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1. Ways of teaching: What instructional strategies will you use to help students achieve the learning outcomes (e.g., explicitly explaining the purpose of lectures, activities, or group work)?
    
2. Educator’s expectations: How are students expected to learn and participate (e.g., asking questions, engaging in discussions, independent learning)?
    
3. Ground rules and policies: What policies, procedures, and norms are students expected to follow? Where possible, consider cocreating or negotiating ground rules with students and clarifying shared responsibilities for learning. 

1. Assessment Format: Provide clear explanations of assessment types and, where possible, include examples. 
    
2. Assessment Criteria: Review criteria in detail and explain how they are applied. 
    
3. Length and Scope: Clarify expectations regarding length, emphasizing that longer submissions do not necessarily mean stronger work. 
    
4. English Language Proficiency: Clearly indicate whether and how language proficiency will be assessed (e.g., grammar, structure, vocabulary), and specify the weighting allocated to language related criteria. 

1. How should students address the educator: Be mindful that some students may feel uncomfortable addressing educators by their first name; provide guidance on preferred forms of address. 
    
2. How could students contact the educator outside of class: Clearly explain how students can contact you (e.g., office hours, email, appointments) and outline reasonable turnaround time for response. Providing institutional contact information helps establish professional boundaries. 
    
3. What issues can bring to the educator: Clarify what kinds of support you can provide and when students should be referred to campus resources (e.g., directing immigration related questions to QUIC).
    
4. Explain the educator’s role: Help students shift from viewing educators as sole knowledge providers to understanding their own responsibilities in the learning process. 

1. Disciplinary writing expectations:
   • Clearly describe the characteristics of effective academic writing in the discipline. 
   • Provide examples that illustrate how ideas are developed, structured, and supported. 
      
2. Citing, referencing, and academic integrity:  
   • Explain the purpose and value of citing and referencing in the discipline. 
   • Model appropriate citation practices during teaching. 
   • Invite students to compare their own use of sources with disciplinary conventions. 
   • Clarify what constitutes common knowledge within the field and what requires citation. 

1. Share the syllabus in advance: Upload the syllabus to the learning management system (e.g., onQ) or email it to students several days before the course begins, and invite them to bring a copy (digital or print) to the first class. For in person courses, consider having a small number of printed copies available. 
    
2. Reinforce the syllabus as a living resource: Remind students throughout the semester to consult the syllabus. For example, when introducing an assignment, reference it explicitly (e.g., “As outlined in the syllabus…”). 
    
3. Redirect common questions thoughtfully: Setting up an automatic email reply can help address frequently asked questions by politely directing students back to relevant sections of the syllabus. This approach can save time while reinforcing the syllabus as a key resource. At the same time, it’s important for educators to remain attentive and respond personally when students seem overwhelmed or may benefit from timely, individualized support. 

Encourage students to see the syllabus, not the educator, as their primary starting point for course information by engaging them in an interactive syllabus activity during the first class. Here are a few ideas for syllabus activity⁵. 

1. Syllabus quiz. Create a short quiz (true/false or fill in the blank) using information from the syllabus. Have students work collaboratively and then review answers together, inviting questions and discussion.
    
2. FAQ search. Provide a list of frequently asked questions from previous offerings of the course and ask students to locate the answers in the syllabus.
    
3. Personal reflection activity. Invite students to make personal connections to the syllabus by responding to prompts. For example: Which learning outcomes interests you the most, and why? Which course assignments do you anticipate will be most challenging, and why?
    
4. Jargon search. In pairs or groups, ask students to highlight unfamiliar terms or phrases in the syllabus. Collect these and explain them in plain language to the class.
    
5. Figure out why activity. Have students review course policies in small groups and discuss why each policy exists (e.g., why assignments must be submitted via the LMS rather than email). Follow up with a whole class discussion to clarify the rationale behind course policies. 

1. Provide a lesson outline highlighting the main points to help students take notes more effectively; include brief summaries of key concepts throughout the class.
2. Post skeleton notes or guiding questions on onQ (or email them) in advance and encourage students to review them before class.
3. Offer background information on concepts, theories, or events to help students build context and deepen understanding.
4. Define new or unfamiliar terms and check for understanding; ensure acronyms and abbreviations are explained fully.
5. Rephrase slang, jargon, or idioms to support comprehension when these expressions arise in class.
6. Share an agenda at the start of class to help students understand the structure and what will be covered.
7. Use frequent recaps to reinforce key ideas and help students follow your thinking.
8. Conclude each lesson with a summary of main ideas or highlight the key “take home” messages.
9. Pause periodically to allow students time to check their notes or catch up with notetaking.
10. Signal transitions clearly, letting students know when you are moving to a new section and when questions can be asked.

