The CATESOL Journal

This paper is an examination of expectations which ESL students bring with them to a university setting. International, or foreign, students arrive in this country with certain expectations which may or may not be realistic. As students learn to adapt to their new surroundings (physically, emotionally, and academically), these expectations and the degree to which they are met can play an important role in the students’ academic success. Teachers should be able to recognize the various types of student expectations and be sensitive to their effects on students. This paper draws an analogy to Maslow’s hierarchy of needs while identifying and illustrating five hierarchical levels of student expectations. In addition, it offers suggestions to teachers for dealing with problems that can arise when these expectations are not met.