English-medium Research Articles

Navigating Academic Language in English Medium Instruction (EMI) Science Classrooms in Hong Kong

The use of English to teach content subjects is a growing phenomenon in schools around the world. However, many content teachers in English medium instruction (EMI) classrooms are unsure of the extent to which they should focus on academic language while teaching their subjects. Should they focus on content and not be overly concerned about language, or should they put more emphasis on fostering students’ academic language skills? This study explored the role of academic language in EMI science classrooms from the perspective of secondary teachers and students in Hong Kong through the lens of Systematic Functional Linguistics (SFL) and a sociocultural approach to academic language. Interviews and focus group discussions were conducted with 10 teachers and 50 students, respectively. The results reveal the participants’ attitudes towards academic language in science learning, report relevant practices, and highlight the challenges and coping strategies for teaching and learning academic language in science classrooms. The data shows that the participating teachers and students all had a preference for teaching and learning science content over language. The teachers expressed concerns regarding their students’ limited academic English proficiency for effective communication during science lessons. However, the students focused overwhelmingly on their lack of vocabulary knowledge. Both groups also demonstrated a lack of effective strategies to improve academic English abilities necessary for authentic communication during science learning. The implications of the value of using different registers of English to facilitate EMI science learning are discussed.

UNVEILING STUDENTS’ VOICE ON LECTURERS’ CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT IN VIRTUAL ENGLISH MEDIUM INSTRUCTION

A private university in Indonesia has implemented English Medium Instruction (EMI) classes in order to support internationalisation programmes. This policy entails using English as the instructional language in the classroom. This case study examined the teaching practices of seven content lecturers from the Biology, Physics, Mathematics, and Primary Education Departments in EMI classes, focusing on classroom management. Additionally, it explored 208 students’ perceptions in this setting. Data were collected through class observations, questionnaires, and interviews. The findings suggest that effective classroom management by lecturers leads to increased student participation and engagement. The lecturers employed various organisational, teaching management, and teacher-student relationship strategies to manage their classrooms. These findings provide valuable insights into maximising classroom management in an EMI setting, which can enhance critical reflection and support the implementation of EMI classes. The study also highlighted the students' perception of participation and interaction in the class, confirming that lecturers who lack effective teaching skills and multimodal strategies result in passive learning among students.

Exploring Learning Strategies of Students Studying in English-Medium Instruction Courses: A Case Study in the Thai Context

Despite the abundance of research focusing on the perspectives, challenges, and needs of students learning English as a Medium of Instruction (EMI), there is a lack of studies examining the learning strategies employed by students in different academic disciplines. To fill this research gap, this study investigated the most common learning strategies adopted by students in EMI programs and explored the factors influencing their choice of strategies. The study was conducted at a university in Thailand, involving 40 students from medical and engineering schools. A qualitative research design, utilizing an inductive approach, was employed, with data collection conducted through focus group interviews. The thematic analysis revealed that participants primarily relied on cognitive, language-focused, social, and affective strategies. Nevertheless, only a small number employed metacognitive strategies. Furthermore, four main factors—language barriers, content-related issues, tests and assessments, and anxieties—were found to influence students' selection of learning strategies. Pedagogical implications suggest that Instructors should enhance technological integration, provide language support, offer supplementary study materials, and encourage metacognitive activities to motivate students to reflect on their learning experiences. Collaborative learning and a supportive classroom atmosphere are also essential for EMI courses.

Measuring international posture at an internationalised university in Barcelona: an exploration of gender, language, and educational and intercultural trajectories

ABSTRACT This study investigates local first-year undergraduates’ international posture (Yashima, 2002, 2009) when starting studies at an internationalised university in the multicultural and multilingual context of Barcelona (Catalonia, Spain). We aimed, first, to explore the configuration of the international posture measurement model (Yashima, 2009) in a European university and to contrast it with Yashima’s (2009) model developed in Japan. Second, we aimed to investigate what individual variables interact with students’ degree of international posture. Five hundred and two students answered two questionnaires covering their background profile and Yashima’s international posture scale. Factor analyses and descriptive and inferential statistics were performed. Our analysis resulted in three sub-scales with a total of 14 items, in contrast to Yashima’s original 20 items structured into four sub-scales. Higher scores were reported for questionnaire items focused on intergroup relationships in local contexts rather than interactions abroad. Regarding individual variables, being a female and having intercultural friendships emerged as the most predictive factors. In contrast, individual plurilingualism, readiness to move within the country for university studies, and choosing a degree with a high proportion of English-medium instruction only partially predicted undergraduates’ high international posture in this European higher education context.

