“I’m not a language teacher”: Considering the complexities of teaching and learning in higher education English-medium instruction courses

• In Event: International Faculty in East Asian Higher Education: Theory and Reality

Proposal

With growth in the Anglosphere shifting current trends and driving the future of higher education internationalization, English-medium instruction (EMI) education at the tertiary level has expanded rapidly worldwide, notably in Asia and East Asia particularly. Consequently, many believe EMI to be the most important educational phenomenon in higher education today. However, the complexities of EMI teaching and learning remain insufficiently researched. My chapter is grounded in a small case study that examines the experiences of and unique challenges faced by international faculty who are teaching at one university in Japan, which is amongst the largest and most well-respected EMI educational environments in the country. Specifically, the chapter provides insights into the issues that arise around teaching philosophy, curriculum, and pedagogy as these faculty members navigate their own identity and positionality along with the diverse needs of students from various cultural, academic and linguistic backgrounds. Building on these explorations, the chapter concludes with practical suggestions for international faculty engaged in EMI education in higher education in Japan and elsewhere in East Asia. Moreover, it grapples with a broader discussion of the important potential role of EMI in higher education to support critical internationalization and global citizenship education in the 21st century.

Author

• Thatcher A. Spero, Waseda University