Exploring Service Learning as a Tool to Improve English Speaking: A Study on Chinese International Students in Canada

Abstract

With the growing number of Chinese international students (CISs) in Canada, many achieve academic success but struggle with oral English communication and social integration. Grounded in critical pedagogy, this qualitative study explores how service learning facilitates CISs’ oral English development and learner empowerment. Drawing on semi-structured Zoom interviews with nine participants, the study employs thematic analysis to examine how different types of service-learning roles—task-based, activity-based, and interaction-based—shape students’ language use and confidence. Findings reveal that while service learning offers authentic opportunities for language practice, its impact is constrained in non-structured contexts due to limited institutional and emotional support. Participants in interactive roles demonstrated greater fluency and self-efficacy, and some began to challenge native-speakerism by redefining what it means to be a competent English speaker. The study concludes with a practical three-stage model—
Plan and Prepare, Action, and Reflection and Feedback—to foster more inclusive, empowering, and community-oriented language-learning experiences for international students.