Speaker
Description
This study examines how EMI policy expectations are enacted in Taiwanese higher education classrooms. Drawing on classroom observations and teacher interviews from four EMI instructor cases, it explores how teachers negotiate language use, student participation, and pedagogical expectations. Findings suggest that EMI classrooms operate as multilingual, culturally hybrid spaces where student-centred policy ideals intersect with lecture-oriented traditions, uneven English proficiency, and local expectations around classroom participation.
Abstract section 1: Relevance
Across Asia, EMI policies frequently emphasise ‘English use’ and ‘internationalisation’ as indicators of global competitiveness (Macaro et al., 2018). However, research increasingly demonstrates that EMI classrooms operate as multilingual and context-dependent learning environments rather than strictly English-only spaces (Meier, 2017).
In Taiwan, most EMI programmes serve predominantly local Chinese-speaking students, which creates pedagogical tensions related to classroom participation, language mediation, and disciplinary learning. Examining how teachers navigate these tensions provides important insights into the interaction between language policy, institutional expectations, and classroom culture in Asian higher education.
Abstract section 3: Content/method
This study draws on classroom observations and semi-structured interviews with instructors teaching EMI courses across multiple disciplines at a Taiwanese university. The study forms part of a broader international collaborative project. In line with the scope of the present analysis, only data collected from the Taiwanese context are examined here. Observations focused on classroom interaction, language mediation, and teaching strategies. Interviews explored teachers’ reflections on student participation, language use, and institutional support for EMI teaching.
Abstract section 2: Contribution/research questions
Research Questions:
(1) How is EMI enacted in Taiwanese higher education classrooms under current language policies?
(2) What pedagogical and institutional challenges do instructors encounter when implementing EMI courses?
(3) How do classroom practices reflect the interaction between policy expectations and local educational culture?
Abstract section 4: Outcomes/results
Preliminary findings suggest that EMI classrooms function as multilingual and culturally hybrid learning environments rather than strictly English-only spaces. Teachers frequently reported challenges related to students’ limited willingness to participate in discussion, differences between lecture-based and student-centred pedagogical expectations, and varying levels of English proficiency.
To address these challenges, instructors adopted flexible strategies such as bilingual/multilingual explanatisons, scaffolded disciplinary discourse, and adaptive interaction patterns. These findings highlight how EMI implementation is shaped not only by language policy but also by broader cultural, historical, and institutional contexts within Taiwanese higher education.
Abstract section 5: References
Macaro, E., Curle, S., Pun, J., An, J., & Dearden, J. (2018). A systematic review of English medium instruction in higher education. Language Teaching, 51(1), 36–76.
Meier, G. S. (2017). The multilingual turn as a critical movement in education. Applied Linguistics Review, 8(1), 131–161.
| Title | EMI in Taiwan: Policy Expectations and Classroom Realities |
|---|---|
| Teaching Context | College and university education |