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Impact of English proficiency and self-efficacy on EMI content learning: a longitudinal study in Taiwan

  • Cynthia Tsui EMAIL logo
Published/Copyright: August 6, 2024
Journal of English as a Lingua Franca
From the journal Journal of English as a Lingua Franca Volume 13 Issue 1

Abstract

In many countries, English-medium instruction (EMI) courses have become a requirement for universities to maintain their competitive global rankings. This study reports on a three-year EMI program in the Department of Mechanical Engineering at a national university in Taiwan. A total of 63 students participated in the study. Both quantitative and qualitative data were collected, including measures targeting students’ English proficiency, language learning beliefs, classroom anxiety, self-efficacy, content course grades, and interview data from four faculty members. The t-tests indicate that students’ English proficiency significantly improved from their freshman year to their sophomore year but then tapered off in their junior year. Multiple regression analyses show that students’ self-efficacy remained the strongest predictor of the content learning outcomes, overriding the English proficiency. Interview data show that, after navigating the initial language impact and adapting to the EMI environment, students were better able to focus on the content learning due to enhanced self-efficacy. The qualitative data provide enriched contexts to support the statistical findings, against the backdrop of the 2030 Bilingual Policy, initiated in 2018 by Taiwan’s National Development Council to build a bilingual society by 2030. Finally, pedagogical implications and future research endeavors are also discussed.

摘要

英語授課 (EMI) 課程已成為各大學保持全球競爭力的必要條件。 本研究報導了臺灣某國立大學機械系為期三年的 EMI 學程, 總共有 63 名學生參與本研究。 研究蒐集了量化與質化的資料, 包括學生的英語程度、語言學習信念、課堂焦慮感、自我效能感、EMI 修課成績以及 4 位 EMI 授課教師的訪談資料。 t 檢驗結果顯示, 學生的英語程度從大一到大二有顯著的提升, 但在大三時出現學習高原而沒有顯著提升。 進一步多元迴歸分析顯示, 學生的「自我效能」在諸多變數中, 是影響 EMI 學習效益最強的預測因子, 甚至超越了「英語程度」。 教師訪談資料顯示, 學生若能熬過最初的語言衝擊, 並適應了EMI的環境後, 自我效能的增進將賦予學生強大的助力可專注於內容學習。 有鑑於臺灣的 2030 雙語政策, 此研究結果提供了許多面向的參考資料。 文末並討論了教學方面的建議以及未來的研究方向。

Keywords: bilingual policy in Taiwan; content learning; English-medium instruction (EMI); English proficiency; self-efficacy
關鍵詞: 英語授課教學; 英語程度; 自我效能; 內容學習; 臺灣雙語政策
Corresponding author: Cynthia Tsui, Foreign Language Center, National Chengchi University, Taipei, Taiwan, E-mail:

Appendix 1: Tasks for measuring stress and self-efficacy (Zajacova et al. 2005)

Instructions: Please indicate, in general, how stressful the following tasks are for you and how confident you are in successfully completing the tasks in your EMI classes.

Appendix 2: Faculty interview protocols

  1. How long have you been teaching at the current university?

  2. Have you taught in other universities prior to your current institution?

  3. What motivates you to take part in the EMI program?

  4. Have you taught EMI courses before? If yes, how long? Under what circumstance?

  5. How would you normally start a class?

  6. How would you characterize your relationship with your students?

  7. What do you value most when you prepare your teaching materials?

  8. What is the most rewarding part so far?

  9. What is the most challenging part, if any, so far? How have you dealt with it?

  10. What support do you get from the department or the school?

  11. In your opinion, what is the key element to the success of an EMI program?

  12. If you have to compare your teaching style between teaching in your native language and teaching in English, do you see yourself differently or the same? Why?

  13. If you have taught in countries other than your current geographical location, how do you approach teaching in different countries? What factors may have influenced your teaching?

  14. Will you offer more EMI courses in the future?

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Published Online: 2024-08-06
Published in Print: 2024-05-27

© 2024 Walter de Gruyter GmbH, Berlin/Boston

Articles in the same Issue

  1. Frontmatter
  2. Introduction
  3. Introduction
  4. Articles
  5. Linguistic justice in English-medium instruction contexts: a theoretical argument
  6. The (in)justice of EMI: a critical discourse analysis of two key stakeholders’ views on the Polytechnic University of Milan court case
  7. “English is the natural language of science”: discourses and ideologies concerning EMI in two Brazilian universities
  8. English Medium Instruction or Exploitative Models of Income? International students’ experiences of EMI by default at an Australian university
  9. Our gateway is your gatekeeper: benefits and constraints of EMI for different participants in Japanese ELF contexts
  10. Enhancing equity in South Korean EMI higher education through translanguaging
  11. Impact of English proficiency and self-efficacy on EMI content learning: a longitudinal study in Taiwan
  12. EMI programmes in Vietnamese higher education: a case study of translanguaging practices for inclusive education
  13. Book Reviews
  14. Cogo, Alessia, Graham Crookes and Sávio Siqueira: English for a Critical Mind: Language Pedagogy for Social Justice
  15. Mocanu, Vasilica: Language Learning in Study Abroad: Social, Cultural, and Identity-Related Factors
  16. Alves, Ubiratã Kickhöfel & Jeniffer Imaregna Alcantara de Albuquerque: Second language pronunciation: Different approaches to teaching and training (Studies on Language Acquisition 64)
  17. Corrigendum
  18. Corrigendum to: Self-presentation as an ELF user in social media: an analysis of Japanese young adults’ online language practices
https://doi.org/10.1515/jelf-2024-2010
Keywords for this article
bilingual policy in Taiwan; content learning; English-medium instruction (EMI); English proficiency; self-efficacy

Articles in the same Issue

  1. Frontmatter
  2. Introduction
  3. Introduction
  4. Articles
  5. Linguistic justice in English-medium instruction contexts: a theoretical argument
  6. The (in)justice of EMI: a critical discourse analysis of two key stakeholders’ views on the Polytechnic University of Milan court case
  7. “English is the natural language of science”: discourses and ideologies concerning EMI in two Brazilian universities
  8. English Medium Instruction or Exploitative Models of Income? International students’ experiences of EMI by default at an Australian university
  9. Our gateway is your gatekeeper: benefits and constraints of EMI for different participants in Japanese ELF contexts
  10. Enhancing equity in South Korean EMI higher education through translanguaging
  11. Impact of English proficiency and self-efficacy on EMI content learning: a longitudinal study in Taiwan
  12. EMI programmes in Vietnamese higher education: a case study of translanguaging practices for inclusive education
  13. Book Reviews
  14. Cogo, Alessia, Graham Crookes and Sávio Siqueira: English for a Critical Mind: Language Pedagogy for Social Justice
  15. Mocanu, Vasilica: Language Learning in Study Abroad: Social, Cultural, and Identity-Related Factors
  16. Alves, Ubiratã Kickhöfel & Jeniffer Imaregna Alcantara de Albuquerque: Second language pronunciation: Different approaches to teaching and training (Studies on Language Acquisition 64)
  17. Corrigendum
  18. Corrigendum to: Self-presentation as an ELF user in social media: an analysis of Japanese young adults’ online language practices
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