EMI Dynamics: An Empirical Study on Students’ Perspectives at Tertiary Level in Türkiye

Abstract The unprecedented adoption of English-Medium Instruction (EMI) in higher education on a global scale has brought about challenges as well as opportunities for students, which necessitates a careful consideration of factors impacting their perceptions and experiences. Recognizing this critical need, our study attaches significant importance to delve into the attitudes of tertiary-level students towards EMI and aims to evaluate the attitudes and language-related challenges encountered by students in full EMI undergraduate programs. Data were collected from 278 undergraduate students in various full EMI programs at a Turkish public university. Utilizing the culturally and linguistically adapted form of Yeh’s (2014) EMI questionnaire, the study focused on students’ backgrounds, motivations, and attitudes towards EMI courses, challenges, learning strategies, and beliefs about EMI policies. The findings indicate generally positive attitudes towards EMI. Students perceive EMI as beneficial to their academic and professional development, viewing it as an opportunity to enhance their English proficiency. Nevertheless, challenges arise from coping with specialized terms, heavy learning load, and lecturers’ accents. These results offer valuable insights into the experiences of undergraduate students in full EMI programs at a state university, highlighting both the positive facets and challenges they encounter in settings where English is used as a vehicle for academic growth.

Thai study abroad students as intercultural citizens: developing intercultural citizenship through English medium education and ELT

ABSTRACT Key claimed benefits of internationalizing higher education (HE) are increased intercultural interaction and awareness with internationally oriented universities aiming to produce graduates who are intercultural or global citizens. Yet, there have been few core strategies presented on how international HE programmes might realize such aims, and more research is needed. Furthermore, English language teaching (ELT) plays a central role in preparation and support for study abroad (SA) and internationalization in English medium education (EME), but has also been slow to incorporate intercultural education and intercultural citizenship. Hence, this study aimed to describe how Thai SA students developed a sense of intercultural citizenship during SA experiences with international HE programmes in Anglophone countries and identify roles ELT in facilitating the preparation for their subsequent SA programmes. Data were collected from semi-structured interviews (n = 14) conducted with students from three Thai universities who had experienced EME overseas education. From qualitative content analysis, findings revealed a range of understandings and responses to intercultural citizenship, English learning, language utilization, and the SA experiences. In addition, a mismatch was identified between ELT preparation and support efforts compared to the multilingual and multicultural reality of international HE.

Analysis of Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge Competence of Biology Teachers in the Use of High School Instructional Media

This study aims to analyze the Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge (TPACK) competence of biology teachers in the use of instructional media in high schools in Kuala Tungkal. This research employs a descriptive method with a quantitative approach, involving 7 biology teachers from 3 public high schools in Kuala Tungkal as subjects. Data were collected through questionnaires, interviews, and observations. The results indicate that the technology-based instructional media used by teachers vary according to the needs of the materials being taught. In terms of technological knowledge, the average percentage obtained was 77.78%, which falls under the Good category, while the pedagogical content knowledge aspect scored an average percentage of 84.4%, categorized as Very Good. The conclusion of this study suggests that biology teachers in Kuala Tungkal have good TPACK competence in the use of instructional media. Recommendations from this study include the enhancement of training for developing more advanced technology-based instructional media, such as e-modules and interactive simulations, to further improve the quality of biology education.

Liminality between the lines: self-defined, socially constructed and ontological constraints in the narratives of Russian-medium school teachers in Estonia

PurposeThis study explores the segregated context of Estonian education systems, where Estonian and Russian medium schools coexist. Using the underrepresented theory of liminality in sociology, the author examines the vulnerable positions of teachers in Russian-medium schools.Design/methodology/approachThis study employs a qualitative research design with semi-structured interviews as the main method, the snowball sampling technique of data collection and a hybrid thematic analysis. The sample includes 27 teachers from around Estonia.FindingsThe findings reveal that these teachers experience different forms of liminality, shaped by self-defined, socially constructed and ontological constraints. These liminal moments foster teacher reflexivity, serving as a catalyst for their transformations while navigating the state of “in-betweenness.”Practical implicationsPractically, as Estonia continues to navigate its educational reforms and cultural shifts, recognizing and addressing the liminality of Russian-medium school teachers is crucial for promoting diversity, equity and inclusion within the nation’s educational landscape.Originality/valueThe study brings theoretical novelty to the anthropological theory of liminality, combining it with a new empirical case of the Estonian parallel education system, which had been under-explored from the side of the Russian-speaking community (particularly the Russian-medium schools).

