Abstract
The current case study was driven by a recent policy on using English as a medium of instruction (EMI) in the mainstream school system in Vietnam. It aimed to explore what science teachers believed and reported doing about EMI in teaching science subjects in the high school context. Nine EMI teachers of different science subjects at a specialized high school in the Mekong Delta of Vietnam participated in a semi-structured interview. Thematic analysis revealed the perceived positive impacts on teachers’ and students’ English proficiency, and negative influences on science content coverage. In practice, the teachers reported a focus on simple contents, explaining specialized terminologies and key concepts as the input. They mainly employed a lecture style and teacher initiation-student response interaction, switching between English and Vietnamese during their lessons. These results imply that EMI across the curriculum has the potential to improve English proficiency of students, but the EMI policy needs to consider its transparency in goals and communication to stakeholders especially teachers and school managers.
Highlights
English is serving as an international language connecting different peoples in different regions, at different levels and from different cultures (Crystal, 2012)
The current case study was driven by a recent policy on using English as a medium of instruction (EMI) in the mainstream school system in Vietnam
Nine EMI teachers of different science subjects at a specialized high school in the Mekong Delta of Vietnam participated in a semi-structured interview
Summary
English is serving as an international language connecting different peoples in different regions, at different levels and from different cultures (Crystal, 2012). English has been widely used in certain fields or more exactly as the language of science and technology (Alhamami, 2015; Lehtonen & Lönnfors, 2001; Yip, Tsang, & Cheung, 2003). This status has led to an emphasis on English education, the implementation of English-as-a-medium-of-instruction (EMI) policy in many various educational systems worldwide. Phase 2008 to 2020” and Decision No 959/QĐ-TTg “Developing the Gifted High School System, Phase 2010 to 2020” (MOET, 2010), strategies were devised to prepare young generations for sufficient English competence to work in an integrative context (MOET, 2008, 2010). The policy of teaching science subjects in English was issued and piloted in many gifted high schools
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