The Great Wall of Language and Communication in Social Adjustment among International Students

Abstract

The study examined the value of language and communication in the context of social adjustment among international students in China. The sample for the study consisted of a total of Two Hundred and Fifty Four Students from two universities in North-East China. The Social Adjustment Scale and Chinese Language Proficiency Scale were employed to collect data. The study revealed that cultural background and the official language of the international students have a significant effect on Chinese language proficiency. The result of the study also established a significant effect of one year language study on Chinese language acquisition and a significant effect of length of stay in the host country on students’ ability to communicate effectively in Chinese language. Conclusively, this work emphasizes the essence of language acquisition as an adjustment strategy in China which can also form a basis for other migration and adjustment patterns.