scholarly journals English as a medium of instruction in Russian universities

2019 ◽  
pp. 8-10
Author(s):  
Elena Sergeevna Sheina
Keyword(s):  
Mother Tongue ◽  
Medium Of Instruction ◽  
British Council ◽  
New Challenges ◽  
Russian Universities

The paper deals with the growing global phenomenon of teaching EMI in the countries where English is not the mother tongue for the majority of population. Using the research conducted by Oxford EMI and the British Council, the author tries to focus on the phenomenon of EMI: its definition, aims, national expectations and new challenges for the Russian teachers. The author presents debatable issues related to the EMI incorporating at Russian universities that need further research and rethinking.

Language policies for Hong Kong schools since 1997

2010 ◽  
Author(s):  
Vincent Kan ◽  
Bob Adamson
Keyword(s):  
Hong Kong ◽  
Secondary Schools ◽  
Language Policy ◽  
Mother Tongue ◽  
International Communication ◽  
National Language ◽  
Medium Of Instruction ◽  
Language Policies ◽  
Mother Tongue Education ◽  
Important Means

Francis of Education (print)/1474-8479 (online) Article 2010 Language in education debates in Hong Kong focus on the role and status of English (as the former colonial language and an important means for international communication); Cantonese, the mother tongue of the majority of the population; and Putonghua, the national language of China. This paper examines the language policy formulated in 1997–1998, and finds that it radically departed from previous policies by mandating the use of Cantonese as the medium of instruction in secondary schools. The paper then analyses two subsequent policy revisions and concludes that, while the tonal emphasis on mother-tongue education has remained, the policy revisions have reversed the language policy to previous practices that emphasised the importance of English.

scholarly journals ESSENTIAL FEATURES OF EFFECTIVE ACADEMIC WRITING IN ENGLISH

2021 ◽  
Vol 25 (1-2) ◽  
pp. 41-43
Author(s):  
Yu.V. Lysanets ◽  
O.M. Bieliaieva ◽  
L.B. Slipchenko ◽  
K.H. Havrylieva ◽  
H.Yu. Morokhovets
Keyword(s):  
Academic Writing ◽  
English Language ◽  
Mother Tongue ◽  
Poor Quality ◽  
Professional Communication ◽  
Academic Standards ◽  
Medical Setting ◽  
British Council ◽  
Academic Communication ◽  
English Academic Writing

The article discusses the features of academic writing in English based on the recommendations from the British Council in Ukraine in the framework of the “Researcher Connect” project, aiming to facilitate the transition to academic standards of English and improve the academic discourse produced by non-native language users. The authors outline major tendencies in the modern English language as pertains to written discourse and provide recommendations for rendering academic writing persuasive. It is a well-established fact that academic writing in English possesses unique features, which must be respected and taken into account. Hence, a transfer of academic norms from a person's mother tongue to English can be a challenge, which may impair the quality of academic writing. Presenting the research results without consideration of academic norms, grammar, and lexical features of English academic writing can lead to mistakes and misunderstanding, and result in a written work of poor quality, even if the research findings are valid. The mechanisms of improving the academic writing skills during the study of English for Academic Communication with due account for relevant grammar and lexical peculiarities have been explored. Therefore, the major challenge for researchers is the difficulty in transition to academic standards of a foreign language. The article discusses the surface and the deeper purposes in any academic writing; the significance of understanding one’s audience; the concepts of persuasion, clarity, and conciseness, as well as grammar and lexical means for achieving them. Developing the communication skills of Ukrainian scientists is crucial for successful international communication and cooperation. The study of potential difficulties, which the Ukrainian medical professionals may face in the process of academic writing in English, is important for developing the guidelines to eliminate possible mistakes and avoid misunderstanding in a medical setting. Further study of the peculiarities of academic writing in English will contribute to the optimization of international professional communication, the expansion of inter-institutional dialogue, and the integration of Ukraine into the world community.

scholarly journals Teachers’ Perception about English as a Medium of Instructions: Evidence from the Government Higher Secondary Schools of Sindh, Pakistan

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (4) ◽  
pp. 362-371
Author(s):  
Abul Ala Mukhtar ◽  
Zafarullah Sahito ◽  
Abida Siddiqui
Keyword(s):  
Secondary Schools ◽  
English Language ◽  
Mother Tongue ◽  
Social Institutions ◽  
Medium Of Instruction ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Common People ◽  
British Rule ◽  
The Government ◽  
Set Up

