Higher Education Internationalization And English Language Instruction

This book offers new understanding of the implications of pluralism and of transnational movements to higher education and the construct of a “native speaker” within contemporary globalization processes. Theoretically, it calls for a revisioned English as an International Language (EIL) pedagogy and a wider acceptance of EIL and of World Englishes. It challenges the postsecondary education sector to change the discourse around language proficiency to one that engages the “pluralism of English.” As for the applied significance, the book contributes to the work on neo-racism which means racism goes beyond color to stereotypic foreign cultures, nationalities, and exotic accents based on cultural distinctions instead of merely skin differences. The book contributes to higher education policy and practice, pushing a revisioning of ESL in conceptual and pedagogical ways, such as designing more culturally oriented curriculum, implementing culturally responsive pedagogy, and valuing the teaching proficiency more than the language proficiency.

This edited book examines English-Medium Instruction (EMI) language policy and practice in higher education around the world, highlighting how English language usage affects the internationalization of universities, the way that disciplines are taught and learned, and questioning whether internationalization through EMI achieves the values of global citizenship and inclusivity/diversity to which it aspires. Written by experts in the field, the book includes data-based research from universities around the globe, with three chapters on Asia and the Far East (Malaysia, Japan and China), four on Europe (Denmark, the Netherlands and Italy) and one each on Africa (Ethiopia) and Central America (Mexico). Sources include policy documents, questionnaire surveys, focus groups and semi-structured interviews involving university policymakers, lecturers, students, and administrative staff. This book will be of interest to students and scholars of language and education policy, internationalization and applied linguistics, particularly English-Medium Instruction (EMI), academic English and English as a Lingua Franca (ELF).

This edited book examines the use of English as a Medium of Instruction (EMI) in a variety of international higher education contexts. The internationalization of education – indicated by increasing mobility of students, staff and ideas, as well as by policies and programmes put in place to facilitate educational exchange - has led to increasing adoption of English as a Lingua Franca (ELF) for educational purposes. In this book, the authors present the results of empirical research into the implementation, assessment, development and use of EMI programmes in different settings, presenting the case for more structured training of teachers and staff. It will be of interest to second/foreign language teaching and administrative staff, as well as anyone else involved in teaching in English at higher education level.

This volume provides a focused account of English Medium Instruction (EMI) in European higher education, considering issues of ideologies, policies, and practices. This is an essential book for academics, students, policy makers, and educators directly or indirectly implicated in the internationalization of European higher education.

Many universities around the world are actively engaged in the process of the internationalization of their higher education systems, trying to become more competitive in all possible respects, especially in the areas of research and teaching. Language, naturally, plays a central role in this process, but this is not always explicitly recognized as such. As a result, key sociolinguistic challenges emerge for both individuals and groups of people. Most prominently, the question of whether English constitutes an opportunity or a threat to other national languages in academic domains is a controversial one and remains unresolved. The analysis featured in this book aims at addressing this question by looking at language policy developments in the context of Estonian higher education. Adopting a discourse approach, the book emphasises the centrality of language not only as a site of struggle, but as a tool and a resource that agents in a give field utilize to orient themselves in certain positions. The book will be of interest to language policy scholars, linguistic anthropologists, and critical sociolinguists. Education scholars interested in discourse studies will also find it useful.

This volume encompasses the range of research questions on language-related problems that arise in language teaching, learning and assessment. The [150] chapters are written by experts in the field who each offer their insights into current and future directions of research, and who suggest several highly relevant research questions. Topics include, but are not limited to: language skills teaching, language skills assessment and testing, measurement, feedback, discourse analysis, pragmatics, semantics, language learning through technology, CALL, MALL, ESP, EAP, ERPP, TBLT, materials development, genre analysis, needs analysis, corpus, content-based language teaching, language teaching and learning strategies, individual differences, research methods, classroom research, form-focused instruction, age effects, literacy, proficiency, and teacher education and teacher development. The book serves as a reference and offers inspiration to researchers and students in language education. An important skill in reviewing the research literature is following a study’s “plan of attack.” Broadly, this means that before accepting and acting upon the findings, one considers a) the research question (Is it clear and focused? Measurable?), b) the subjects examined, the methods deployed, and the measures chosen (Do they fit the study’s goal and have the potential to yield useful results?), and c) the analysis of the data (Do the data lead to the discussion presented? Has the author reasonably interpreted results to reach the conclusion?). Mohebbi and Coombe’s book, Research Questions in Language Education and Applied Linguistics: A Reference Guide, helps budding researchers take the first step and develop a solid research question. As the field of language education evolves, we need continual research to improve our instructional and assessment practices and our understanding of the learners’ language learning processes. This book with its remarkable 150 topics and 10 times the number of potential research questions provides a wealth of ideas that will help early career researchers conduct studies that move our field forward and grow our knowledge base. Deborah J. Short, Ph.D., Director, Academic Language Research & Training, Past President, TESOL International Association (2021-22) As a teacher in graduate programs in TESOL I frequently come across the frustration of students at centering their research interests on a particular topic and developing research questions which are worth pursuing so as to make a contribution to the field. This frustration stems from the fact that our field is so vast and interrelated, that it is often impossible to properly address all that interests them. Hence, I wholeheartedly welcome this most relevant and innovative addition to the research literature in the field of TESOL and Applied Linguistics. Coombe and Mohebbi have created a real tour de force that stands to inform budding researchers in the field for many years to come. Additionally, the cutting-edge depiction of the field and all it has to offer will no doubt update the research agendas of many seasoned researchers around the world. The 150 chapters are organized in a most powerful, yet, deceptively simple way offering a positioning within the topic, suggesting questions that might direct inquiry and offering a basic set of bibliographic tools to start the reader in the path towards research. What is more, the nine sections in which the chapters are organized leave no area of the field unexplored. Dr. Gabriel Díaz Maggioli, Academic Advisor, Institute of Education, Universidad ORT del Uruguay, President, IATEFL

This volume contributes to emerging interdisciplinary conversations in higher education about how to refine internationalization in terms of praxis and how to coordinate curricular and pedagogical efforts to achieve meaningful learning outcomes for all students. The chapters provide suggestions for how L2 specialists can reframe their work in their individual programs to help internationalize the entire university in ways that lead to improved learning outcomes for students at different points in their degree programs, including: Orientation programs (early arrival on campus, before classes start); language center contexts (support during studies); volunteer programs for International Teaching Assistants (ITA) and undergraduate students [and more].

Globalization is a multifaceted phenomenon, and one of its major components is the internationalization of education. The increasing pace and complexity of global knowledge flows, and the accelerating exchange of educational ideas, practices and policies, are important drivers of globalization. Higher Education is a key site for these flows and exchanges. This book casts a critical eye on the internationalization of higher education. It peels back taken-for-granted practices and beliefs, explores the gaps and silences in current pedagogy and practices, and addresses the ambiguities, tensions and contradictions in internationalization. In this volume, scholars from a range of disciplines and regions critically examine the co modification of higher education, teaching and support for international students, international partnerships for aid and trade, and the impacts on academics’ work.