English Medium Instruction Programmes Research Articles

Understanding Chinese international students’ language ideologies and multilingual practices in English-medium instruction programs in Germany

Analysed through the lens of language ideology, this qualitative study delved into the multilingual experiences of Chinese international students in English-medium instruction (EMI) studies in Germany. Drawing on semi-structured interview data from 16 Chinese postgraduate students in an international university, this study probed into these students’ language ideologies related to English, German, and Mandarin Chinese. Data analysis showed that their language ideologies were complex and intertwined with academic success, social integration, future employment, solidarity within ethnic groups, and widening local networks. It was also found that the participants’ multiple while often conflicting language ideologies were pivotal in shaping their investment in and usage of particular languages. The findings of this study contribute to a deeper understanding of the diversity inherent in international students’ language ideologies in EMI and have significant implications for the internationalisation of multilingual environments in higher education (HE).

L2 English and L3 Japanese motivation, international posture, and success of students in an English-medium instruction (EMI) program at a Japanese University

ABSTRACT English-medium instruction (EMI) is growing in popularity worldwide, including in Japan. However, students’ language learning motivation has not been fully researched in this context. Accordingly, this mixed-method study explores the roles of L2 English and L3 Japanese motivation in an EMI programme at a Japanese university. Applying L2 motivational self system and International Posture (IP) as theoretical frameworks, quantitative data from surveys (n = 66) and qualitative data from eight semi-structured interviews with international students were collected at an EMI programme of Policy Studies in Japan. The results indicate that motivation to learn L2, especially ideal L2 self, plays a significant role in student studies. Furthermore, a strong IP, including viewing study abroad (SA) in Japan as ‘an international learning environment’ where they can ‘experience the world’, was related to their use of English. In contrast, L3 motivation decreased for most participants owing to the lack of integrativeness, scarcity of opportunities to use L3, and negative learning experiences. In other words, SA in Japan does not automatically motivate students to learn Japanese.

Examining Chinese teachers’ emotional vulnerability of teaching international students in an English medium instruction programme

Despite the fact that a growing number of studies have begun to focus on stakeholders' emotions in English medium instruction (EMI) settings, little is known, particularly about teachers' emotional vulnerability in EMI teaching. Situating teachers' emotional vulnerability as a sociocultural and ideological construct, this study seeks to investigate Chinese EMI teachers' emotional vulnerability of teaching international students in Southwest China. Based on a larger critical sociolinguistic ethnography, the findings reveal a slew of social, ideological, institutional, and personal factors that mediate Chinese EMI teachers' emotional vulnerability, indicating that their emotional vulnerability is largely influenced by the discourses of neoliberalism and performativity, which are dominated by the ideology of English hegemony, top-down evaluation mechanisms, and power relations. Simultaneously, Chinese EMI teachers' emotional vulnerability also can be transformed into agencies for possible alternatives. The paper concludes with some practical implications for mitigating the negative effects of emotional vulnerability on EMI teachers. The article contributes to raise a greater recognition of teachers' emotional vulnerability in EMI higher education contexts by sparking a critical discussion about how to promote the awareness of stakeholders’ emotional vulnerability and well being in policy making and curriculum design.

Teachers’ beliefs and reproduction of language ideologies in English-medium instruction programs in Nepal

Aims: This study explored the language ideologies that guide teachers’ language beliefs and practices in English-medium instruction (EMI) classrooms. It also sought to uncover the ways teachers’ beliefs and practices reproduce language ideologies and, thereby, social hierarchies within educational contexts. Design: Drawing on a narrative research design, the study utilized semi-structured interviews and focus groups to examine the language beliefs of content subject teachers from EMI higher education programs in Nepal. The data were analyzed through a thematic approach. Findings: The study’s results shed light on the prevailing language ideologies in EMI classrooms, where English holds a dominant position, followed by Nepali and other local/Indigenous languages. This linguistic hierarchy reflects deeply ingrained nationalist and neoliberal beliefs inherent in Nepal’s educational landscape. Moreover, the research underscores how these ideologies perpetuate societal hierarchies as educators emphasize the pivotal role of English proficiency for students’ upward socioeconomic mobility and access to global opportunities, while concurrently endorsing a deficient perspective on local/Indigenous languages. Consequently, this linguistic hierarchy perpetuates disparities in language treatment, thereby prompting concerns regarding equity and inclusivity in EMI programs. Originality: It sheds light on teachers’ complex beliefs and practices regarding the use of different languages in EMI settings. The study also highlights the language hierarchy that emerges within these classrooms, emphasizing the original contribution to understanding the complexities and implications of language ideologies within EMI programs. Significance: The study’s findings serve as a valuable resource for fostering meaningful discussions and facilitating evidence-based practices in the field of EMI, ultimately contributing to the improvement of multilingual higher education settings worldwide.