This case study inquires the perceptions and experiences of teachers about the English as a medium of instructions at government higher secondary schools of Warah city of Sindh, Pakistan. It witnesses that a large chunk of the population is diversified to use their provincial or regional languages as destined by socio-political heritage. Because English was remained a paramount part of educational context in Pakistan during British rule. In Sindh, students learn English from their teachers at their schools, who by no means really acquire the required proficiency in the English language. The research design undertaken was qualitative in nature and revolved around the semi structured interviews. English as a medium of instruction has a daunting and remarkable role to set to be set up across the globe. The mother tongue has the supreme role to play in the organized system of social institutions, which has massive resources of linguistics pouring down to the common people in the forms of superb streams of dialects with definite code of syntax, semantics and pragmatism. The extra reading materials with the support of technology, the English lessons can play a pivotal role to give internalization and adaptation of English language as a medium of instruction.

scholarly journals Instructional language dilemma and challenges in Ghana's education system: any prospects?

2008 ◽  
Vol 5 ◽  
pp. 153-172
Author(s):  
Y.A. Ankomah
Keyword(s):  
Mother Tongue ◽  
First Language ◽  
College Of Education ◽  
First Year ◽  
Medium Of Instruction ◽  
Language Usage ◽  
Cross Sectional Survey ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
English Usage ◽  
Main Medium

language plays a pivotal role in educational provision and its quality as it is the main medium that facilitates communication between the learner and the teacher. Since the introduction of the first official school language policy in 1925, there has been the dilemma of what nature the policy is to take, spanning from first language as medium of instruction for the first three years of primary school, through first language usage for the first year only to an all-English usage for the first year only to an all –English usage throughout school. The study was a baseline cross-sectional survey on the perceptions of stakeholders on the language of instructions in Ghanaian basic schools. Eighty seven respondents comprising 36 pupils, 36 parents, nine teachers and three heads from three basic schools and six tutors from a college of education were interviewed on their views and perception on the used of the local language as medium of instruction in basic schools. The literature and the present study reveal that currently stakeholders will not support one exclusive language, English or Ghanaian first language, as medium of instruction at the early stages of school due to entrenched perceptions, not withstanding whatever possible advantages there may be. The obvious choice is a mother tongue-based bilingual arrangement that effectively combines the advantages of Ghanaian first language and English. But its success calls for commitment by policymakers and other stakeholders.

scholarly journals THE ROLE OF THE «MIZRACHI» POLITICAL PARTY IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF JEWISH PRIVATE SCHOOLING IN INTERWAR POLAND

2020 ◽  
Vol 33 ◽  
pp. 69-80
Author(s):  
Oksana RUDA
Keyword(s):  
Public Schools ◽  
Political Party ◽  
Jewish History ◽  
Mother Tongue ◽  
Educational Institutions ◽  
Medium Of Instruction ◽  
Jewish State ◽  
Interwar Poland ◽  
Jewish Students ◽  
The Government

The activity of the Jewish party «Mizrachi» in the 20s and the 30s of the 20th century, aimed at developing private Jewish schooling with Hebrew as the medium of instruction, is analyzed. In interwar Poland, Jewish students were deprived of the opportunity to receive primary education in public schools in the mother tongue as the medium of instruction, as government officials only partially implemented the Little Treaty of Versailles of 1919. The development of Jewish schooling was also complicated by the Polonization policy, the cultural and linguistic heterogeneity of Poland's Jews. Polish-speaking «szabasówka», who implemented a nationwide program of educating Jewish students in the spirit of loyalty to the government, facilitated their assimilation. That part of the Jewish community, which perceived these schools as an assimilation factor, actively participated in expanding the network of private Jewish schools with Yiddish or Hebrew mediums of instruction. An important part in the development of such religious and national educational institutions took the Mizrachi party, whose program principles combined the Jewish religious tradition with activities aimed at forming a Jewish state in Palestine. The author examines the activities of the Jewish cultural and educational societies «Jabne» and «Micyjon tejce Tora», which were cared for by «Mizrachi». The societies took part in establishing preschools, primary and secondary schools, teachers' seminaries, evening courses, public universities, reading clubs, libraries, and more. Both Judaic and secular subjects were taught in these educational institutions. Paying due attention to the teaching of Hebrew, Jewish literature, and Jewish history in schools helped preserve Jewish students' national identity. Keywords «Mizrachi» political party, Poland, cultural and educational societies, religious and national schools, Hebrew, Yiddish.

scholarly journals Challenges of the Sudden Switch from Mother Tongue Instruction to English as a Medium of Instruction

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
pp. 76
Author(s):  
Shahinaz Abdullah Bukhari
Keyword(s):  
Focus Groups ◽  
English Language ◽  
Mother Tongue ◽  
Collaborative Work ◽  
Faculty Members ◽  
English Language Teaching ◽  
Standard English ◽  
Medium Of Instruction ◽  
Classroom Communication ◽  
Mother Tongue Instruction

