Deignan, Tim, & Tom Morton (2022, January). The challenges of English medium instruction for subject lecturers: A shared viewpoint. ELT Journal [online]
(Link: https://doi.org/10.1093/elt/ccab084)
Abstract: English medium instruction (EMI) is seen as a site for improving students’ English language, yet the role of the EMI lecturer in achieving this is contested. Views on what constitutes appropriate training and professional development for EMI lecturers also differ regarding English language skills and EMI-specific methodology. Using Q methodology, this paper explores these issues from a particular perspective, a synthetic viewpoint based on six EMI lecturers with very similar views. Its voice is pro-EMI yet has significant concerns regarding the workload involved, is insecure about its own linguistic performance, fears a loss of subject content depth, and questions the effectiveness of EMI for students learning a subject. The paper highlights the importance of such feelings in relation to perceived language and pedagogy challenges and considers the broader implications for EMI teacher training interventions regarding the practices of disciplinary knowledge-building and the linguistic and communicative resources used to enact them.
Tim Deignan <timdeignan@runbox.com> is an independent consultant and author based in the UK whose work has included various research projects in the tertiary education sector. He consults for various clients including universities, colleges, trusts, and non-governmental organizations, and his work typically involves modelling different values and perspectives on complex issues in order to improve policy and practice. Tom Morton < tom.morton@uam.es> is Beatriz Galindo Distinguished Research Fellow in the Department of English Studies, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid (Spain), where he is a member of the UAM-CLIL Research Group. His research interests include discourse in CLIL and EMI classrooms, and language teacher knowledge and identity.
