Teaching and learning EAP: a case study in Hong Kong Science classrooms

Teaching science through English is a growing phenomenon around the world. In this presentation, I will discuss the latest research into English for academic purposes (EAP) and the challenges that teachers and students face when learning science through English in many cultural contexts. In particular, I will report a study in Hong Kong which explores the teaching and learning process in science classrooms (Physics, Chemistry, Biology) from both secondary school and university levels. Drawing the multiple sources of data from semi-structured interviews, questionnaires and video-recorded classroom observations of 19 teachers and 545 students, I explored the patterns of classroom interactions. The teachers' and students' perceptions of EMI teaching and learning process including their views on EMI, choices of classroom language, language challenges, coping strategies were investigated. By providing evidence-based, detailed analysis of authentic classroom interactions, this research hopefully sheds light on ways for improving the quality of instructional practices in different EAP contexts. A short question and answer section will be present at the end of the presentation to allow audience-presenter interaction and engagement.