scholarly journals Neoliberal language policies and linguistic entrepreneurship in Higher Education

2020 ◽  
Vol 2 (2) ◽  
pp. 174-196
Author(s):  
Maria Sabaté Dalmau
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
English Language ◽  
Language Policies ◽  
Language Resources ◽  
Neoliberal Governance ◽  
English Medium Instruction ◽  
Professional Ethos ◽  
Local Languages ◽  
Stratifying System

Abstract This paper analyzes English-Medium-Instruction (EMI) lecturers’ ambivalent orientations towards neoliberal language policies and linguistic entrepreneurship. The data includes interviews with six case-study lecturers’ biographic narratives, audiologs and video/audio-recorded observations, collected in a market-oriented Catalan university. I show that lecturers problematize Englishization policies but operationalize them by presenting themselves as leading actors in the deployment of EMI. Following “managerialism” logics, they envision English as an economically-convertible “career skill”, imperative to meet new employability/workplace demands. They carve advantaged professional ethos linked to their self-attained English-language resources. They devalue their “non-native” accent but present themselves as content and English-language lecturers, distinguishing themselves from “ordinary” colleagues who teach in local languages, in narratives of “competitiveness” whereby they naturalize a socioeconomically-stratifying system of meritocracy/revenue grounded on the marketization of English. This contributes to understand neoliberal-governance regimes which impose language-based mechanisms for lecturers’ profiling based on views of education as the corporatized “making” of productive workers-to-be.

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.

scholarly journals English Medium Instruction and the Internationalization of Higher Education in Latin America: A Case Study from a Colombian University

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (2) ◽  
pp. 339-367 ◽  
Author(s):  
Isabel Tejada-Sanchez ◽  
Mario Molina-Naar
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Language Learning ◽  
English Language ◽  
Internationalization Of Higher Education ◽  
Learning Support ◽  
Internationalization Process ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
English Medium Instruction ◽  
Contextual Awareness

This study discusses the implementation of English medium instruction (EMI) at a Colombian university. First, the paper reviews the rise of EMI in the internationalization of higher education. Second, it illustrates how one university incorporated EMI as part of an internationalization process. Third, it identifies the perceptions that a group of administrators, faculty, and students have regarding the EMI initiative. Questionnaires, semi-structured interviews, and document analysis were conducted. Findings suggest that EMI is tied to the structuring of an internationalization office, curricular reforms, and English language learning support. Participants’ perceptions are associated with their imaginaries, identities, experiences, and obligations in relation to the English language. The study concludes that the implementation of EMI within the internationalization of universities is inevitable, yet a sustainable EMI strategy requires contextual awareness and articulation amongst its participants.

Inclusive Transnational Education Partnerships: A Case Study of a Master of Arts in TESOL Program

RELC Journal ◽  
2021 ◽  
pp. 003368822110112
Author(s):  
Marie Alina Yeo ◽  
Jonathan Mark Newton
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
English Language ◽  
Language Teachers ◽  
Transnational Higher Education ◽  
Travel Restrictions ◽  
Speakers Of Other Languages ◽  
English Medium Instruction ◽  
English Language Teachers ◽  
Master Of Arts

Recent nationalist and isolationist policies coupled with travel restrictions have prompted a shift in perspectives on the internationalization of higher education. Furthermore, criticisms surrounding issues such as the widespread adoption of English as a medium of instruction in higher education and quality assurance of transnational programs have emerged, with increasing calls for more inclusive models and greater emphasis on quality over quantity. This paper presents an evaluative study of a transnational Master of Arts in the Teaching of English to Speakers of Other Languages (MATESOL) program delivered in partnership by an institution in Singapore (SI) and a university in New Zealand (NZU) and designed for English language teachers from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) region. Drawing on an impact evaluation, the paper identifies key design features in the program that contributed to its effectiveness as an inclusive model of English medium instruction (EMI) and internationalization in transnational higher education (TNHE).

