Creating opportunities or challenges? Science teachers and students in coping with their language challenges in English-medium Instruction (EMI) science classrooms

Teaching science through English is a growing phenomenon around the world. In this presentation, Dr Pun discusses the latest research into English medium of instruction (EMI) and the challenges that teachers and students face when learning science through English in many cultural contexts. In particular, Dr Pun reports a study in Hong Kong which explores the teaching and learning process in EMI science classrooms (Physics, Chemistry, Biology). Drawing on multiple sources of data from semi-structured interviews, questionnaires and 34 hours of video-recorded classroom observations of 19 teachers and 545 students, the presentation explores the patterns of classroom interactions (turn-taking, ratio of talk, language choices, question types) in both traditional (or early-full) EMI vs MOI-switching (or late-partial) classrooms (switching from L1 Cantonese to L2 English), between grades 10 and 11 at both schools. The teachers’ and students’ perceptions of EMI teaching and the learning process including their views on EMI, classroom language choices, language challenges and coping strategies will also be investigated. By providing evidence-based, detailed analysis of authentic classroom interactions, this research sheds light on ways of improving the quality of instructional practices in different EMI classrooms worldwide.