Theoretical framework for the empirical analysis of English medium instruction competence outcomes

The rapid growth of English medium instruction (EMI) has prompted a considerable increase in empirical research focusing on learning outcomes in different educational environments. However, much of this research lacks a well-established theoretical framework, making it challenging to understand the practical implications of EMI education. This gap in understanding could impede evidence-based decision-making regarding the expansion of EMI at governmental, institutional, and individual levels. To address this issue, the present study proposes a comprehensive theoretical framework that elucidates the factors influencing a range of outcomes experienced by EMI students before, during, and after completing their programs, while considering the potential benefits and costs. Adopting a multidisciplinary approach, this framework aims to provide valuable insights for stakeholders in the EMI landscape, focusing on the diverse outcomes expected from EMI programs attributed to a total skill stock comprising cognitive skills (e.g., reasoning and content knowledge) and non-cognitive skills (e.g., self-efficacy and motivation). The framework's practical utility in the development of a more rigorous strategy aimed at identifying and examining the causal effects of EMI education is also discussed.

TEACHERS’ PROFICIENCY IN ENGLISH LANGUAGE ASSESSMENT AT AN ENGLISH-MEDIUM UNIVERSITY: IMPLICATIONS FOR ELT TRAINING IN PAKISTAN

English is used as an official language in Pakistan and is considered to be a key to success and there is a clear gap in understanding the assessment knowledge and training requirements of Pakistani English teachers. This study's primary focus is on language assessment literacy (LAL) of English language instructors working in a multi-campus university where English is primary language of instruction. This study had 3 objectives: (1) to assess if English for Academic Purpose (EAP) teachers have required academic, professional credentials to develop and execute language assessments; (2) to identify obstacles as teachers faced in conducting language assessments within their institutional contexts; (3) gathering opinions of teachers about requirements for training connected to assessments. The research employed a combination of data collection methods includes the questionaries, semi-structured interviews & examination of curriculum documents of English language teaching (ELT). Findings revealed widespread deficiency in the language assessment literacy (LAL) training, issues arising due to oversized classes, and range of student skill levels, that affect language assessment strategies. Study concludes importance of necessary training to enhance the teachers' assessment capabilities that are vital for students' success in English medium instruction programs.

Students’ attitudes towards accents in English-medium instruction: The role of cosmopolitan and motivation orientations

English-medium instruction (EMI) has become a key aspect of internationalisation agendas in higher education, which are also increasingly promoting cosmopolitanism and global citizenship. Within EMI programmes, however, lecturers' non-native English accents can pose challenges for students' content understanding and influence their evaluations of lecturers and education quality. Motivation, whether instrumental or integrative, can also be crucial for EMI and students' (language) learning. Despite this, limited attention has been given to how students' cosmopolitan and motivation orientations may shape their attitudes towards English accents used in EMI. This quantitative exploratory study, conducted at a university of applied sciences in the Netherlands, therefore aimed to gain insights into 1225 students' attitudes towards Dutch-English and standard English accents in EMI, and the potential predictors of these attitudes. The findings revealed that students had more positive attitudes towards standard English accents, but those with higher cosmopolitan orientations also had more positive attitudes towards Dutch-English accents. To further investigate these attitudes and understand changes in students’ motivation and cosmopolitan orientations, future studies should employ longitudinal and mixed-methods research designs. The findings from such research, along with this study, can guide higher education institutions in adjusting their policies to create more meaningful and inclusive EMI experiences.

