The positioning of English-medium of instruction

2020 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
pp. 5-27
Author(s):  
John Trent
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
English Language ◽  
Positioning Theory ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Medium Of Instruction ◽  
English Medium Instruction ◽  
English Speaking ◽  
English Medium Of Instruction ◽  
The University

Abstract The proliferation of English-medium instruction (EMI) in higher education institutions (HEIs) across non-English-speaking Europe has been recently documented in several large-scale surveys. The opportunities and challenges of designing and implementing EMI policies are also widely recognized. However, our understanding of the use of EMI in Russian HEIs is limited. This study responds to this research need by exploring the experiences and perspectives of instructors teaching business-related subjects using the English language in two different Russian HEIs. A contribution of the study is to investigate these perspectives and experiences using the analytic lens of positioning theory. Results reveal the ways in which instructors are positioned by the university, as well how they position themselves, within an EMI environment. Acknowledging the potential antagonism that might result between different EMI stakeholders because of this positioning and repositioning, suggestions are then made as how this outcome could be avoided. Implications for future research are also considered.

scholarly journals The Role and Impact of English as a Language and a Medium of Instruction in Saudi Higher Education Institutions: Students-Instructors Perspective

2014 ◽  
Vol 2 (2) ◽  
pp. 140 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ebad, Ryhan
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
English Language ◽  
Mother Tongue ◽  
Higher Education Institutions ◽  
Medium Of Instruction ◽  
Listening Skills ◽  
English Medium Instruction ◽  
English Medium Of Instruction ◽  
Preparatory Year

<p>English as a medium of Instruction in higher education institutions across the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is a debatable subject. The Ministry of Higher Education mandates English as the Medium Instruction (EMI) in all the higher education institutions across the kingdom. Since Arabic is the mother tongue of the natives and the only spoken language in the entire region, it is the only medium of instruction in all the schools up to the secondary level. English is formally introduced as the language of instruction in undergraduate level. This sudden shift in language produces a barrier which creates chaos and repulsive issues with the medium of instruction. All the universities have their separate English Language Centre (ELC) as well as Preparatory Year Program (PYP) where they intensively train and prepare students for the English language. Emphasis is laid upon improving students reading, writing, speaking, and listening skills. However, many studies conducted to examine the issue of medium of instruction have revealed an existence of a huge gap between teaching and learning, knowledge acquisition, and overall understanding of the subjects using English medium of instruction. Arabization is also a major contributing factor in making the situation difficult. Students and instructors encounter high levels of challenges and obstacles during the course of classroom instruction. This paper identifies the gap between English medium instruction (EMI) and Arab medium instruction (AMI) and investigates the root cause of the issues taking into account the reports of other case studies. The paper concludes with recommendations to address these issues.</p>

scholarly journals Challenges and Strategies of University Students in English-medium Instruction (EMI) Classes: A case study

2021 ◽  
pp. 9-25
Author(s):  
Kamran Akhtar Siddiqui ◽  
Hassan Syed ◽  
Zafarullah Sahito
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
English Language ◽  
Linguistic Diversity ◽  
National Language ◽  
School Level ◽  
Medium Of Instruction ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
English Medium Instruction ◽  
Continuous Use

English language has grown to be a lingua franca of the present day world. Therefore, even non- English European and Asian countries have adopted English as a medium of instruction. English has continuously been the medium of instruction in the higher education of Pakistan in spite of having a great linguistic diversity and national language Urdu as the medium of instruction at school level. This study aims to explore the perceptions of undergraduates about EMI, challenges they face in EMI classrooms and solutions they suggest for mitigation of their issues. The qualitative data collected through semi-structured interviews reveals that students perceive EMI to be beneficial for higher education, employment and progressive thought. However, they face challenges related to teachers’ English proficiency, code-switching, vocabulary and receptive as well as productive skills. They suggest that English-proficient instructors, continuous use of English, language support from university can help them overcome these challenges effectively.

PERCEPTIONS OF UNDERGRADUATES OF ENGLISH MEDIUM INSTRUCTION: EXPLORATION OF CHALLENGES AND SOLUTIONS

2021 ◽  
pp. 47-54
Author(s):  
Kamran Akhtar SIDDIQUI ◽  
Hassan SYED
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
English Language ◽  
Linguistic Diversity ◽  
Research Area ◽  
Medium Of Instruction ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Urban Centers ◽  
Small Cities ◽  
English Medium Instruction ◽  
Continuous Use

The English language has grown to be a lingua franca of the present day world. Therefore, even non-English European and Asian countries have adopted English as a medium of instruction. Despite having a great linguistic diversity in the country and varied medium of instructions at different educational levels, English has continuously been the medium of instruction in the higher education of Pakistan. Although the attitudes of undergraduates have been studied in urban centers in the country on a smaller scale, very little attention has been paid to exploring specifically the challenges undergraduates face in universities located in small cities. Therefore, this study aims to explore undergraduates’ perceptions about EMI, particularly the challenges they face in EMI classrooms and solutions they suggest for mitigation of their issues. The qualitative data collected through semi-structured interviews reveal that students perceive EMI to be beneficial for higher education, employment and progressive thought. However, they face challenges related to teachers’ English proficiency, code-switching, vocabulary and receptive as well as productive skills. They suggest that English-proficient instructors, continuous use of English, language support from university can help them overcome these challenges effectively. The study offers recommendations for further exploration of the research area in the context of Pakistan.

scholarly journals Internationalisation in Higher Education and English as a teaching and learning tool: what are the implications in all Brazilian Education?

