Introductory description

English Medium Instruction (EMI) refers to the teaching of academic content in countries where English is not the first or dominant language. The last decade has seen significant and sustained growth globally in EMI programmes at universities in non-anglophone countries and it is anticipated that English language teachers increasingly have opportunities to work in roles which prepare and support EMI students in universities around the world. This growth has been matched by research interest within applied linguistics, which is helping to expand our understanding of the reasons, benefits, and challenges of EMI. This module will look at the reasons why countries and institutions look to introduce and grow EMI, and examine how EMI policy is implemented, and the challenges that emerge. Solutions for the challenges will be grounded in theories of learning, whilst also being pragmatic and responding to immediate needs. These solutions will be examined from the English language teacher’s perspective as we consider how English language teachers can support students and work with their colleagues in academic departments. This module will be of interest to English language teachers who will be working in non-anglophone countries teaching English for Academic Purposes (EAP), EMI teacher trainers, and lecturers delivering subject content in programmes of applied linguistics and TESOL.

Module aims

Outline syllabus

This is an indicative module outline only to give an indication of the sort of topics that may be covered. Actual sessions held may differ.

This indicative module outline offers an overview of the typical topics that are covered each week; actual sessions may differ:

Week 1 Introduction to EMI (Learning Outcomes 1,2)

• Global themes and local contexts
• Definitions and overlapping concepts
• Reasons, benefits, and challenges of EMI

2 University implementation of EMI policy (Learning Outcomes 1,2)

• How language policy impacts and shapes programme management, administration, teachers, and students

3 Can there be an EMI pedagogy? (Learning Outcomes 3,4,5)

• Theories of Learning
• Cognitive Load Theory and EMI
• Application to different disciplines

4 The EMI Teacher (Learning Outcomes 3,4,5)

• EMI teacher beliefs
• (Re-)-Defining teacher roles
• How English language teachers can support content teachers

5 EMI and English Language Teacher Collaboration (Learning Outcomes 3,4,5)

• Models for student support and development
• Building cross-department collaborations

6 Language in the classroom (Learning Outcomes 3,4,5)

• English as Lingua Franca
• Multilingualism
• Translanguaging

7 Assessment in EMI (Learning Outcomes 3,4,5)

• Using constructive alignment to separate language and content
• Assessing language and content in EMI

8 Case Studies (Learning Outcomes 1,2,3,4,5)

• Analysis of two EMI contexts and a comparison with an anglophone EAP context.

Learning outcomes

By the end of the module, students should be able to:

• Identify and evaluate the various descriptions and dimensions of EMI in the literature as well as real world contexts.
• Describe the trend in global growth of EMI and identify the different reasons for introducing EMI by using examples from a national and institutional level.
• Describe and analyse the challenges and benefits of EMI using current research.
• Analyse approaches to teaching and learning that are relevant to EMI.
• Suggest and evaluate solutions and best practices for EMI according to context.

Indicative reading list

Airey, J., 2012. “I don’t teach English”: The linguistic attitudes of physics lecturers in Sweeden. AILA Review, 25, pp.64-79.
Cenoz, J. and Gorter, D., 2021. Pedagogical translanguaging. Cambridge University Press.
Dafouz, E. and Smit, U., 2020. ROAD-MAPPING English medium education in the internationalised university. Springer International Publishing.
Dearden, J., 2014. English as a medium of instruction-a growing global phenomenon. British Council.
Dobinson, T., Dryden, S., Dovchin, S., Gong, Q. and Mercieca, P., 2023. Translanguaging and “English Only” at Universities. TESOL Quarterly.
Han, J., 2023. English Medium Instruction as a Local Practice: Language, culture and pedagogy (p. 126). Springer Nature.
Macaro, E., 2018. English medium instruction. Oxford University Press.
Ou, A.W., Hult, F.M. and Gu, M.M., 2022. Language policy and planning for English-medium instruction in higher education. Journal of English-Medium Instruction, 1(1), pp.7-28.
Richards, J.C. and Pun, J., 2022. Teacher strategies in implementing English medium instruction. ELT Journal, 76(2), pp.227-237.
Rose, H., Macaro, E., Sahan, K., Aizawa, I., Zhou, S. and Wei, M., 2021. Defining English medium instruction: Striving for comparative equivalence. Language Teaching, pp.1-12.
Wingate, U. and Hakim, A., 2022. Moving beyond ‘infancy’: towards a cross-fertilization between EMI and EAP scholarship. ELT Journal, 76(4), pp.529-537.

International

The module will develop students' understanding of EMI as a global phenomena. By exploring examples from EMI settings from around the world we will identify common themes as well context specific factors and issues. Students will be able to explore the literature and case studies from their own national context.

Subject specific skills

• Describe, compare, and evaluate EMI practices of different contexts at macro, meso and micro levels.
• Discuss critically the benefits and challenges of adopted EMI approaches in contexts under consideration.
• Identify appropriate learning strategies relying relevant research and best practices to suit EMI contexts under consideration.
• Discuss contemporary theoretical and practical issues in teaching at higher education using EMI.
• Develop and propose solutions to issues in an EMI context relying on the relevant research and best practices in the field.

Transferable skills

• Participate constructively in group discussions.
• Structure and communicate ideas effectively in writing.
• Plan and manage time and workload to meet deadlines.
• Synthesize information from a range of sources.
• Analyse given case studies based on the relevant research and best practices in the field.