Academic success in English Medium Instruction programmes in Turkey: Exploring the effect of gender, motivation, and English language proficiency

This article reports a mixed methods study that investigated the influence of gender, English language proficiency, and general motivation (Instrumental and Integrative) on academic achievement in English Medium Instruction in Turkey. Student test scores on their EMI Business Administration courses (n=143) and a general English proficiency (GEP) test were collected from second-year students. Students also filled out Turhan & Kırkgöz's (2018) Motivation Scale. Semi-structured interviews were then conducted with a subgroup of students (n=21). Regression analyses revealed that gender had no statistically significant predictive power of EMI achievement, whereas both instrumental and integrative motivation were significant predictors. English language proficiency was the strongest predictor, explaining 90% of the variance in achievement. Interview data supported these quantitative findings. Pedagogical implications of these results for language educators, and EMI lecturers and students, as well as suggestions for further research are given.

The Implementation of English Medium Instruction (EMI) at the Public Secondary Schools in South Sulawesi Indonesia: Students’ Voices

This article presents analysis and discussion of research data focusing on the students’ attitudes and perceptions of EMI program implementation strategies in the secondary schools level in South Sulawesi Province. Three Public International Standard Schools that run EMI and non-EMI Programs were selected as sample of the study. The data has been drawn from student questionnaire responses and student group interviews. Seventy seven (77) EMI students and 84 non-EMI students completed the questionnaire. Eight students from each school were selected as focus group interview participants. The data from questionnaire was analysed using SPSS Program, and the data from focus group interview was analysed using NVivo software. The study found that the Chi-square test result suggests that in these three schools, EMI and non-EMI programs have significant differences in their preferences (p=0.000). EMI students preferred the EMI program and non-EMI students preferred non-EMI programs. Futhermore, the students said they experienced difficulties studied in the program. Despite the fact that students experienced difficulties in coping with the new learning situation in the EMI program, the majority felt satisfied with the program because they realised there were some benefits. The students interview responses also highlighted three factors detracting from EMI program implementation: lack of teachers’ language support; lack of English environment in the school; and bilingual learning materials. Detailed findings will be presented and their implications discussed.

The Role of Goal Orientations and Communication Strategies in Willingness to Communicate in EMI Classrooms

Background: In English-medium instruction (EMI) classrooms, goal orientations, strategies, and communication play pivotal roles in facilitating effective learning. Achievement goal orientations (AGOs) guide and control learner competence-relevant behavior in academic performance. Communication strategies (CSs) are communication aids for learners to cope with problems or breakdowns while speaking the target language. Strategic competence is an indispensable affective-cognitive factor that promotes learners’ willingness to communicate (WTC) in a target language.
 Purpose: This study aims to investigate the role of AGOs and CSs in predicting WTC and the effect of English proficiency on AGOs and CSs in EMI classrooms.
 Methods: An online questionnaire survey regarding the perception of AGOs, CSs, and WTC was conducted with 595 university students taking one EMI course in social science and humanity domains in Taiwan. The items were on a 6-point Likert scale ranging from ‘strongly disagree’ to ‘strongly agree’. Hierarchical multiple regression was adopted to predict WTC in EMI classrooms. One-way between-group MANOVAs were adopted to examine the individual and joint effect of English proficiency on the AGOs and CSs.
 Results: The hierarchical multiple regression model showed that task goal orientations and social affective strategies strongly and positively predicted the university students’ WTC in the EMI classroom. Performance-avoidance goal orientations and message reduction and alteration strategies were found to negatively predict WTC in EMI settings. Students’ English proficiency neither predicted their WTC nor affected their AGOs in the EMI classroom. High-proficiency students adopted accuracy-oriented, fluency-oriented, and negotiation for meaning while speaking strategies more frequently than low-proficiency students.
 Conclusion: It is suggested that a supportive and dynamic classroom environment with higher-order learning tasks involving cooperation, reflection, and objective assessment criteria can be incorporated into EMI programs. Besides, instruction in CSs and the use of multimedia teaching aids can facilitate EFL learners’ comprehension of subject-specific materials and encourage them to engage more in EMI classrooms.

