EMI Classroom Practices of International Program in Thailand University: A Perspective of EFL Thai’s Students

Chidchanok Meenasantirak; Intisarn  Chaiyasuk

doi:10.60027/ijsasr.2024.3669

Authors

Chidchanok Meenasantirak Mahasarakham University, Thailand https://orcid.org/0009-0005-2325-637X
Intisarn Chaiyasuk Mahasarakham University, Thailand https://orcid.org/0009-0008-0460-1395

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.60027/ijsasr.2024.3669

Keywords:

English medium instruction (EMI); , Classroom practices; , International program, , Thai university; , Thai EFL learners; , Attitudes

Abstract

Background and Aim: The adoption of English Medium Instruction (EMI) in Thailand, particularly in university-level international programs, was driven by various factors. Most notably, it was viewed as a strategic move to prepare students for an increasingly interconnected world where English reigns supreme in academia, business, and diplomacy. This research examines the attitudes, challenges, and practices of English Medium Instruction (EMI) in an international program at a Thai university from the perspectives of Thai EFL learners.

Materials and Methods: The study employs a mixed-methods approach, utilizing surveys, interviews, and classroom observations. A five-point rating scale questionnaire was distributed to 80 learners to investigate their perceptions of EMI. Additionally, in-depth interviews were conducted with 8 participants to gather detailed information on their attitudes, perceived advantages, and challenges related to EMI.

Results: The findings reveal that Thai EFL learners have a positive attitude towards EMI, recognizing its benefits for English language proficiency and future employment opportunities. However, they face challenges in understanding instructors' English speaking, comprehending materials, and acquiring specialized vocabulary.

Conclusion: The study emphasizes the importance of language preparatory courses, provision of support materials, teacher training, and the development of intercultural competence. Furthermore, it suggests that future research should involve a larger sample size and encompass various educational environments to gain a comprehensive understanding of Thai EFL learners' perspectives on EMI in international programs at Thai universities.

References

Ament, J.R. & Prez-Vidal, C. (2015). Linguistic outcomes of English medium instruction programs in higher education: A study on economics undergraduates at a Catalan University. Higher Learning Research Communications, 5(1), 47-68.

Baltabayev, M. (2020). Faculty and students’ perceptions of EMI and its impact on academic content and language acquisition from the participants’ perspectives. Master’s thesis, Nazarbayev University. http://nur.nu.edu.kz/handle/123456789/4871

Belhiah, H., & Elhami, M. (2014). English as a medium of instruction in the Gulf: When students and teachers speak. Language Policy, 14(1), 3–23. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10993-014-9336-9

Chamot, A.U. (2001). The role of learning strategies in second language acquisition. In M.P. Breen (Ed.), Learner contributions to language learning: New directions in research (pp. 25-43). Harlow, England: Longman.

Choomthong, D. (2014). Preparing Thai Students’ English for the ASEAN Economic Community: Some Pedagogical Implications and Trends. LEARN Journal: Language Education and Acquisition Research Network, 7(1), 45–57. Retrieved from https://so04.tci-thaijo.org/index.php/LEARN/article/view/102706

Chuang, Y. (2015). An EMI pedagogy that facilitates students' learning. European Journal of English Language Teaching, 8 (12), 63-73. doi: 10.5539/elt.v8n12p63

Corbin, J., & Strauss, A. (2008). Basics of qualitative research: Techniques and procedures for developing grounded theory. 3rd edition. Sage Publications, Inc. https://doi.org/10.4135/9781452230153

Cosgun, G., & Hasırcı, B. (2017). The impact of English medium instruction (EMI) on students' language abilities. International Journal of Curriculum and Instruction, 9(2), 11-20.

Crowther, D., & De Costa, P. I. (2016). Developing Mutual Intelligibility and Conviviality in the 21st Century Classroom: Insights from English as a Lingua Franca and Intercultural Communication. TESOL Quarterly, 51(2), 450–460. https://doi.org/10.1002/tesq.341

Dearden, J. (2015). English as a medium of instruction: A growing global phenomenon. London: British Council. Retrieved August 2016 from https://www.britishcouncil.org/education/ihe/knowledge-centre/english-languagehigher-education/report-english-medium-instruction

Dornyei, Z. (2007). Research Methods in Applied Linguistics. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

Ekoç, A. (2018). English medium instruction (EMI) from the perspectives of students at a technical university in Turkey. Journal of Further and Higher Education, 44(2), 231-243. https://doi.org/10.1080/0309877X.2018.1527025

Galloway, N., & Ruegg, R. (2020). The Provision of Student Support on English Medium Instruction Programmes in Japan and China. Journal of English for Academic Purposes. 45, doi:10.1016/j.jeap.2020.100846.