Listening strategy instruction for EMI learners to understand teacher input in science classrooms

Abstract Listening strategies have mostly been investigated in contexts where learners listen to audio recordings. However, a much more prevalent and indispensable listening task in the classroom is listening to teacher input, particularly in the English Medium Instruction (EMI) classroom where the goal of learning is directed towards comprehension of content subject knowledge (e.g., science, geography). Research has also shown that teacher talk dominates EMI classroom interaction, making it even more important to understand how learners comprehend teacher input. However, little research has been conducted in this area, and even less attention has been devoted to exploring how learners can learn to listen in this classroom context through strategy instruction. This paper reports on a study that implemented a listening strategy instruction programme for a class of secondary school EMI students. The study started with a needs analysis, followed by strategy instruction sessions, and lesson observations and stimulated recall interviews. This paper presents data from two EMI students as focal participants and explores how they improved their strategic behaviour when comprehending teacher input in the EMI classroom. Both students widened their strategic repertoires, but the high achiever benefited more from the strategy instruction programme than the weaker student. This paper ends with pedagogical implications, highlighting the importance of listening strategy instruction for EMI learners.

College Students’ Perceptions of English-medium Instruction: A Survey in a Local Chinese University

With the internationalization and globalization of recent decades, English has increasingly become a medium of instruction at universities worldwide. This survey was conducted in a local Chinese university, and focused on college students’ needs and satisfaction regarding content, instructors, and assessment. A mixed method was employed, combining quantitative data from a questionnaire and qualitative data from interviews. The quantitative data were analyzed in SPSS 26.0, and qualitative data were analyzed in NVivo 12 plus. The findings reveal that students generally have a positive attitude towards the needs, content, instructor, and assessment satisfaction in EMI programs, which increased steadily. There is no significant difference in students’ perceptions by gender and self-proficiency, and perceptions of needs, instructor, content, and assessment satisfaction are closely correlated with the overall satisfaction. The study suggests that course design tailored students’ practical needs and advanced teaching techniques are crucial for enhancing EMI courses. Feedback was limited in students’ participation and class size. Gender differences tend to diminish in EMI university settings and English proficiency should be assessed effectively. Needs and satisfaction with content, instructor, and assessment are vital in the overall satisfaction. These insights contribute valuable recommendations for the effective implementation of EMI programs and propose avenues for further research.

Correction: English medium instruction in Ethiopian university mission statements and language policies

Correction: English medium instruction in Ethiopian university mission statements and language policies

ChatGPT, a new “Ghostwriter”: A teacher-and-students poetic autoethnography from an EMI academic writing class

Since its launch in late 2022, ChatGPT has generated both excitement and concern among language professionals in applied linguistics. Although various organizations, publishers, and institutions have introduced guidelines to address this phenomenon, these topdown approaches often neglect the nuanced experiences and perspectives of L2 academic writing teachers and their students. This study aims to bridge this gap by centering on the experiences of one EFL writing teacher and two international students in an undergraduate academic writing course in an English medium program in a Thai private university. In this class, students engaged in writing, reading, and discussions about what it means to be an academic writer in the age of generative AI. By employing collaborative poetic autoethnography, we argue that ChatGPT is more than just a tool or assistant; it has become a ubiquitous “ghostwriter” that requires careful navigation. Drawing on the poems, reflections, freewriting samples, and drafts collected from January to May 2024, the present study provides critical insights into ethical and effective integration of ChatGPT in EFL academic writing classes. The study also contributes to the domain of digital applied linguistics through depicting the opportunities and challenges presented by AI technologies in language and literacy education.