Emotions as entanglements: unpacking teachers’ emotion management and policy negotiation in English-medium instruction programmes

ABSTRACT There is a dearth of knowledge on the emotional challenges content-area teachers in English-medium instruction (EMI) programmes face, and how they manage their emotions in their efforts to negotiate a top-down language policy. This paper examines the entangled emotional experiences of EMI content-area teachers in Nepal’s school education. In contrast to a psychological approach to teachers’ emotions, this article draws on sociocultural and ideological perspectives on emotions to unpack a connection between emotions, institutional language policies, language ideologies, identity, and teacher agency. The analysis of EMI teachers’ emotional dynamics essentially identifies their emotions as ‘entanglements’, reflecting the interconnectedness of emotions with other variables such as language ideology, identity, and agency in content-and-language-integrated education. The findings of this study showed that teachers’ limited English proficiency led to negative emotions (e.g. anxiety, fear, frustration, and shame), stimulating them to use English-Nepali bilingualism as a creative strategy to manage their emotional challenges and also to exercise their agency in response to their students’ needs. However, their translanguaging strategy – which otherwise might have included the students’ home language, Bhojpuri – was restricted by hegemonic language ideologies. The findings show that multilingual teachers typically do not experience emotions in a vacuum but in response to other social phenomena. The paper supports the argument that teacher emotion management is not an apolitical process but is rather ideologically and discursively constructed and situated.

Teacher professional identities and their impacts on translanguaging pedagogies in a STEM EMI classroom context in China: a nexus analysis

While translanguaging has gained increasing recognition as a multiliteracy pedagogy in English-medium instruction (EMI) education, research exploring its implementation in STEM classroom contexts remains limited. Furthermore, the interplay of EMI teachers’ professional identities and their instructional strategies has received little attention. This qualitative study explores how STEM academics in an EMI programme in China implemented translanguaging pedagogy, developed their professional identities, and examined the impact of identity on their classroom instructional language use. Drawing upon nexus analysis, the study maps the intersecting discourses influencing two EMI lecturers’ divergent language ideologies and translanguaging strategies. The findings highlight the role of teacher identity and agency in navigating institutional and classroom discourses, facilitating planned and effective translanguaging pedagogy. The study reveals identity struggles within the examined institution, where academic staff faced a challenge in balancing their roles as effective EMI teachers and successful researchers due to a discourse of research meritocracy and were constrained in exploring translanguaging pedagogy due to a discourse of internationalism. These challenges undermined their motivation to invest in teaching identity and pedagogical skills. This study underscores the need for a balanced view of research and teaching, more robust teacher evaluation systems, and institutional support to foster effective translanguaging pedagogy in EMI by incorporating teacher identity construction into EMI teacher preparedness.

The impact of EMI on student English writing proficiency in a Spanish undergraduate engineering context

This study analyzes the influence of English medium instruction (EMI) on student English writing development in a Spanish undergraduate context, a language skill that remains underexplored in EMI research at tertiary level. Through a longitudinal pre- and post-test method, it explores the writing progress of EMI engineering students as compared to the achievement of a group of English as a foreign language (EFL) learners, according to different quantitative and qualitative writing measures. Results show a positive impact of EMI on student writing development at the levels of lexical accuracy and vocabulary. However, other writing areas, such as syntax, grammar, organization, or fluency, appeared unaffected. These findings challenge, to some extent, the widespread assumption that EMI contributes to improving student English language proficiency. This study suggests that sole exposure to the language in EMI contexts does not suffice to improve students’ English writing abilities beyond the area of vocabulary. Therefore, it argues for the inclusion of language skill support within EMI programs to provide students with opportunities to achieve a comprehensive development of their English language and writing competence.

“Part of me is teaching English”: probing the language-related teaching practices of an English-medium instruction (EMI) teacher

Abstract English-medium Instruction (EMI), that is, the use of the English language to teach academic subjects apart from English, is a growing phenomenon around the world. In view of the facilitative role of language in content learning, scholars have stressed the need to incorporate a language focus into EMI classrooms. One practical question that arises from this discussion is “How?” This study, through a telling case, intends to reveal the classroom practices of an EMI teacher who explicitly addresses different language issues during her content teaching in a psychology course in a Macau university. Drawing on multiple sources of data including field observations and interviews, the authors unearth three forms of the teacher’s language-related teaching practices – (1) teaching language for content comprehension, (2) teaching language for classroom engagement, and (3) teaching language through feedback. Specific teaching techniques are further identified and discussed in relation to various personal and contextual factors surrounding the EMI classroom. Practical insights are offered to individual EMI teachers in embracing a language focus to facilitate content learning in EMI programs across geographical contexts.

