A multilingualism-as-resource approach in a graduate-level English-medium instruction (EMI) program at a Korean university

Abstract

ABSTRACT The trend of internationalisation of education has resulted in the wider implementation of English Medium Instruction (EMI) programmes in education, especially at the tertiary level. While some of these programmes adopted strict English-dominant policies, others embraced flexible bilingual or multilingual policies to ensure students’ learning and wellbeing. This study explored international graduate students’ learning and languaging experiences in an EMI graduate classroom with flexible multilingual policies in a Korean university. Data included field notes, students’ work and language samples, and focus group interviews with students. Using thematic analysis of qualitative data, the authors reported that students’ experiences with multilingualism as a resource approach were mostly productive since it created third spaces for the participants to deploy their multilingual resources to construct, promote and demonstrate learning in their class reports. Participants also reported increased compassion for each other through collaborative learning and enhanced understanding of both home and new languages during their studies in the graduate programme that was mediated through multiple languages. This study offered implications for EMI practitioners, higher education institutions, and policymakers regarding language planning, language policy, and language support in EMI contexts.