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Article published In: Journal of Immersion and Content-Based Language Education
Vol. 8:1 (2020) ► pp.5–27

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The positioning of English-medium of instruction

Winners and losers in “the game of EMI” at two Russian universities

 | The Education University of Hong Kong
Published online: 31 March 2020
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https://doi.org/10.1075/jicb.18029.tre
Abstract
The proliferation of English-medium instruction (EMI) in higher education institutions (HEIs) across non-English-speaking Europe has been recently documented in several large-scale surveys. The opportunities and challenges of designing and implementing EMI policies are also widely recognized. However, our understanding of the use of EMI in Russian HEIs is limited. This study responds to this research need by exploring the experiences and perspectives of instructors teaching business-related subjects using the English language in two different Russian HEIs. A contribution of the study is to investigate these perspectives and experiences using the analytic lens of positioning theory. Results reveal the ways in which instructors are positioned by the university, as well how they position themselves, within an EMI environment. Acknowledging the potential antagonism that might result between different EMI stakeholders because of this positioning and repositioning, suggestions are then made as how this outcome could be avoided. Implications for future research are also considered.
抽象
最近在一些大型調查中記錄了非英語歐洲高等教育機構中英語教學的激增。設計和實施英語教學策略的機遇和挑戰也得到了廣泛認可。但是，我們對俄羅斯高等教育機構中使用英語教學的理解是有限的。本研究通過探索在兩個不同的俄羅斯高等教育機構中使用英語教授與商業相關學科的教師的經驗和觀點來回應這一研究需求。該研究的一個貢獻是使用定位理論的分析透鏡來研究這些觀點和經驗。結果揭示了在英語教學環境中，大學教師的定位方式，以及他們如何定位自己。承認由於這種定位和重新定位，不同的英語教學持份者之間可能產生的潛在對立狀態，從而提出如何避免這種結果的建議。是次調查亦考慮了對未來研究的啟示。
Article outline
  • 1.Introduction
  • 2.Conceptual framework
  • 3.The study
    • 3.1Setting and participants
    • 3.2Data collection and analysis
  • 4.Results
    • 4.1EMI as financial gain versus impoverishment
    • 4.2EMI as internationalization versus isolation
    • 4.3EMI as growth versus stagnation
    • 4.4EMI as modern versus old-fashioned
  • 5.Discussion
    • 5.1Avoiding antagonism
  • 6.Conclusion
  • Note
  • References
References (30)
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