Studying challenges faced by international students enrolled in English Medium Instruction programs at Russian University

Introduction. The article examines the problem of integrating international students pursuing English Medium Instruction (EMI) programs into the academic environment of the Russian University. The study aims to identify the discrepancies in the attitudes of international students and their professors to the challenges faced by international students that intervene with the successful integration. Materials and Methods. In order to identify the main groups of challenges faced by international students, general scientific methods were used: analysis, synthesis, and generalization of the existing research. To determine the consistency in the views of international students and their professors a diagnostic method was applied: a survey in the form of Likert scale. The reliability of the data obtained was verified using triangulation approach in its two forms: method triangulation (literature analysis on the research problem and the survey method in the form of a Likert scale) and data triangulation (answers to a survey were given by two different groups of respondents). Results. It was revealed that the successful integration of international students into the academic environment of the Russian University is aggravated by four groups of challenges: linguistic, academic, social and cultural ones. Analysis of the research findings showed a number of inconsistencies in the views on the challenges of international students demonstrated by international students and their EMI professors. The attitudes of international students and their EMI professors do not match on the following issues: the level of English language proficiency; the level of analytical skills of international students; the degree of adaptation to a new cultural environment; the perception of culture shock; the communicative abilities of international students in social and academic interaction; the level of awareness of the social and cultural life demonstrated by EMI professors. Conclusions. The authors summarize the differences in the views of international students and their teachers on linguistic, academic, cultural and social difficulties. It is concluded that increasing the degree of consistency between the views of teachers and international students will make it possible to adjust the design and implementation of EMI programs and support the successful integration of international students into the academic environment of the Russian University.

Academic Success in English Medium Courses: Exploring Student Challenges, Opinions, Language Proficiency and L2 Use

The growth of English medium instruction (EMI) programs at universities worldwide has raised questions about the implications of teaching through L2 English on students’ content learning outcomes. This study examined the impact of four factors on students’ academic success (e.g. content learning) in the Turkish EMI context: (1) students’ language-related challenges; (2) students’ opinions about the effectiveness of EMI; (3) students’ perceived language proficiency levels; and (4) the amount of L2 English used in EMI classes. Students’ perceived academic performance was taken as a proxy of EMI success. The study employed a quantitative empirical design using questionnaires and regression analysis. Data were collected via an online questionnaire from 498 students at an EMI university in Turkey. The results revealed that students’ language-related challenges and perceived language proficiency were the only predictors that were associated with academic success in their EMI courses at a statistically significant level. The amount of English used in the classroom was not found to predict success in EMI, suggesting that students may benefit from multilingual models of teaching. These findings underscore the importance of adequate language support for students on EMI programs, and implications are discussed with respect to EMI policy, program planning, and teacher pedagogy.

Transnational Students’ Epistemic Participation in English-Medium Instruction Programs

Past research on English-medium instruction (EMI) has primarily focused on language-related challenges with scant attention paid to how language is entangled with epistemic access and epistemic injustice. Informed by the perspective of “epistemic (in)justice”, this study focused on how a cohort of students from diverse linguistic and cultural backgrounds negotiate a more epistemologically effective and equal access to knowledge negotiation in an EMI international relations master’s program in a Chinese university. Data were drawn from classroom observation, semi-structured interviews, and students’ reflexive journals. Qualitative thematic analysis of the data revealed unequal power relations in students’ epistemic participation and their resulting epistemic silence in classroom discussions. By illustrating how students cope with the epistemic challenges by drawing on individual-cognitive and social-cognitive resources, the findings suggest potential strategies for transnational students to counter the hegemony of English in EMI learning contexts. Implications for decoloniality in EMI education are discussed.