Tolerance and Control. Developing a language policy for an EMI university in Uzbekistan

2020 ◽  
Vol 34 (1) ◽  
pp. 217-237
Author(s):  
Andrew Linn ◽  
Anastasiya Bezborodova ◽  
Saida Radjabzade
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Language Policy ◽  
Control Measures ◽  
The Other ◽  
Language Policies ◽  
Language Ecology ◽  
English Only ◽  
English Medium Instruction ◽  
The One ◽  
And Control

AbstractThis article presents a practical project to develop a language policy for an English-Medium-Instruction university in Uzbekistan. Although the university is de facto English-only, it presents a complex language ecology, which in turn has led to confusion and disagreement about language use on campus. The project team investigated the experience, views and attitudes of over a thousand people, including faculty, students, administrative and maintenance staff, in order to arrive at a proposed policy which would serve the whole community, based on the principle of tolerance and pragmatism. After outlining the relevant language and educational context and setting out the methods and approach of the underpinning research project, the article goes on to present the key findings. One of the striking findings was an appetite for control and regulation of language behaviours. Language policies in Higher Education invariably fall down at the implementation stage because of a lack of will to follow through on their principles and their specific guidelines. Language policy in international business on the other hand is characterised by a control stage invariably lacking in language planning in education. Uzbekistan is a polity used to control measures following from policy implementation. The article concludes by suggesting that Higher Education in Central Asia may stand a better chance of seeing through language policies around English-Medium Instruction than, for example, in northern Europe, based on the tension between tolerance on the one hand and control on the other.

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 Intercultural competence of university teachers: a challenge of internationalization

2019 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-18 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anna Zelenková ◽  
Dana Hanesová
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Action Research ◽  
Intercultural Competence ◽  
English Language ◽  
Course Design ◽  
Medium Study ◽  
University Teachers ◽  
Significant Deficit ◽  
Intercultural Mediators

Abstract The aim of the authors is to respond to the growing demands on the intercultural competence of university teachers due to intensified internationalization pressures on higher education, especially due to the growing number of students and teachers’ international exchanges. They report on an intercultural course design responding to this need, presenting a case study from Slovakia. First, they define the need of intercultural competence of university teachers, especially those teaching in English-medium study programmes. Then they share a) findings from a needs analysis preceding the design of a new curriculum for an intercultural competence course (ICC) at Matej Bel University (MBU) with three aims (development of linguistic, cultural and pedagogic competences); and b) results from action research during piloting the ICC course. A comparison of 2011 and 2018 surveys pointed to the growing dominance of the English language, including an increasing command of English by MBU teachers. The ICC curriculum, tailored to the pre-identified teachers’ needs, proved to be a feasible way of facilitating their intercultural competence. Its implementation revealed persistent prejudices and difficulties associated with overcoming them. It also confirmed a significant deficit in preparing university teachers for their role as intercultural mediators in English-medium courses.

Facebook as Complementary Teaching Material: Reconceptualizing the Context Boundaries of Formal and Informal Learning in EFL Higher Education

2021 ◽  
Vol 4 (9) ◽  
pp. 23-35
Author(s):  
Iman Abbas
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
English Language ◽  
Pedagogical Practices ◽  
Survey Analysis ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Formal Curriculum ◽  
Positive Attitudes ◽  
Skills Learning

This article is a case study that aims to understand and explore a teacher's perspective about integrating Facebook as an informal social platform into the EFL classroom in a higher education context in Oman. The study further aims to identify the attitudes and perspectives of a group of students belonging to the same context. Research data came from semi-structured interviews with a teacher participant and a survey questionnaire with student participants. The study provides a set of findings based on interview data analysis and questionnaire survey analysis. The study's findings revealed the teacher and students' positive attitudes and perspectives towards the role of Facebook in boosting pedagogical practices and increasing English language skills learning. This study contributes to knowledge by providing insights on the integration of Facebook as an informal platform into the formal curriculum-based learning in TESOL. The insights and findings are of value to the teachers and instructors in EFL higher education contexts. Pedagogical implications for ESL (English as a second language) and EFL (English as a foreign language) and researchers are offered in the light of these results.

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.

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