New Majority Learner data stories: English as a second language (ESL) students

Over the past few decades, the student population in higher education has undergone a dramatic demographic transformation.

Non-traditional learners now constitute the New Majority, with 40.2% of students over the age of 22 and 69.3% working while studying. The conventional concept of a college student is no longer accurate.

As such, higher education institutions need to evolve their approach to attract, retain, and support a changing student population, thereby ensuring their long term viability.

The key to achieving this lies in pivoting toward the needs of the New Majority, by understanding how the experiences of non-traditional students differ to those they have historically catered for.

This requires a greater appreciation of the various traits and characteristics that define non-traditional learners, in this case, English as a second language (ESL) students.

Here we’ll explore how they influence the student population, introduce the fundamental learning challenges they’re likely to face and suggest methods through which institutions can better serve this segment of the New Majority population.

To read the full New Majority learner report, click here.

English as a second language (ESL) students in higher education

Between 2004 and 2022, the number of ESL students increased by 37% to 17.7% of the population. A similar increase can be found among Immigrant students, who increased by 45% to account for 25% of the 2022 higher education population; however we may expect this figure to decrease over the next few years.

Across the US, Massachusetts (19.1%) and Illinois (18.6%) sit above the national average for ESL learners while DC and Vermont have seen the largest population increases of 9.6% and 6.3% respectively.

Vermont has also seen an 8.7% increase in immigrant students yet it is Idaho with the most significant immigrant percentage change, a total of 9.5%. Despite these increases, California (26.3%) and Florida (26.1%) host the most substantial immigrant population as a percentage of their total suggesting a prevalence of ESL students across these states too.

For institutions, this demographic shift represents a need to better serve relatively underprepared New Majority learners who have previously been educated in a different country or their native language.

This is often experienced in relation to having the requisite study skills to learn, meeting comprehension standards and having an opportunity to revisit content beyond the lecture hall, reinforcing their understanding of the material.

Moving to a new country, or studying in a non-native language, can be both challenging and mentally overwhelming. A lack of sufficient support services could not only drive disengagement, but lead to a lack of persistence as the barriers to learning simply become too substantial to overcome.

Interestingly though, when looking at completion percentages, ESL students return a higher success rate compared to their peers, 21.8% to 19.5%.

This suggests that for institutions, this demographic is motivated to achieve their academic goals and that the provision of support will only serve to increase their chances of doing so.

Fundamental English as a second language (ESL) learner challenges

For the New Majority, their challenges can be sorted into one of three core categories. For neurodivergent students, they are most likely to sit within the learner with barriers segment.

This segment encompasses students with barriers to content and learning processes. Most often this includes learners with disabilities, mental health challenges, and language barriers.

Imagine the student with dyslexia struggling to decipher dense texts, the student with anxiety navigating the pressures of exams, or the international student grappling with unfamiliar academic terminology.

These learners often face significant hurdles in accessing and processing information. They may struggle with attention and concentration, feel overwhelmed by information overload, and find organization a daunting task.

Beyond the academic challenges, they may also encounter social stigma, experience a lack of confidence, or added stress related to their learning differences.

Despite these obstacles, learners with barriers are driven by a powerful desire for equity. They yearn to study effectively alongside their peers, to prove their capabilities, and to achieve their full potential, regardless of the challenges they face.

They seek a level playing field where their unique needs are met, and they can thrive academically without feeling singled out.

Supporting English as a second language (ESL) students

In a similar vein to supporting first-generation students, many characteristics of the New Majority learner will find themselves lacking the requisite study skills for higher education.

Arriving on campus with differing learning experiences and backgrounds, these courses can be instrumental in equipping students with the tools and strategies they need to succeed in a demanding academic environment.

By focusing on essential skills like time management, note taking, critical thinking, and examinations, these courses can empower students to become more effective and confident learners.

One of the key benefits of study skills courses is their ability to level the playing field for students from diverse backgrounds. New Majority learners may come from high schools with varying levels of academic rigor or may have taken non-traditional paths to college.

Study skills courses can bridge these gaps by providing a common foundation in essential learning strategies. This ensures that all students, regardless of their prior academic experience, have the opportunity to develop the skills necessary to thrive in college.

Moreover, study skills courses can help New Majority learners develop a sense of self-efficacy and confidence in their academic abilities. Many non-traditional students may harbor doubts about their ability to succeed in higher education.

By mastering effective study techniques and strategies, these students can gain confidence in their ability to tackle challenging coursework and achieve their academic goals. This newfound confidence can have a profound impact on their overall college experience and future aspirations.

Similarly, analytic models and early warning systems have proven vital for supporting non-traditional learners and their persistence efforts.

They help identify at-risk students and provide colleges with a broad picture of retention and persistence within their institutions, highlighting areas for further development, investment, and growth.

"We knew we had a challenge before us and we knew we needed to do something. We didn't have any organised framework or established way to identify who was at risk and determine the effectiveness of our retention efforts.

With our new early warning system, when alerts were submitted, notifications were sent to the student's advisor and the student's academic and personal counsellor.

In relation to academic performance, students with no alerts generally have a GPA of about 3.0. Students with one to three alerts might have a GPA down to about 2.0, and students with more than three alerts their GPA drops from one to below one." - Monte Schaff, Dean of Enrollment Management at United Tribes Technical College.

Last of all, research has also demonstrated positive outcomes associated with deploying assistive technology, including increased postsecondary education enrolment and academic outcomes, positive vocational outcomes and improved independent living skills.

Therefore, introducing technology such as speech to text or captions has a demonstrable, positive impact on the learning experience of all students, including ESL students who may struggle to absorb all of the information being presented to them, first time around.