Reflecting on the Role of English in English Medium Instruction Degree Programmes

n the last decades, the growth of English-medium instruction degree programmes all over the world has been considered an opportunity by many institutions and stakeholders involved, e.g., institutional visibility abroad, increased enrollments and international staff. However, it has also raised questions and concerns about the role played by English in such contexts. Indeed, English-medium instruction is typically described as the use of English to teach and learn disciplinary content in non-English speaking countries where such programmes are offered. Under this view, language seems to be used merely as a medium to convey information and enable exchange. This paper describes the features of English-medium instruction and presents the numerous definitions and labels given to it. Comparisons are made with other educational approaches, namely Content and Language Integrated Learning and Integrating Content and Language in Higher Education, with which it shares the use of a foreign language to deliver subject content but differs in the aims and outcomes. This study identifies possible actions to be put in place to place much emphasis on language matters in English-medium instruction programmes.

Teaching and Learning of Mathematics through CLIL, CBI, or EMI—A Systematic Literature Review

This study provides a systematic literature review of research in the field of teaching and learning mathematics through Content and Language Integrated Learning (CLIL), Content-Based Instruction (CBI), and English Medium Instruction (EMI). The review aims to examine the most relevant literature with a focus on mathematics and CLIL, CBI, or EMI in Scopus and Web of Science per the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews (PRISMA) guidelines. Based on 151 sources, 52 papers were selected according to predefined selection criteria. The papers were analysed and coded according to the following categories: (1) geographical productivity, (2) diachronic productivity growth, (3) main objectives, (4) methodology, and research design, (5) variables and measurement instruments, (6) context and sample details, and (7) main findings. The results reveal that most of the research analysed has been carried out in the Asian continent, followed by Europe. The analysis of diachronic productivity shows that the study of the application of CLIL, CBI, and EMI programs in the teaching-learning process of mathematics has notably increased in recent years, especially in the last triennium (2020–2022). Regarding the objectives of the selected corpus, the majority aimed at teaching practices and learning processes, and outcomes in mathematics and language proficiency in CLIL, CBI, and/or EMI classrooms. The corpus analysed fits within one or more of the following categories: empirical, qualitative, descriptive, correlational, and cross-sectional. The samples utilized in different studies differ significantly, both in terms of quantity –ranging from one person to 700– and in the educational level being studied, which would be primary, secondary, or tertiary education. The main variables studied in the corpus focus on mathematical competence, language proficiency, teaching practices, teacher training, science competence, and teachers’ perceptions. The most widely used instruments have been objective tests, such as questionnaires, together with standardized tests to measure some aspects related to mathematical competence and language proficiency. They are followed by an analysis of documents (academic records, teaching materials, official documents...), participant or non-participant observation, interviews, and video and audio recordings. In summary, in the scientific literature analysed, a positive or neutral view predominates on the effects of the CLIL, CBI, and EMI approaches on the learning of mathematics and the L2. This can be due to methodological issues fundamentally related to the methodology, research design, sample, and measurement instruments. Thus, we must highlight that some of the results from the selected papers must be interpreted with caution. Taking this factor into consideration, further comparative studies on a wider scale are required to examine thoroughly the effects of CLIL, CBI, and EMI on the teaching and learning of mathematics in an L2. Besides, it is important to study in greater depth the different levels of language acquisition since the research analysed shows that these have not been sufficiently addressed in the mathematical field of knowledge.

Emotion and imagination in English-medium instruction programs: Illuminating its dark side through Nepali students’ narratives

This article reports on students’ affective dimension in English-medium instruction (EMI) university programs in Nepal. To unpack the affective dimension of EMI students, I conducted interviews and focus group discussions with students from different disciplines (e.g., business, nursing, pharmacy, and education). The data analysis revealed that the social and cognitive process of selecting an EMI program is embedded in “neoliberal imagination,” in which they perceive EMI as a way to upward socioeconomic and symbolic mobility. Such neoliberal desire has implicitly appropriated EMI as a neoliberal endowment and created a discourse of unequal emotions. While EMI has engendered positive emotions (e.g., hope and pride) for some students, other students from non-EMI schooling backgrounds experience negative emotions (e.g., shame and anxiety). The paper, therefore, argues that the neoliberal desire for EMI can create a discourse of mixed emotions, also leading to emotional challenges and discrimination against some students.