Abstract
Teaching science through English as a medium of instruction (EMI) is a growing phenomenon around the world. In Hong Kong, this was realised on a large scale in 2010, with the implementation of a “fine-tuning” compulsory language policy. This allowed Chinese-medium schools to adopt EMI fully. Yet, despite such rapid and widespread adoption, an adequate understanding of key stakeholders’ experiences in relation to their perceptions of what constitutes effective EMI science education remains scarce. Thus, we question the sustainability of EMI programs that are driven by top-down policy. In this case study, we explore the perspectives and experiences of six EMI science teachers and thirteen of their students as their secondary school transitions from partial to full EMI. From in-depth interviews (complemented by classroom observations), findings reveal that the transition to full EMI has presented challenges that appear to hinder students’ development of scientific knowledge and the language of science in English. This directly counters the primary goal of the fine-tuning policy. Nevertheless, findings also illuminate a number of coping strategies teachers and students use to deal with their changing curricula. Overall, we offer insights into this under-researched context of transitioning EMI programs and provide recommendations for future research and practice.
Highlights
Teaching subjects such as science through the medium of English is a growing phenomenon around the world
This is evidenced in a classic study on the effect of medium of instruction (MOI) on physics achievement for Grade 10 students in Hong Kong [37]
Fung and Yip’s more recent study of Grade 10 physics students in Hong Kong, suggests that learning achievement is affected by MOI for low-ability students, who performed better after receiving Chinese-medium instruction (CMI), and high-ability students whose performance was most enhanced by English as a medium of instruction (EMI) [29]
Summary
Teaching subjects such as science through the medium of English is a growing phenomenon around the world. English as a medium of instruction (EMI) is internationally recognised in many non-Anglophone nations [1,2]. In many of these countries, EMI is (and has been) swiftly introduced at secondary and university levels with subsequent implications for learning and teaching subject matter in these contexts. Despite this rapid and widespread adoption across different educational levels and in different subject areas, an adequate understanding of what constitutes effective EMI implementation remains scarce [3]. It is an increasing area of interest for researchers, there is little research into how practices and concepts, which are often transferred from established contexts in a decontextualised way, are taken up and used by EMI stakeholders
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