Behind the classroom curtain: uncovering teacher identities and professional development needs in CLIL-ized EMI

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ABSTRACT The popularization of English Medium Instruction (EMI) in higher education worldwide has led to its integration with Content and Language Integrated Learning (CLIL), giving rise to a hybrid approach known as CLIL-ized EMI to address students’ linguistic challenges. Despite the commonality of similar practices, CLIL-ized EMI remains under-investigated in academia, with various aspects needing exploration. This study, conducted at a Malaysian higher education provider, specifically investigates the identities of CLIL-ized EMI educators and the factors influencing their identity construction and professional development needs, underpinned by a poststructuralist perspective of identities and the Cultural–Historical Activity Theory. Using a qualitative approach, the research reveals that these educators primarily identify as content teachers but also occasionally as English teachers, learners of English, and learners of pedagogy. The findings highlight the need for comprehensive professional development programs tailored to EMI teachers, which should address both content and pedagogical skills. Institutional support that engages multiple stakeholders in EMI teachers’ professional development and addresses the identity conflicts between self-expectations and external regulations is essential for facilitating content and language integration, enhancing the effectiveness of EMI programs, and improving student outcomes in bilingual education settings.