The present study explored the challenges encountered through the transition from using the mother tongue as a medium of instruction at schools to using English as a medium of instruction at universities. Two focus groups were conducted with Saudi undergraduates and faculty members from different Saudi universities. The focus groups investigated how participants perceive this experience, what difficulties they face and how they cope. Participants expressed their preference for using English as a medium of instruction in higher education to maximise students’ future and international opportunities. Participant students reported difficulties in lecture comprehension, taking notes while listening and classroom communication. Participant content lecturers reported difficulties related to students’ reluctance to speak in English, lack of English terminology and insufficient lecture comprehension. Some suggestions that have been offered to overcome these challenges include the following: designing adequate trainings for content lecturers on teaching their content in English; using Arabic-English bilingualism as medium of instruction; giving emphasis to academic literacy and communication skills over the use of standard English models and enhancing the collaborative work between English language teaching practitioners and content lecturers.

Mother Tongue in Indigenous Script as Medium of Instruction

2017 ◽  
Vol 14 (1) ◽  
pp. 71-89
Author(s):  
Ruchira Das
Keyword(s):  
Cultural Heritage ◽  
Formal Education ◽  
West Bengal ◽  
Mother Tongue ◽  
Medium Of Instruction ◽  
Tribal Community ◽  
Level Of Education ◽  
Primary Level ◽  
The Government ◽  
The City

Olchiki is the indigenous script of Santals, a dominant tribal community of West Bengal, formulated to promote and represent ‘adi’ cultural heritage and traditions in their mother tongue Santali. The script was recognised by the Government of West Bengal in 1978 and was introduced at the primary level of education. However, there have been contestations around its appropriateness as the medium of instruction for the migrant tribal community in the emerging context of the city and globalisation. These discourses have led to the formation of two distinct groups—those who support the introduction of Santali language in Olchiki as a means to formal education and those who resist usage of its script for schooling. In my article, I will present these conflicting views prevailing among the migrant Santals of a settlement called Santragachi, in Kolkata.

The right to education act (2009): Instructional medium and dis-citizenship

2018 ◽  
Vol 2018 (253) ◽  
pp. 149-168 ◽  
Author(s):  
Usree Bhattacharya ◽  
Lei Jiang
Keyword(s):  
Mother Tongue ◽  
Compulsory Education ◽  
Instructional Medium ◽  
Home Language ◽  
Medium Of Instruction ◽  
Right To Education ◽  
Language Of Instruction ◽  
Marginalized Groups ◽  
Education Act ◽  
The Right

Abstract While the broader ambition of the Indian government’s Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education (RTE) Act (2009) has been lauded, scholars have expressed reservations with the universal education measure. One area that has not been adequately addressed within these debates is the instructional medium. While RTE (2009) recognizes children who are “disadvantaged” as linguistic minorities, and stipulates that the “medium of instruction shall, as far as practicable, be in child’s mother tongue”, it offers little further direction. India is home to more than 1,652 languages, but only 43 languages function as instructional media. Therefore, the majority of children learn in a tongue that is not their home language, experiencing serious educational disadvantages. How this issue complicates the intent of the RTE (2009) Act remains to be explored. This article examines this gap using the theoretical lens of dis-citizenship, which is conceptualized in terms of exclusions experienced by marginalized groups. Here, we focus on those marginalized by the language of instruction. We investigate questions about language access, inclusion, equity, and rights arising from RTE (2009), within the narrative of India’s complex, hierarchical multilingualism.

Learning Mandarin in Singapore Preschools: Laying the Foundation for Multilingualism

2016 ◽  
Vol 2 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Cher Leng Lee
Keyword(s):  
Education Policy ◽  
Mother Tongue ◽  
Chinese Language ◽  
Preschool Education ◽  
Language Education ◽  
Medium Of Instruction ◽  
Chinese Language Education ◽  
The World ◽  
Singapore Chinese ◽  
Main Language

AbstractSingapore’s multilingual and multicultural sociolinguistic ecology probably makes it one of the best places in the world to nurture strong bilingualism. However, English is fast becoming the mother tongue of Singapore Chinese children. This is due to the fact that over the years of building the country’s economy, English has taken over as the medium of instruction in schools and the working language of the society, as well as the main language spoken in the homes. This paper examines the Chinese language education in Singapore preschools and explains how a change in preschool education policy can help children lay a better foundation for bilingualism, giving them a higher chance of success in later years (Yip and Matthews 2007.

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