I-SHOU UNIVERSITYBilingual Education and EMI Center

EMI operational definition:

　　EMI (English as a Medium of Instruction) refers to learning courses offered in non-English speaking institutions where the content delivery, teacher-student interaction, learning and academic support materials, and the presentation and assessment of learning outcomes are all conducted entirely in English. 

   

    This guide is a summary of recommendations from the British Council and the Oxford EMI Training (English as a Second Language) expert advisory group. It is based on academic research and international practical experience and includes three main aspects: definition, teaching objectives, teaching methods, and basic competency requirements. It is intended as a reference for schools to promote bilingual learning programs. Schools can still flexibly adjust their teaching plans according to their actual needs and are not limited to this guide.

 

Summary of relevant principles:

 

l  English courses that focus on language learning rather than academic content should not be included in EMI courses. However, the importance of EGP (English for General Purposes), EAP (English for Academic Purposes), or ESP (English for Specific Purposes) courses should be recognized , and English teachers are a crucial support for promoting EMI courses. In other words, universities should prioritize English courses and English teachers when implementing EMI-related projects.

l  For EMI courses, course content, teacher-student interaction, presentation of student learning outcomes (e.g., oral presentations or reports), and assessment must be conducted entirely in English. Student interaction may use Chinese in specific situations, such as brief use of Chinese during group discussions to facilitate creative thinking and brainstorming. However, students are still required to present their discussion findings in English, and as students' English proficiency improves or they choose more EMI courses, they should be encouraged to use English more frequently in class discussions.

l  The use of other languages ​​by students in the classroom should be limited. Students may use other languages ​​when interacting in groups to facilitate mutual understanding and creative thinking. However, teachers should still ensure that at least 70% of classroom communication is conducted in English.

l  High-quality EMI courses should encourage students to speak and write in English as much as possible.

Teaching methods:

Teacher language awareness, student group discussions, and international student participation are the three keys to EMI’s success. In addition, the following suggestions are provided for support and interaction between teachers and students.

l  Teacher's language awareness:

Teachers must have a high level of language awareness during the teaching process, understanding that the language currently in use is English rather than Chinese, and teaching from an empathetic and learner-centered perspective.

l  Student group discussion:

During the teaching process, students should be given as much time as possible for group discussions and exchanges. Discussions should be conducted in English (supplemented by Chinese when necessary, and reports should be presented entirely in English) to enhance learning participation and improve teaching effectiveness.

l  International student participation:

Including international students in teaching groups or classes to diversify the student body will help encourage students to naturally discuss in English, thereby enhancing the EMI effect.

l  Strengthen support measures:

When promoting EMI courses, students must be provided with more assistance in their English learning, such as offering academic English (EAP) courses for students to take, to ensure that students can achieve the same learning outcomes as when learning Chinese.

l  English major teacher:

English major teachers play an important role. Although English courses are not defined as EMI, courses such as EAP/ESP are important support for promoting EMI. In addition to providing English proficiency teaching courses, schools can guide English major teachers to cooperate with teachers of professional departments to develop EAP/ESP courses, thereby cultivating students' English proficiency and professional skills at the same time.

l  Principle of clear explanation:

The principles of teaching should be clearly explained at the beginning of the class, including teacher-student interaction in English, group discussion, and report and assignment submission guidelines, so that students have clear guidelines to follow and can establish the right learning attitude.

l  Positive teaching atmosphere:

Teaching entirely in English does not mean that languages ​​other than English are prohibited in the classroom. The classroom should create a positive learning atmosphere to avoid causing excessive repression for teachers or students, which could have a negative impact on teaching and learning.

l  Peer feedback during the lesson observation:

Schools may encourage peer observation among teachers as appropriate. The focus of observation should be on assisting and providing feedback on teaching, rather than supervision or performance evaluation. The aim is to provide a friendly teaching support mechanism among teachers.

Basic skills required:

Teacher:

Teachers must possess CEFR B2 level speaking, writing, listening, and reading skills, which is a basic requirement for EMI (Educational Education) to ensure that they can clearly teach professional knowledge in the classroom and fluently interact and discuss with students.

Student:

1.  Mastering starting abilities: Schools should assess students' English proficiency upon enrollment. This helps to understand the changes in ability and can also serve as a reference for class or grouping in teaching.

2.     Subject Area Differences: Generally speaking, students need to have CEFR B2 level skills to start learning EMI courses effectively. However, there are slight differences depending on the subject area. For example, the requirements for writing experimental reports in science and engineering subjects and writing essay reports in humanities subjects may differ in terms of speaking, writing, listening and reading skills. The curriculum can be flexibly adjusted as appropriate.

3.     Lowering Learning Barriers and Encouraging Study with Support Systems: To provide students with more opportunities to develop professional English communication skills, and with comprehensive learning support measures provided by the school, the learning threshold for CEFR B2 can be appropriately relaxed, allowing students to explore the possibility of learning entirely in English. At the same time, a sufficient language and professional learning support system and resources should be provided for students to improve their English proficiency and pursue EMI (English as a Second Language) studies.