Medical Students’ Perceptions of ChatGPT Integration in English Medium Instruction: A Study from Saudi Arabia

ChatGPT has significantly impacted various educational sectors, including English-medium instruction (EMI). This study explores perceptions of Saudi medical students at the University of Bisha on integrating ChatGPT into their EMI coursework, focusing particularly on its influence on their comprehension and application of medical terminology in English. Employing a descriptive research design, this research collected data from 54 students using both quantitative and qualitative methods. Data collection was facilitated through a questionnaire administered via Google Forms, with responses analyzed statistically using SPSS and qualitatively through thematic analysis. Results indicate a positive student reception towards ChatGPT, particularly its role in enhancing their understanding of medical English. These findings suggest substantial pedagogical benefits, proposing that meticulous integration of ChatGPT could significantly improve EMI in medical education. The study highlights ChatGPT’s capability to aid students in grasping complex medical terms and concepts, stressing the importance of strategic deployment to maximize educational outcomes. Furthermore, this research underscores the necessity for ethical guidance to enable students to critically evaluate the accuracy of information, thus mitigating dependence on potentially erroneous AI outputs. This study establishes a foundational framework for the future integration of ChatGPT in EMI, contributing innovatively to the field.

Happiness Among English Medium School Children: A Comparative Study Between Male And Female Children

The study on "Happiness among English medium school children: A comparative study between male and female children" came up with the aim to analyze the happiness level of children studying in English medium school in Guwahati city (Kamrup Metro). The study predominantly focused on both male and female students aged between 9 to 12 years studying in classes 4 to 7. Happiness is thought of an emotion combined with positive emotions, resulting in subjective well-being when the positive emotions of a person are much more than his negative emotion and his life satisfaction is high. The basic ingredients that make a child happy during childhood seem to be the same ones that help them to become adults; a secure relationship with parents, peers, teachers that gives a foundation to confidently explore the world and also to develop a sense of skill and recognition, all important components in the recipe for happiness. The study used purposive sampling method. 50 female students and 50 male students participated in the study. The tool that was used in the study is The Oxford Happiness Questionnaire and the research method used was Quantitative research method. The study aimed to test if there exists any significant difference between male and female children. The questionnaire was put up in Google form for the convenience of all. The result showed that there is no significant difference in the happiness level of male and female population.

Lexical complexity in academic lectures: Comparative analysis of EMI and Non-EMI settings and influential factors

Despite the substantial body of research on vocabulary in English Medium Instruction (EMI), there is a noticeable dearth of corpus-based studies examining lexical complexity of EMI lectures, particularly in specific disciplines. To fill this gap, this study developed an EMI spoken academic corpus in Business (EMIB) with 120 lectures collected from 54 lecturers with nine different first languages (L1), reaching 1.12 million tokens. The study compared the lexical complexity of EMI Business lectures in China with academic lectures in Anglophone and non-Anglophone settings, represented by teachers’ speech in the British Academic Spoken English Corpus (BASE) and the Corpus of English as a Lingua Franca in Academic Settings (ELFA), respectively. Lexical complexity was conceptualised by lexical sophistication (operationalised by lexical frequency profile and mean frequency band score) and lexical diversity (operationalised by the VOCD-D). Results show that ELFA has significantly higher lexical sophistication than BASE, and significantly lower lexical diversity than BASE and EMIB. This study further explored whether speaker L1, speaker gender, and discipline contributed to the lexical complexity of lectures using multiple linear regression with interaction terms. Results show that speaker L1 and discipline significantly impacted the lexical complexity of lectures. Pedagogical implications are discussed.

Teaching English with Chinese characteristics: a corpus analysis of changes in university curricula

Abstract English language teaching has had a chequered history in China, reflecting an increasing desire to modernise and participate on the world stage combined with a watchful caution against importing unwanted cultural elements. Change, however, has proceeded rapidly in the last 35 years, and China now provides around 700,000 postgraduate students annually to Western universities. Given this importance to western universities and the concerns surrounding the nature and perceived purposes of English-medium instruction, we believe a better understanding of Chinese ELT is crucial. This article tracks the changing role and importance of English in China through its language policy for university non-English majors. We do this using a corpus approach to analyse the keywords in the 1986, 1999, 2007 and 2020 iterations of the national curriculum documents. Our results show a focus on language skills has been replaced by employer-friendly communicative requirements, followed by greater student awareness of learning strategies, and most recently, a more culturally sensitive and critical orientation. We offer a study of an EFL curriculum development outside a more familiar Western context, suggesting the value of discourse analyses to understanding key changes in curricula, and revealing that choices regarding language instruction are rarely ‘neutral’ pedagogical decisions.

