaria
• Romania
• Costa Rica
• Chile
• Argentina

• South Africa
• Norway
• Denmark
• UAE
• Kuwait
• Vietnam
• Haiti
• Nigeria
• Cote DIvoire
• Tanzania
• Kenya
• Uganda
• Turkey
• to name a few

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What is valued?

• LSE (University of London)
• Good writing and referencing skills
• Following departmental guidelines
• Being proactive
• Talking to teachers, other students, education
  professionals
• Making an original argument write around your
  own opinion speak out in class debate
• Understanding that there is more than one answer

• Common
• Diligence
• Respect
• Punctuality
• Excellence (elitism)
• Hard work
• Recall
• Reading lots of books
• Repeating back what the teacher has said

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• Having done my undergraduate in Canada, there are
  a lot of difference in the way classes and
  courses are structured in the UK. I find that in
  the British system there is a lot more
  responsibility expected of the student than what
  there was in North America. Students are given
  more choice and flexibility with regards to the
  readings they do and what they want to cover. The
  essay style is also different from what Im used
  to. Students are required to provide relatively
  short, direct answers to a set question rather
  than to do longer, more historically based and
  in some ways more flamboyant essays.
• From PGCertHE (Moodle) Teaching Practice I

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Writing good essays

• Do not try to fit in everything you know about a
  topic. I am clever and knowledgeable! approach
  rarely results in good grades, and sometimes a
  failing mark.
• You should think about the argument you are
  trying to make as the basis of your essay e.g.
  do not write lengthy historical summaries or try
  to fit in as many arguments as possible.
• Show and dont just tell!
• Think of themselves as Social SCIENTISTS.
• Have a clear analytical framework for the essay.
• Write clear introductions/conclusions. Do not
  include new/important information in the
  conclusion.
• Link ideas/paragraphs directly back to the
  question. i.e. do what you said you were going to
  do in the introduction.

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http//training.lse.ac.uk/ TLC, Language Centre,
Centre for Learning Technology, IT Services, LSE
Library

• Effective Reading Strategies
• 11 November, NABLG08, 2pm
• (repeated for DESTIN students only in U8 at 4pm)
• Study Strategies
• 18 November, OT, 2pm
• Managing your Time
• 18 November, OT, 3.30 pm

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Settling in and stress management

• Adam Sandelson
• Senior Counsellor
• Settling in Tips
• Practical approaches
• Sources of advice and help
• Counselling Service
• Presentations
• Forthcoming groups

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Settling in Tips

• Talk to others who may feel the same.
• Speak to people at home but also get involved
  here.
• You are allowed to enjoy yourself!
• Be realistic about what to expect from student
  life and from yourself
• Try to balance work and leisure.
• Give yourself time to adjust.
• You don't have to get everything
• right straight away.
• Food and sleep

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Practical approaches

• Set realistic and achievable goals
• Short term targets, longer term strategies
• Focus on the task, not the outcome
• Break down huge activities into small manageable
  tasks
• Remember past successes
• Time for breaks

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Stress Management Skills

• Physical, behavioural, cognitive
• Regularly switch off
• Schedule some kind of physical activity.
• Good self care
• Sleep, diet, etc. Be aware of caffeine,
  alcohol and nicotine
• Take time out without guilt.
• Acknowledge anxiety, rather than denying it.
• Ask Are my negative thoughts realistic?

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Sources of advice and help

• Your Academic Adviser Disability Well-being
  Office
• Departmental staff Student Services Centre
• Disability and Well-being Office Moodle
  Learning World
• Student Union and Advice Centre Medical Centre
  
• Deans Mental Health Well-being Advisers
• Counselling Service TLC study-skills advisers
• Language Centre Library, IT Services

Don't wait until problems have grown impossibly
large its OK to ask for help earlier.
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LSE Student Counselling Service G507

• Free and confidential.
• Mainly short-term counselling.
• Book appointments in advance.
• Urgent appointments (phone early in the day).
• See website for stress-management handout.
• Self-help resources on a wide range of student
  issues (study-related and personal difficulties)
• e.g. relaxation MP3s

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Presentations

• Studying and Surviving at LSE
• See website for PowerPoint slides and video
• Writing Psychology
• Friday 6 November, 300 - 400, NAB204 (repeat
  session)
• Acclimatising To London Life Mid-Term Review
• Wednesday 11 November, 1200 - 100, H216
• Psychological Challenges Faced By MSc Students
• Friday 13 November, 300 - 400, Graham Wallace
  Room

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Forthcoming groups

• Stress Management Group (3 weeks), Thursday 2 -4,
  19 November 2009.
• Self Esteem Group (3 weeks) Friday 11am-1pm, 20
  November 2009.
• Womens Group (8 weeks) Monday 11-1pm,18 January
  2010.
• MSc group
• PhD group
• Places on all groups need to be booked in
  advance.
• Please see the website, call ext 3627, visit G507
  or email student.counselling_at_lse.ac.uk,