Social cohesion is a broad term for an environment in which trust, a sense of belonging and the willingness to participate and help are the norm Chan, J., To, H.-P., & Chan, E. (2006). Reconsidering Social Cohesion: Developing a Definition and Analytical Framework for Empirical Research. Social Indicators Research, 75, 273-302. . It has been suggested that social cohesion can not only lead to a better atmosphere in the classroom but better collaboration as well Morel, N. J. (2014). Setting the Stage for Collaboration: An Essential Skill for Professional Growth. The Delta Kappa Gamma Bulletin, 81, 36-39. . To support all students to be successful, teachers need to create an inviting learning environment from the very first time students enter the classroom. However, this can be quite challenging for adolescents (Kwon et al., 2012), especially in an environment where they often have courses with different people each time. This is even more important when teaching students from another country, who may be unfamiliar with the learning environment they are about to enter De Vita, G. (2000). Inclusive approaches to effective communication and active participation in the multicultural classroom: An international business management context. Active Learning in Higher Education, 1, 168-180. Therefore, introductory activities can be used for students to get to know each  other, and their teachers, is highly recommended. These activities can allow for

• informal interactions
• students to learn how each like to be referred to
• how to pronounce their peers’ names, or
• learn something unique about each other.

This helps students building relationships, also outside the classroom De Vita, G. (2000). Inclusive approaches to effective communication and active participation in the multicultural classroom: An international business management context. Active Learning in Higher Education, 1, 168-180. . Moreover, these activities have been shown to be beneficial not only to international students, but also to home students, as they are provided experiences to develop intercultural awareness Jones, E. (2010). Internationalisation and the student voice. New York: Routledge. . In this section, we will outline some of the activities teachers can use to support this social cohesion and thereby improve collaboration outside and inside of the classroom. 

Tools

West Virginia University and Indiana University have collected a large set of activities that you can use during class or outside the classroom to strengthen social cohesion. Ideally, these activities are carried out at the beginning of the academic year, at the beginning of a course or before students start a group assignment. These activities, include: 

• It’s a lie!: Participants are asked to share three things about themselves, but one of them must be a lie. 

• Maaroned: Ask students to think which five things they would bring to a deserted island and have them exchange their answers.