| Students who are foreign-born are increasing in numbers within college classrooms throughout the United States. Most foreign-born students speak English as a non-native language (ENNL), which is a potential barrier to the successful completion of their academic goals. There are several factors that may affect a student's completion of a program of study. Astone and Nunez-Wormack (1991) suggest such factors as level of language proficiency, immigration status, length of time a student has resided in the United States, the degree of cultural adaptation and the financial needs of a student.; Bandura's (1995) theory of self-efficacy provided a framework for this phenomenological inquiry. The purpose of this study was to explore the reasons why college students who speak English as a non-native language persist in achievement of their academic goals.; Research questions that guided the inquiry included whether ENNL students' perceived learning barriers, what they perceived as positive learning influences, and their perceptions of why they persisted in their academic goals. The participants were seven students enrolled in a community college nursing program, and seven students enrolled in a graduate school computer science program. Data were gathered by interviews and were audio taped and transcribed.; Three major themes emerged from the analysis process. Theme one, barriers to goal attainment, had three sub-themes: language difficulties, cultural differences, and emotional pressures. Theme two, compensating influences, contained three sub-themes: support systems, education as a cultural value, and future opportunities. Lastly, inner drive emerged as the third theme. Each participant exemplified a strong sense of self-determination, especially when they perceived barriers existed, or threatened to interrupt their learning. According to Bandura (1977, 1986), people who are motivated to learn have a corresponding perception of self-confidence. The themes can serve as a resource for faculty who teach foreign-born students who speak English as a non-native language. |
