Hong Kong Association for Applied Linguistics (HAAL) Seminar

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Description

English Medium Instruction: Current trends and future directions

Heath Rose

Department of Education

University of Oxford

This talk will discuss the findings of a recent systematic review of research on English Medium Instruction. The review is an update of the oft-cited Macaro et al. (2018) review, adopting the same search strategies and review questions. An exploration of macro-level trends in the field indicates that EMI research has exponentially increased over the past decade, revealing 3,677 potential articles for review in the area of EMI in higher education, compared to the 612 reported in Macaro et al. (2018)—a six-fold increase over a similar period of time. The presentation will outline preliminary findings to specific review questions related to EMI outcomes, namely: 1. What is the evidence that English proficiency increases as a result of EMI? and; 2. What is the evidence for the effect on academic subjects of being taught through EMI? When presenting the findings to these review questions, I will also synthesise related research that has sought to further our understanding the various linguistic issues that underlie students’ learning, as they work towards these educational outcomes. Results of the review point to a need for more longitudinal research designs to capture long-term effects of EMI on educational outcomes, and students’ academic journeys as they encounter various challenges associated with learning via an L2. The review will also consolidate recommendations from research which point to a need for greater integration of language programmes and EAP professionals within EMI curricula to support students’ learning.

Professor Heath Rose | British Council Singapore. Heath Rose is Professor of Applied Linguistics at Department of Education, University of Oxford. Heath’s research interests are situated within the field of language teaching and language learning. He is series co-Editor of Cambridge Elements in Language Teaching. Publications include six books on Global Englishes and research methods. He has published numerous research articles related to language education in journals such as Higher Education, Language Policy, Applied Linguistics, ELT Journal, TESOL Quarterly, System, and Modern Language Journal. Heath is the coordinator of the English Medium Instruction (EMI) Research Group and runs the wider EMI Oxford Research Network.

Bridging the Gap: Addressing concerns in the language teaching-research nexus through undergraduate studies

Jim McKinley

Institute of Education (IOE)

University College London (UCL)

The ongoing debates about the interplay between language teaching and research have highlighted a range of issues (McKinley, 2019; McKinley & Rose, 2022). In this presentation, I explore these current concerns from the vantage point of undergraduate English language teaching studies. Does the extensive reading, discussion, writing, and research influence teaching practices, or does it merely provide justification for actions and facilitate jargon? If academia operates as a game, are only those in research-focused roles participating, while language teachers lack the time or interest to engage? Is theoretical knowledge essential for language teachers? How can engagement with language teaching research benefit language educators? I will address these questions and more, considering how undergraduate studies can best support the integration of language teaching and research. We will explore how language teachers can effectively utilize theory and avoid relying solely on practical teaching experience and intuition.

Jim McKinley is Professor of Applied Linguistics at Institute of Education (IOE), University College London (UCL). He has taught in higher education in the UK, Japan, Australia, and Uganda, as well as US schools. His research targets implications of globalization for L2 writing, language education, and higher education studies, particularly the teaching-research nexus and English medium instruction. He is an Editor-in-Chief of the journal System, and a series co-Editor of the Cambridge Elements in Language Teaching.

Period13 Nov 2024
Event typeSeminar
LocationHong KongShow on map
Degree of RecognitionInternational

Keywords

  • EMI