Description of impact
English as a medium of education has experienced a noticeable global upswing in all phases of education and across various educational domains. The escalating adoption of English as a lingua franca in educational contexts is attributed to its perceived advantages, such as enhanced international communication, access to global knowledge, and improved employability prospects in an interconnected world. In the realm of English-medium education, however, bolstering the academic language proficiencies and competencies of both educators and students assumes paramount significance.The English-medium Education (EME) Symposium 2024, themed “Developing teachers’ and learners’ academic language skills and abilities”, was held on 26 April 2024 at the Run Run Shaw Creative Media Centre, City University of Hong Kong (CityU). It was a successful event that brought together established academics from different parts of the world to explore critical aspects of EME. The symposium was organised by CityU’s Department of English (EN), with generous financial support from the Standing Committee on Language Education and Research (SCOLAR), Education Bureau, Hong Kong SAR Government.
The event started with a welcome speech by Prof Jason HARDING, Head of EN, and Prof Jack PUN, Assistant Professor of EN, on behalf of the organising committee. It then featured on-site presentations delivered by local and overseas plenary speakers, covering a multitude of important topics, including quantitative data-driven methodologies for academic language development, teacher assessment literacy inventory for bilingual education, the development of strategic listening skills, the development of school-based protocols for measuring academic reading skills, and the use of GenAI in EME settings, among others.
The plenary speakers provided useful insights into how to effectively support learners’ development of academic language skills and abilities in EME settings. During the Q&A session and coffee break, participants actively engaged in dynamic discussions, exchanging ideas and sharing their experiences to deepen their understanding of EME. The EME Symposium 2024 has arguably exerted a significant impact on the field of English-medium instruction/education, serving as a catalyst for further exploration and development of learners’ academic language skills and abilities.