Speaker
Description
This presentation reports on language support practices in a team-taught EMI course at a Japanese university. It examines how a language supporter and content instructor collaboratively redesigned support from standalone vocabulary lists to task-aligned pre-task input. Drawing on classroom experience and learner feedback, the presentation illustrates how task-based principles and AI-assisted materials can enhance accessibility and task readiness for learners with developing English proficiency.
Abstract section 1: Relevance
As EMI expands in Japanese higher education, instructors increasingly face challenges in supporting learners with developing English proficiency. Research in task-based language teaching emphasizes the role of pre-task input and task alignment in facilitating meaning-focused engagement. However, little attention has been paid to how language support is negotiated in team-taught EMI courses under institutional constraints. By examining the lived experiences of a language supporter and the redesign of vocabulary support using task-based principles and AI-mediated materials, this presentation contributes practice-based insights into EMI pedagogy, task preparation, and collaborative teaching.
Abstract section 5: References
Ellis, R. (2003). Task-based language learning and teaching. Oxford University Press.
Nunan, D. (2004). Task-based language teaching. Cambridge University Press.
Abstract section 2: Contribution/research questions
The purpose of this practice-oriented presentation is to illustrate how language support in a team-taught EMI course was negotiated and redesigned from standalone vocabulary lists to task-aligned pre-task input. It aims to clarify the role of a language supporter in EMI and to show how task-based principles can guide practical decisions about intervention, language choice, and materials design.
Abstract section 3: Content/method
The presentation reports on a semester-long instructional process in a first-year EMI content course. It describes the initial use of lecture-based vocabulary lists, the difficulties these posed for learners, and the subsequent shift to a flipped, task-aligned design. Concrete examples of AI-generated, level-appropriate pre-task narratives will be presented, along with reflections drawn from classroom observations, instructor reflections, and student feedback.
Abstract section 4: Outcomes/results
Participants will learn how task-based principles can inform language support in EMI courses. They will see how decontextualized vocabulary lists can be transformed into pre-task input that enhances task readiness and learner engagement. The presentation will also highlight common dilemmas faced by language supporters, including decisions about intervention and collaboration in team teaching. Attendees will gain practical ideas for designing contextualized language support and for negotiating support roles in content-driven EMI classrooms.
| Title | Supporting language development in EMI courses |
|---|---|
| Teaching Context | College and university education |