Chinese Learners’ Use of Translation in Learning Academic Subjects in English-Medium Instruction Context
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Xiaohan Zhang
Xiaohan ZHANG is an English teacher at Jinan No. 7 High School, Shandong. She received her MA TESOL degree at the Department of Applied Linguistics, Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University, Suzhou, China. Her research interests include English language teaching and ESP.
Bin ZOU is an associate professor at the Department of Applied Linguistics, Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University, Suzhou, China. He is a co-editor of the International Journal of Computer-Assisted Language Learning and Teaching (IJCALLT) and the International Journal of EAP: Research and Practice. His research interests include EAP, computer-assited language learning and AI.
Abstract
Many researchers have identified learning strategies that university students adopt to overcome difficulties in programs taught in English, among which translation is a potentially helpful one. This study explores Chinese undergraduate students’ perceptions of translation as a learning strategy when learning content in the English-medium instruction (EMI) context. Although a number of studies have investigated translation used by learners in second or foreign language acquisition, those studies were rare in the EMI context of tertiary education, particularly in China. By focusing on students’ perspectives, this study provides an insight into how translation is used to assist academic learning in EMI context and highlights its effectiveness. Data consisted of semistructured interviews with 14 volunteer Chinese undergraduates of various majors. It is found that most of the participants resorted to translation to deal with language-related problems, especially in English reading and writing activities. They usually translated utilizing various machine translators, which did not always have a fulfilling effect on students’ learning. Although the majority considered translation helpful for academic learning, it might not be the preferred solution to subject-related confusion for Chinese undergraduate students learning in the EMI context.
About the authors
Xiaohan ZHANG is an English teacher at Jinan No. 7 High School, Shandong. She received her MA TESOL degree at the Department of Applied Linguistics, Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University, Suzhou, China. Her research interests include English language teaching and ESP.
Bin ZOU is an associate professor at the Department of Applied Linguistics, Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University, Suzhou, China. He is a co-editor of the International Journal of Computer-Assisted Language Learning and Teaching (IJCALLT) and the International Journal of EAP: Research and Practice. His research interests include EAP, computer-assited language learning and AI.
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© 2023 FLTRP, Walter de Gruyter, Cultural and Education Section British Embassy
Articles in the same Issue
- Frontmatter
- Teacher Development
- Exploring Mutual Learning of Four Chinese Senior High School EFL Teachers in a Collaborative Action Research Community
- Examining Chinese University EFL Teachers’ Perceptions and Participation in an Academic Salon-Based Professional Learning Community
- Insights From Informal Research Mentoring of Three University EFL Teachers
- Second Language Acquisition
- A Decade of Research Into Second Language Acquisition: A State-of-the-Science Review (2009-2019)
- The Correlation Between English and French Proficiency of Chinese Trilingual Learners
- Chinese Learners’ Use of Translation in Learning Academic Subjects in English-Medium Instruction Context
- Discourse Analysis
- On the Novel Chinese Modifier-Head Construction Shejian Shang de X: An Analysis of Meaning Construction
- Course Design and Material Evaluation
- Multimodal Discourse Analysis of Communicative English for Chinese Learners (Integrated Course) From the Perspective of Ecosophy
- Abstracts
- Chinese Abstracts
Articles in the same Issue
- Frontmatter
- Teacher Development
- Exploring Mutual Learning of Four Chinese Senior High School EFL Teachers in a Collaborative Action Research Community
- Examining Chinese University EFL Teachers’ Perceptions and Participation in an Academic Salon-Based Professional Learning Community
- Insights From Informal Research Mentoring of Three University EFL Teachers
- Second Language Acquisition
- A Decade of Research Into Second Language Acquisition: A State-of-the-Science Review (2009-2019)
- The Correlation Between English and French Proficiency of Chinese Trilingual Learners
- Chinese Learners’ Use of Translation in Learning Academic Subjects in English-Medium Instruction Context
- Discourse Analysis
- On the Novel Chinese Modifier-Head Construction Shejian Shang de X: An Analysis of Meaning Construction
- Course Design and Material Evaluation
- Multimodal Discourse Analysis of Communicative English for Chinese Learners (Integrated Course) From the Perspective of Ecosophy
- Abstracts
- Chinese Abstracts
