Supporting International Students Through Strengths-Based Teaching

Originally published November 7, 2025

Giving Students International Collaboration Experiences: Integrating a COIL Component into a Consumer Behaviour Class

One of the goals of Collaborative Online International Learning (COIL) is to foster intercultural competences and give students the opportunity to work on projects together with international peers as a part of their regular classroom work. These opportunities for cross-cultural collaboration provide rich learning opportunities for students to apply and contextualize their learning across different cultures.

Osama Butt from the Lazaridis School of Business & Economics’ Marketing area shares his experience integrating a COIL partnership as part of his course to increase students’ intercultural knowledge and communication skills. Students learned to work across time zones and languages using tools like Padlet and Miro, developing teamwork processes, empathy, and intercultural communication skills. Osama reflects on the lessons learned and the measurable growth in students’ global awareness. Watch the video >>

And as Osama discusses ways to integrate COIL into classroom components, it’s important to find ways to continue to support international students in all classes.

Strengths-based Teaching Supports for International Students

Every year Laurier welcomes students from all over the world into our university community and classrooms. In preparing students for transformative learning opportunities, it is important to consider how best to support the unique pathways for the academic success and well-being of international students. Cultural differences, lack of confidence in English communication skills, feelings of isolation and home sickness may impact students’ sense of belonging, motivation and academic success (Berry 2005; Can Poyrazl, & Pillay 2021; Smith & Khawaja 2011; Yan 2020; Zheng & Covey 2024).

International students’ learning experiences and academic outcomes can be enhanced by utilizing a strengths-based teaching approach to promote student-centred learning that focuses on positive engagement and holistic development (Bowers & Lopez 2010; Lopez & Louis 2009; Pang et al. 2018). As a recent study of the experiences of international students at Thompson Rivers University found, building positive connections and relationships with faculty and fellow students is a key contributor to their academic success.

Recognizing the power of connection and strength-based teaching can help promote a pedagogical shift away from “problems” to considering teaching possibilities (Krutkowski 2017). Whether for now or next term, we invite you to explore the following ideas to guide your response to the needs of the international students in your classroom.

Embracing diversity and making connections through course materials

• Consider whether the learning materials you provide are contextually relevant and meaningful to your students. Diversifying your course materials supports all students in learning and understanding content from multiple cultural understandings.

• Use examples from multiple cultural understandings and perspectives to explain your content. This is not only helpful to international students but provides all students with a more well-rounded understanding of course content and the world around them. For example, you can include names, scenarios, and visuals that reflect diverse cultural identities. 

• Invite students to consider how professional responsibility is understood in different cultural or national contexts during discussions. If your course includes case studies, consider using examples from different parts of the world to show how problems are approached and solved across cultures.

• Connect course content with transferable skills, and discuss with your students how your course will benefit their future careers. 

• Provide students with opportunities to engage in assignments that promote exploration of their backgrounds, languages and cultures, such as a literacy narrative, or other structured personal reflective assignment.

Supporting inclusion and recognizing strengths through instructional strategies

• Getting to know your students serves to build strong connections and allows you to refine your teaching strategies for each cohort. Consider learning students’ names and their correct pronunciation as well as using icebreakers early-on to create a welcoming environment that fosters connection and trust.

• Provide opportunities for international students to share their experiences (without spotlighting them) and how they may differ or align with domestic students’ experiences. Intentionally integrating opportunities to connect with each other helps international students learn, succeed and be more comfortable with verbally communicating with their classmates and with you.

• Facilitate meaningful classroom discussions where students can share their ideas and engage in conversation with one another. Group work and class discussions are a great way to support international students strengthening their comfort with learning in a different language. This can help cultural learning, standpoint plurality and a more fulsome experience for all students.

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