2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (10) ◽  
pp. e4779108672
Author(s):  
Adriana Claudia Martins
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
English Language ◽  
Basic Education ◽  
Medium Of Instruction ◽  
Global Knowledge ◽  
Learning And Teaching ◽  
Language Knowledge ◽  
Set Up ◽  
The University

It is evident that there is no language better than other, however English seems to be necessary if people want to dialogue and take part in the global knowledge and civilization. This article has the aim to discuss about having English as a Medium of Instruction (EMI) in Higher Education, when there are implications about learning and teaching English in all Brazilian Education. For this, the methodology of this study is qualitative, considering publications in this thematic and focusing on debate considering two subtitles: Higher Education teaching in English as Medium of Instruction (EMI) - learnings and challenges; and, when the university internationalisation is affected by implications in all Brazilian Education. In this way, the debate has to be set up in all levels of Brazilian education because the English language knowledge taught at Brazilian Basic Education does not fit to the students’ needs when they are going to Brazilian universities to have disciplines mediated through English. It is necessary to study, in future investigations, if people from Brazilian institutions are really assuming the internationalisation and if this situation brings more quality and learning possibilities to all Brazilian education.

scholarly journals University Teachers’ Views on English as the Medium of Instruction in an Iranian Higher Education Institution

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Arab World English Journal ◽  
Abbas Zare-ee ◽  
S. Yahya Hejazi
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
English Language ◽  
Education Institution ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Medium Of Instruction ◽  
State University ◽  
University Teachers ◽  
The Subject ◽  
New Curricula ◽  
Current Emphasis

The use of English for instruction at the tertiary level of education by nations whose native language is not English has been the subject of considerable debate. This study aims to survey the attitudes of a group of Iranian university teachers at a state university in central Iran towards the possible use of English as a medium of instruction (EMI) in Iranian higher education, where Persian is currently the medium of instruction except in English language departments. It also explores whether teachers’ attitude towards EMI is affected by their university rank. To this end, 60 teachers were randomly selected from faculties of Humanities, Science, and Engineering, and their perceptions about EMI were explored through questionnaires and interviews. The findings indicated that, in spite of the current emphasis on Persian by authorities, teachers valued English over Persian as the medium of instruction, expressing concerns mainly about inadequacies in resources and English proficiency requirements. Interview results showed that their opinions were divided as they enumerated a variety of economic, academic, cultural, social, and technological reasons both for and against the possible use of EMI at Iranian tertiary levels. The results imply that concerns over the launch of new curricula using EMI are multidimensional. Possible suggestions for future research on EMI are discussed.

Can-Do descriptors – Realigning English Language Curriculum at Higher Education Institution to CEFR

2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (2) ◽  
pp. 84
Author(s):  
Erda Wati Bakar
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Foreign Language ◽  
Language Proficiency ◽  
English Language ◽  
Education Institution ◽  
Ministry Of Education ◽  
Language Curriculum ◽  
English Curriculum ◽  
The Common ◽  
The University

The Common European Framework of Reference for Language (CEFR) has become the standard used to describe and evaluate students’ command of a second or foreign language. It is an internationally acknowledged standard language proficiency framework which many countries have adopted such as China, Thailand, Japan and Taiwan. Malaysia Ministry of Education is aware and realise the need for the current English language curriculum to be validated as to reach the international standard as prescribed by the CEFR. The implementation of CEFR has begun at primary and secondary level since 2017 and now higher education institutions are urged to align their English Language Curriculum to CEFR as part of preparation in receiving students who have been taught using CEFR-aligned curriculum at schools by year 2022. This critical reflection article elucidates the meticulous processes that we have embarked on in re-aligning our English Language Curriculum to the standard and requirements of CEFR. The paper concludes with a remark that the alignment of the English curriculum at the university needs full support from the management in ensuring that all the stakeholders are fully prepared, informed and familiar with the framework.

scholarly journals FROM INLAND TO OUTLAND: EXPERIENCES OF NON-NATIVE EXPATRIATE TEACHERS TEACHING IN A FOREIGN CONTEXT

2019 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
pp. 24-37
Author(s):  
Remart Padua Dumlao ◽  
Trixia Mengorio
Keyword(s):  
English Language Learners ◽  
Language Learners ◽  
Personal Development ◽  
Cultural Awareness ◽  
English Language ◽  
Linguistic Diversity ◽  
Language Teachers ◽  
Future Research ◽  
English Speaking ◽  
Native English Speaking

