Speakers
Description
Combining the findings of two doctoral studies conducted at the same institution in Japan, this presentation examines the linguistic challenges experienced by EMI students and explores how these were frequently heightened or mitigated by peer relations, participation norms, and EMI classroom communities. In particular, we examine how the greater language proficiency and international learning backgrounds of their EMI peers significantly impacted how students experienced—and responded to—their EMI challenges.
Short summary
Combining the findings of two doctoral studies conducted at the same institution in Japan, this presentation examines the linguistic challenges experienced by EMI students and explores how these were frequently heightened or mitigated by peer relations, participation norms, and EMI classroom communities. In particular, we examine how the greater language proficiency and international learning backgrounds of their EMI peers significantly impacted how students experienced—and responded to—their EMI challenges.
References
Benson, P., Barkhuizen, G., Bodycott, P., & Brown, J. (2013). Second language identity in narratives of study abroad. Palgrave Macmillan.
Curle, S., Lin, Y., & Aizawa, I. (2023). English medium instruction in Japan: changes and challenges faced by faculty and students. In P. Sah & F. Fang (Eds), Policies, politics, and ideologies of English-medium instruction in Asian universities: unsettling critical edges. Routledge, pp. 33-47.
Hiratsuka, T. (2022). Narrative inquiry into language teacher identity: ALTS in the JET program. Routledge.
Kamaşak, R., Sahan, K. & Rose, H. (2021). Academic language-related challenges at an English-medium university. Journal of English for Academic Purposes, 49.
Polkinghorne, D. E. (1995). Narrative configuration in qualitative analysis. International Journal of Qualitative Studies in Education, 8(1), 5–23.
Wenger, E. (1998). Communities of practice: Learning, meaning, and identity. Cambridge University Press.
Keywords
EMI,
Linguistic Challenges,
Peer Relations,
Legitimate Peripheral Participation
Abstract
English-medium instruction (EMI) places significant linguistic demands on students (Curle et al., 2023), but language use in EMI is also shaped by participation norms, peer relations, and what counts as legitimate practice within classroom communities (Wenger, 1998). This presentation combines findings from two doctoral studies which examine the learning experiences of EMI students at one Japanese university from both angles: one focusing on linguistic challenges; the other on how those challenges are impacted by community practices.
The first of these studies adopted a mixed methods design. Quantitative data were first collected using an online questionnaire. Subsequently, in the qualitative phase, an abductive thematic analysis of interview data was conducted. Employing this mixed methods design enabled comparisons across groups, while also providing a more nuanced understanding of students’ experiences (Kamaşak et al., 2021). The second was a three-year longitudinal qualitative study which employed narrative analysis and analysis of narratives, following Polkinghorne’s (1995) typology. This involved first constructing participant narratives “as a means of analysing data and presenting findings” (Benson et al., 2013) then comparing across cases to identify “salient and recurrent elements…for categorization and thematization” (Hiratsuka, 2022).
Of the several themes which emerged in these studies, this presentation will primarily discuss the linguistic challenges experienced by EMI students and examine how these were heightened or mitigated by peer relations, participation norms, and EMI classroom communities. In particular, we examine how the greater language proficiency and international learning backgrounds of some EMI peers significantly impacted how students experienced—and responded to—their EMI challenges.
| Scheduling preference | Anytime on Saturday |
|---|---|
| Title | The Impact of Community on EMI Linguistic Challenges |