Galloway, N., Kriukow, J., & Numajiri, T. (2017). Internationalization, higher education and the growing demand for English: an investigation into the English medium of instruction (EMI) movement in China and Japan. ELT Research papers 17.2. British Council. https://www.teachingenglish.org.uk/sites/teacheng/files/H035%20ELTRA%20Internationalisation_HE_and%20the%20growing%20demand%20for%20English%20A4_FINAL_WEB.pdf.

Goodwin, R. (2013). A discussion on teaching a language without teaching its culture. Arab World English Journal, 4(4), 60–77. http://awej.org/images/AllIssues/Volume4/Volume4Number4Dec2013/4.pdf

Griffiths C. (2018). The strategy factor in successful language learning: The tornado effect. Bristol: Multilingual Matters.

Hellekjær, G.O. (2017). Lecture comprehension in English-medium higher education. HERMES - Journal of Language and Communication in Business, 23(45), 11-34. https://doi.org/10.7146/hjlcb.v23i45.97343

Hengsadeekul, C., Hengsadeekul, T., Koul, R., & Kaewkuekool, S. (2010). English as a medium of instruction in Thai universities: A review of literature. In Selected Topics in Education and Educational Technology. 9th WSEAS International Conference on Education and Educational Technology, EDU’10 (pp. 89-94).

Huang, D. (2015). Exploring and assessing effectiveness of English medium instruction courses: The students’ perspectives. Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences, 173, 71–78. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sbspro.2015.02.033

Inbar-Lourie, O., & Donitsa-Schmidt, S. (2019). EMI Lecturers in international universities: is a native/non-native English-speaking background relevant? International Journal of Bilingual Education and Bilingualism, 23(3), 301–313. https://doi.org/10.1080/13670050.2019.1652558

Kim, E., Kweon, S., & Kim, J. (2017). Korean engineering students’ perceptions of English medium instruction (EMI) and L1 use in EMI classes. Journal of Multilingual and Multicultural Development, 38 (2), 130-145. doi: 10.1080/01434632.2016.1177061

Knoch, U., Roushad, A., Oon, S.P. & Storch, N. (2015). What happens to ESL students’ writing after three years of study at an English-medium university? Journal of Second Language Writing, 28, 39-52.

Krashen, S. (1985). The input hypothesis: Issues and implications. New York: Longman.

Kym, I., & Kym, M. H. (2014). Students’ perceptions of EMI in higher education in Korea. Journal of Asia TEFL, 11(2), 35–61.

Lantolf, J.P., & Thorne, S.L. (2006). Sociocultural Theory and The Genesis of Second Language Development. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

Lee, Y.-J., Davis, R. O., & Li, Y. (2021a). International Graduate Students’ Experiences of English as a Medium of Instruction (EMI) Courses in a Korean University. International Journal of Learning, Teaching and Educational Research, 20(9), 38–51. http://ijlter.myres.net/index.php/ijlter/article/view/22

Lee, Y.-J., Davis, R. O., & Li, Y. (2021b). International Graduate Students’ Experiences of English as a Medium of Instruction (EMI) Courses in a Korean University. International Journal of Learning, Teaching and Educational Research, 20(9), 38–51. http://ijlter.myres.net/index.php/ijlter/article/view/22

Macaro, E. (2018). English medium instruction content and language in policy and practice. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

Macaro, E., Akincioglu, M., & Dearden, J. (2016). English Medium Instruction in Universities: A Collaborative Experiment in Turkey. Studies in English Language Teaching, 4(1), 51. https://doi.org/10.22158/selt.v4n1p51

Mehisto, P. & Asser, H. (2007). Stakeholder perspectives: CLIL program management in Estonia. International Journal of Bilingual Education and Bilingualism, 10(5), 683-701.

Morell Moll, Teresa, Natalia Norte Fernánadex-Pacheco, and Vicent Beltran-Palanques. (2020). How do trained English-medium instruction (EMI) lecturers combine multimodal ensembles to engage their students? In La docencia en la Enseñanza Superior: Nuevas aportaciones desde la investigación e innovación educativas. Edited by Rosabel Roig-Vila. Barcelona: Octaedro, pp. 308–21. Doi: hdl.handle.net/10045/110190

Muthanna, A., & Miao, P. (2015). Chinese Students’ Attitudes towards the Use of English-medium Instruction in the Curriculum Courses: A Case Study of a National Key University in Beijing. Journal of Education and Training Studies, 3(5), 59–69. https://doi.org/10.11114/jets.v3i5.920

Ozer, O. 2020. Lecturers’ experiences with English-medium instruction in a state university in Turkey: Practices and challenges. Issues in Educational Research. 30, 612–31.

