Exploring Language-Based Differences in Student Reflection

Language background can shape how students engage with reflection tasks that require expressing understanding in one's own words. For non-native English speakers (NNES), this added linguistic demand may change how they process and internalize course material. We examined whether native (NES) and NNES students differed in how weekly voice-based self-explanation reflections (e.g.), explaining a concept aloud in their own words) influenced their learning in a computer organization course. Students completed weekly exercises with self-explanation prompts and an end-of-term survey. Most students preferred reflecting in English, and comfort with voice reflection was similar across both groups. Yet NNES students rated the reflections as significantly more helpful than NES students, pointing to reflection as a particularly valuable support for NNES learners.