Presented in the Reference Renaissance Conference in Denver (August 2008)

1. Reference as teaching: Breaking barriers for international students McGill University Yusuke Ishimura and Megan Fitzgibbons August 4, 2008

3. International Student Population Source: Institute of International Education (2008); Citizenship and Immigration Canada (2007) 73,386 30,895 453,787 343,777 564,766

4. Major Places of Origin China Japan India South Korea Taiwan

8. Reference and Teaching Learner-centered teaching Learning experience through interaction with librarians

10. McAlpine’s Model Summative assessment Source: McAlpine, L. (2004). Designing learning as well as teaching: A research-based model for instruction that emphasizes learner practice. Active Learning in Higher Education , 5 (2), 119-134. Reproduced with permission. Engagement Informing Practice

13. Solutions to Communication Difficulties Barrier Causes Teaching phases Best practices Language difficulties Nervousness Anxiety Cultural shock Limited vocabulary, fluency Engagement ATTITUDE! Empathy, sensitivity, patience Awareness of potential difficulties in “normal” speech Avoid baby talk Make a positive first impression Write down key points Rephrase if needed Nonverbal misunderstanding Different cultural norms Engagement Combine verbal and nonverbal signals Observe students’ reactions and match behavior to their needs

14. Solutions to Communication Difficulties (cont.) Barrier Causes Teaching phases Best practices Negative view of librarians Previous bad experiences Skepticism Engagement Be approachable Listen! Observe students’ emotions, reactions Confusion about reference interview Lack of experience Information overload Engagement, informing Neutral questioning Follow up to check understanding Avoid “litanies of facts” Give students time to think Lack of knowledge of services Lack of experience Familiar with different system, expectations Engagement, informing Use handouts Don’t make assumptions about students’ knowledge Anticipate questions

16. Solutions to Gaps in Library Skills Barrier Causes Teaching phases Best practices LC classification Other systems used in home countries (DDC, closed stacks) Informing, practice Demonstrate shelving order Explain how to browse Lack of searching abilities Linguistic limitations Lack of instruction Reliance on familiar sources (e.g., Google) Informing, practice, assessment Explain search techniques, with practical examples Facilitate practice Provide search technique handouts (a time saver!) Unfamiliar with organization of information in libraries Familiar with different resources Overwhelmed by too many choices Informing, practice, assessment Point out key resources Provide feedback on searching Explain expectations for using scholarly sources

17. Conclusion: Application to Specific Barriers A formula:

22. Thank you for listening! What are your questions?