SASS offers a broad range of resources and supports that can be especially helpful for international and EAL students. These include:

• Register for workshops at  
• Access online tutorials:

For more information about the academic support SASS offers, please check their .

SASS also offers a designed to help students navigate common challenges when working collaboratively. In addition, they provide group work training sessions for students upon an educator’s request. To inquire about this service, please contact SASS at academic.success@queensu.ca.

Queen’s offers many services to support international students’ wellbeing, learning, and engagement. For an overview of campus resources, please refer to: Supports for Students (PDF, 1.5MB)

In addition, educators may consider encouraging all students to seek opportunities to develop intercultural awareness and competence, which help enhance their ability to collaborate effectively in diverse classroom settings. The Queen’s University International Centre (QUIC) offers an for both students and staff.

1. Define shared values and goals; establish ground rules for class behaviour: 
   • Consider cocreating a class agreement that emphasizes the importance of welcoming diverse voices, perspectives, and viewpoints.
      
2. Implement strategies for navigating challenging topics or heated moments:
   • Remind students of the established ground rules and refer back to the class agreement when needed.
   • Be clear that the educator reserves the right to intervene when behaviours involve prejudice, bias, or discrimination.
   • Model the use of evidencebased discussion rather than relying solely on personal opinions.
      
3. Seek feedback on class climate:
   • Invite informal and anonymous feedback on the learning environment (e.g., inclusivity, comfort, sense of belonging) as part of regular class activities.

1. Learn and use students’ names:
   • Make an effort to learn students’ names early, to the best of one’s ability.
   • Practice and use accurate pronunciation.
   • In large-scale classes, ask students to share their names before engaging with them.
      
2. Communicate regularly with students:
   • Create inclusive asynchronous spaces for interaction (e.g., discussion boards, group chats, blogs).
   • Use a variety of activities to learn something unique about each student when possible.
      
3. Ask about educational experiences and aspirations:
   • Invite students to share their learning backgrounds, preferences, and future goals through an anonymous survey to better understand their needs and experiences.
   • Use this information to inform lesson planning and, where appropriate, integrate it thoughtfully into classroom practice.
      
4. Help Students Get to Know Each Other:
   • Use ice breaker activities in class particularly in the first class for peer connection.
   • Set up opportunities for pair work or group collaboration on a regular basis.

1. Avoid assumptions about students:
   • Get to know students as individuals with complex, intersectional identities.
   • Employ a range of strategies to address diverse learning needs and preferences (e.g., language proficiency, socioeconomic background, prior educational experiences, and social identities).
      
2. Value difference:
   • Create opportunities for students to share and reflect on their values, beliefs, and worldviews.
   • Use resources that reflect diverse perspectives and a broad range of lived experiences.
      
3. Use inclusive language:
   • Use person first or identity affirming language, as appropriate, to acknowledge students respectfully and avoid labels that may feel reductive or stigmatizing.
   • When stereotypical or inappropriate language appears in readings or other materials, explicitly acknowledge it and guide a discussion on why it may be problematic.
      
4. Treat all students with fairness:
   • Ensure equitable access to knowledge, support, and resources.
   • Avoid overlooking contributions or efforts from students whose first language is not English.

1. Maintain high expectations of all students:
   • Clearly explain expectations that guide decision-making in this course at the beginning of the course.
   • Reiterate expectations around participation, evaluation, and due dates before key activities or assignments.
      
2. Listen attentively:
   • Practice active listening with individual students and with the whole class to the best of one’s ability.
   • Demonstrate understanding by paraphrasing student ideas, asking clarifying questions, or affirming key points to support deeper engagement.
      
3. Respond thoughtfully:
   • Attend to the needs of both individual students and student groups to the best of one’s ability.
   • Ensure that your response clearly communicates its purpose, for example, whether you are supporting sense-making, helping students integrate new learning with prior knowledge, or guiding them in analyzing a concept.