Phuong, Y.H., & Nguyen, T.T. (2019). Students’ Perceptions Towards the Benefits and Drawbacks of EMI Classes. English Language Teaching, 12(5), 88. https://doi.org/10.5539/elt.v12n5p88

Qiu, X., & Fang, C. (2019). Creating an effective English-medium instruction (EMI) classroom: Chinese Undergraduate students’ perceptions of native and non-native English-speaking Content Teachers and their Experiences. International Journal of Bilingual Education and Bilingualism, 25(2), 1–15. https://doi.org/10.1080/13670050.2019.1707769

Querol-Julián, M., & Camiciottoli, B.C. (2019). The impact of online technologies and English medium instruction on university lectures in international learning contexts: A systematic review. ESP Today, 7(1), 2–23. https://doi.org/10.18485/esptoday.2019.7.1.1

Rahmadani, D. (2016). Students’ perception of English as a medium of instruction (EMI) in English classrooms. Journal on English as a Foreign Language, 6(2), 131. https://doi.org/10.23971/jefl.v6i2.432

Roussel, S., Joulia, D., Tricot, A., & Sweller, J. (2017). Learning subject content through a foreign language should not ignore human cognitive architecture: A cognitive load theory approach. Learning and Instruction, 52, 69–79. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.learninstruc.2017.04.007

Rowland, L., & Murray, N. (2019). Finding their feet: lecturers’ and students’ perceptions of English as a medium of instruction in a recently implemented Master's program at an Italian university. Journal of Multilingual and Multicultural Development. 41(2),1-14. DOI:10.1080/01434632.2019.1614186

Rubio-Alcalá, F. D., Arco-Tirado, J. L., Fernández-Martín, F. D., López-Lechuga, R., Barrios, E., & Pavón-Vázquez, V. (2019). A systematic review of evidence supporting quality indicators of bilingual, plurilingual, and multilingual programs in higher education. Educational Research Review, 27, 191–204. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.edurev.2019.03.003

Soruç, A., & Griffiths, C. (2017). English as a medium of instruction: Students’ strategies. Elt Journal, 72(1), 38-48.

Tai, T., & Tang, C.W. (2020). The role of graduate students’ learning strategies in reducing their English medium instruction avoidance: The mediation effect of language anxiety. Asia Pacific Journal of Education, 41(2), 368-384. https://doi.org/10.1080/02188791.2020.1777937

Tamtam, A.G., Gallagher, F., Olabi, A. G., & Naher, S. (2012). A comparative study of the implementation of EMI in Europe, Asia, and Africa. Procedia-Social and Behavioral Sciences, 47, 1417-1425. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sbspro.2012.06.836

Tang, K.N. (2020). Challenges and Importance of Teaching English as a Medium of Instruction in Thailand International College. Journal of English as an International Language, 15(2), 97–118. https://eric.ed.gov/?id=EJ1282858.

Thompson, G., Aizawa, I., Curle, S., & Rose, H. (2019). Exploring the role of self-efficacy beliefs and learner success in English medium instruction. International Journal of Bilingual Education and Bilingualism, 1-14, Doi: 10.1080/13670050.2019.1651819

Tran, T.H.T., Burke, R., & O’Toole, J.M. (2021). The evolution of English as a medium of instruction in Vietnamese tertiary EFL contexts. In K. M. Bailey & D. Christian (Eds.), Research on Teaching and Learning English in Under-Resourced Contexts, 8, 45-59). New York: Routledge.

Tsou, W., & Kao, S.-M. (2017). Overview of EMI Development. English as a Medium of Instruction in Higher Education, 8, 3–18. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-10-4645-2_1

Wächter, B., & Maiworm, F., (2014). English-taught programs in European higher education: The state of play in 2014. Bonn: Lemmens.

Walkinshaw, I., Fenton-Smith, B., & Humphreys, P. (2017a). EMI Issues and Challenges in Asia-Pacific Higher Education: An Introduction. English Medium Instruction in Higher Education in Asia-Pacific, 1–18. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-51976-0_1

Walkinshaw, I., Fenton-Smith, B., & Humphreys, P. (2017b). EMI Issues and Challenges in Asia-Pacific Higher Education: An Introduction. English Medium Instruction in Higher Education in Asia-Pacific, 1–18. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-51976-0_1

Xie, W., and S. Curle. 2020. Success in English Medium Instruction in China: Significant Indicators and Implications. International Journal of Bilingual Education and Bilingualism, 1–13. doi:10.1080/13670050.2019.1703898.

Yıldız, M., Soruç, A., & Griffiths, C. (2017). Challenges and needs of students in the EMI (English as a medium of instruction) classroom. Konin Language Studies, 5(4), 387-402.

Zenkova, T., & Khamitova, G. (2018). English Medium-Instruction as a Way to Internationalization of Higher Education in Kazakhstan: An Opinion Survey in the Innovative University of Eurasia. e-TEALS, 8(1), 126-158.