The numbers of English language learners and limited domestic English language teachers have grown exponentially in Indonesia, Thailand and Vietnam, as well as to the ASEAN region over the past decades due to the demand of globalization. Given the huge cultural and linguistic diversity among learners, educating these populations of English language learners can be a challenging but also beneficial for foreign language teachers. This study aimed to analyse the experiences of fifteen Non-native English Speaking Foreign Teachers (NNESFT) teaching in Indonesia, Thailand and Vietnam. The results of this study suggested that although teachers’ reasons in teaching English language in a foreign classroom were more extrinsic reasons rather that intrinsic and altruistic. NNESFT recognized benefits of teaching in foreign classroom, namely, financial aspects, personal development, and building cultural awareness. Meanwhile, challenges were reported include as a non-native English speaking teachers in a foreign classroom, on the part of textbooks and curriculum, and cultural differences in the classroom. Implications were discussed in light of the findings and recommendations formulated for future research directions.

scholarly journals Neoliberal Policies and English Language Education in Turkey

2020 ◽  
Vol 13 (9) ◽  
pp. 63
Author(s):  
Omer Gokhan Ulum
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
English Language ◽  
Language Education ◽  
English Language Education ◽  
British Council ◽  
Medium Education ◽  
Turkish Higher Education ◽  
English Medium Instruction ◽  
Neoliberal Policies ◽  
Education In Turkey

Turkey has adopted a new trend regarding English-medium education in recent decades. The development of capitalism has also affected Turkey and the Turkish education system. The Turkish Council of Higher Education has aspired to make higher education in Turkey more global and international. Therefore, the British Council has prepared a report to show the situation of English in Turkey. It has been found that Turkey needs serious ameliorations in many ways in the sphere of English-medium instruction. The report findings show that Turkey can develop economically more if it can endorse English-based education. The popularity of neoliberalism has shown its effects in Turkish higher education. Therefore, English has been prioritized as a result of neoliberalism. In the future, the situation of English can be evaluated by teachers, scholars, students, policymakers, and international organizations. The findings also show that The Turkish Council of Higher Education believes that the British Council has contributed to the development of English in Turkey following neoliberal policies.

scholarly journals KWReq—a new instrument for measuring knowledge work requirements of higher education graduates

2021 ◽  
Vol 55 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Maximilian Trommer ◽  
Hildegard Schaeper ◽  
Gregor Fabian
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Structural Equation ◽  
English Language ◽  
Empirical Test ◽  
Questionnaire Development ◽  
Measurement Instrument ◽  
Knowledge Work ◽  
Replication Study ◽  
Future Research ◽  
New Instrument

AbstractStarting from the observation that questionnaires for appropriately measuring the changing working conditions and requirements of the highly qualified workforce do not exist, we developed a new German-language instrument focussing on knowledge work. Based on theoretical considerations, we first identified three basic dimensions that constitute knowledge work: novelty, complexity, and autonomy. During the subsequent process of questionnaire development with higher education graduates, including a cognitive pretest, a quantitative development study, and a replication study, these dimensions were operationalised by initially 173 and finally 22 items. Confirmatory factor analysis and structural equation modelling of the data of both the development and the replication study show that the 22-item instrument validly and reliably measures novelty (4 items), complexity with three subdimensions (9 items), and autonomy, also with three subdimensions (9 items). An English version of the questionnaire is available. However, the empirical test of the English-language questionnaire as well as possible refinements of the measurement instrument, which will be discussed in the final section of the paper, are left to future research.

scholarly journals A Study on Vocabulary-Learning Problems Encountered by BA English Majors at the University Level of Education

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Naeem Afzal
Keyword(s):  
Learning Strategies ◽  
English Language ◽  
Vocabulary Learning ◽  
Learning Problems ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Level Of Education ◽  
New Words ◽  
English Majors ◽  
University Level ◽  
The University

Proficiency in English language depends on the knowledge of its vocabulary possessed by the second and foreign language learners and even the native speakers. Though developing the vocabulary is vital, it poses several problems, especially, to non-native students of English. Students with a low vocabulary knowledge show weak academic performance in different courses related to the language skills, linguistics, literature, and translation at the university level of education. This study, in particular, aims to investigate the problems faced by English majors in learning the vocabulary at Prince Stattam bin Abdulaziz University (PSAU) in Saudi Arabia. It also puts forward some vocabulary-learning strategies to minimize the potential problems. The data consist of the responses of 100 student-participants (undergraduates) randomly picked up from five different levels (four, five, six, seven, and eight) of 4-Year BA English Program at PSAU. This quantitative study uses an online questionnaire, as an instrument, to collect the data. The results reveal that the English majors at PSAU face several problems in learning the vocabulary such as knowing the meanings of new words, pronouncing new words, using new words correctly, memorizing and spelling new vocabulary and so on. To its contribution, this study emphasizes the importance of learning the English vocabulary, draws students’ attention towards it, highlights the problems encountered by students, and raises their awareness of the vocabulary. Future research may explore teachers’ perspectives on students’ vocabulary-learning problems and instructional methods implemented to teach the vocabulary in English language classrooms.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document