Linguistic Accommodation in English-Medium Instruction: Investigating Adjustments by Non-Native English Speakers

This study explores how non-native English-speaking students and teachers accommodate each other linguistically in EMI classrooms. The research explores the features of these strategies, including language simplification, visual aids, code-switching, and non-verbal cues, in terms of their frequency and types to identify how they impact communication/learning.Structured questionnaires were used to collect data from 200 students and 50 teachers. The study found that both students and teachers used simplification in language and visual aids to show what was being discussed.These are also well-documented, underscoring their importance in multilingual classrooms.The Pearson correlation analysis in Table 2 suggests significant positive correlations between the use of simplification and non-verbal cues language proficiency scores, which reveals that more proficient learners can employ these strategies better.This article highlights the importance of linguistic accommodation in EMI. It offers suggestions for targeted intervention programs as well as professional development to improve successful educational outcomes through English medium instruction.

Exploring the Impact of ChatGPT on Chinese Students’ Foreign Language Anxiety in Macau’s EMI Higher Education

In recent years, the integration of artificial intelligence (AI) into educational practices has gained significant attention, with AI-powered tools like ChatGPT being widely adopted for enhancing learning experiences. This study aims to fill in the knowledge gap by the acceptance and use of ChatGPT among Chinese students in English-medium instruction (EMI) higher education programs in Macau and its correlation with foreign language anxiety (FLA). The research found that students exhibit high acceptance and diverse usage patterns of ChatGPT, and students widely accept and use ChatGPT, leading to substantially lower FLA levels. Regression analysis shows that frequent use of ChatGPT is a predictor for reduced FLA alongside perceived usefulness, ease of use, and positive attitudes towards the tool. These results suggest that ChatGPT can be used to improve learning experiences and reduce language anxiety in the course content of EMI programs and offer reasonable lessons for educational practices. This study provides valuable insights into the potential of AI tools to transform language education and supports the integration of technology to foster better educational outcomes.

Transactional development of science and mathematics knowledge and reading proficiency for multilingual students across languages of instruction.

This longitudinal study explored the reciprocal relations between students' domain-specific knowledge (science and mathematics) and reading proficiency from kindergarten to Grade 5. We compared these relational trajectories across both domains in the overall sample and examined the domain specificity of these relations within a multilingual subsample with varying language instruction backgrounds. Using latent curve modeling with structured residuals on a nationally representative data set, we identified two key patterns. In the overall sample, higher reading proficiency at kindergarten was associated with greater growth in science and mathematics knowledge, with a particularly pronounced effect in science. The predictive power of science knowledge on reading proficiency strengthened significantly from Grades 2 to 5, while reciprocal relations in mathematics intensified over time. For multilingual students, outcomes varied by the language of instruction. Those receiving English-only instruction showed early correlations between science and mathematics knowledge and reading proficiency; however, initial science and mathematics knowledge did not predict long-term growth in reading proficiency. Conversely, multilingual students who received instruction in their native language showed no immediate correlations at kindergarten. Nonetheless, their early science and mathematics knowledge significantly predicted later growth in reading proficiency. The findings underscore the critical role of native-language instruction in providing an accessible, vital cognitive and linguistic foundation that supports deeper domain knowledge building, highlighting the enduring benefits of native-language scaffolding. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

University autonomy is a predictor of English medium instruction in European higher education

AbstractDespite extensive research into English as a Medium of Instruction (EMI) in higher education, few if any studies have explored the role of higher education autonomy in driving EMI. This paper tests the novel hypothesis that university autonomy—spearheaded across European higher education through neoliberally predicated ‘steering at a distance’ reforms—predicts EMI. The data are multilevel with higher education institutions (HEIs) nested inside education systems. The University Autonomy Scorecards (Pruvot & Estermann, 2017) operationalise university autonomy at the education-system level (n = 26) and measure four dimensions of autonomy: academic, financial, staffing, and organisational. We include ‘overall autonomy’ as the average. The European Tertiary Education Register provides HEI-level data (n = 1815), which we combine with a count of English-taught degree programmes (ETPs) to measure EMI, provided by Study Portals, the largest online portal of degree programmes. We conduct multilevel regression to analyse the relationships between autonomy and EMI. The results showed that overall autonomy predicts EMI in public universities (p = 0.002). Increasing overall autonomy by one point above the mean increases the likelihood of offering EMI by 9.5%. Academic, staffing, and organisational autonomy predict EMI in public universities, whereas financial autonomy does not. The first to quantify a relationship between university autonomy and EMI, this study offers new insights into how EMI comes about. By revealing a previously obscured interconnectedness between language shift and higher education governance, the study demonstrates the value added of an interdisciplinary approach and proposes a new line of inquiry for future research.