Abstract

This research study aims to explore the opportunities and challenges in implementing EMI in public schools. I used a qualitative research design and adopted narrative inquiry as the method to carry out this research. Similarly, four teachers were selected as the sample purposively.  In addition, semi-structured interviews were conducted using a questionnaire. The responses were recorded, transcribed, and thematically analyzed. Analysis of the data showed that the introduction of EMI in public schools has resulted in a rise in student enrollment. Likewise, EMI enhances the language proficiency of the students; it would be very much helpful for their higher study, career development, personality development, and communication. However, in the EFL context, it seems difficult to implement EMI effectively. The teachers are forced to use EMI without prior knowledge about how and when to use EMI. Most of them are not much experienced in EMI contexts. Therefore, to make effective implementation of EMI, much concern has to be paid by the government and policymakers.

Keywords: Medium of instruction, English medium instruction, implementation, opportunities, challenges.

Introduction

Education is one of the basic needs of human beings where language functions as a tool to educate people. We cannot imagine any formal process of education in the absence of language. Supporting this idea, (Wolf, 2005, p. 3, as cited in Ewie & Eshun, 2015, p. 1) argues, “Language is not everything in education, but without language, everything is nothing in education”. Similarly, the Medium of Instruction is a language used in teaching where the very language may or may not be the official one. In this respect, Dearden (2014) states that English as the Medium of Instruction (EMI) is the use of English to teach academic subjects in countries or areas where English is not the first language of most of the population. In many countries where English is not the national language, there has been a shift toward EMI in higher education (Hughes, 2008, as cited in Jensen & Thogerson, 2011). So is the case of Nepal too. In recent years, numerous public schools have shifted to English medium from Nepali medium and adopted EMI as one of the increasing trends (Rana, 2018).

Furthermore, EMI is beneficial as well as challenging. The English language is used in different sectors like academia, trade, communication, science and technology, politics, etc. Therefore, some people consider EMI as an opportunity, which leads them towards upward mobility. On the other hand, factors like teacher-student background, lack of teaching-learning resources, lack of administrative support, lack of teacher training programs, and unplanned EMI policy have made it challenging to implement the EMI effectively. In a similar vein, Nepalese ELT classrooms are found to be full of diversity in terms of language, culture, gender, ethnic group, learner’s learning ability, learner’s psychology, etc., which cause difficulty in the effective implementation of EMI. It is hard to cope with such a diverse classroom with the limited knowledge of the target language in the multilingual context.

EMI in Public Schools

EMI has become a contemporary issue in non-English speaking countries around the world. It is a global phenomenon. Increased use of the English language in EFL and ESL countries has been well depicted. In addition, Dearden (2014, p. 1) says:

There is a fast-moving worldwide shift from English being taught as a foreign language (EFL) to English being the medium of instruction (EMI) for academic subjects such as science, mathematics, geography, and medicine. It is increasingly being used in schools, colleges, and universities.

Moreover, Bhatt (2012, p. 10) argues, “Medium of instruction is the major factor which affects the students’ achievement in public schools”. This sort of situation reflects that the significance of English has been extended rapidly. As English is the language of science and technology students use it massively in their daily lives. They use English for various social networks such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and so on. English has the treasure of knowledge available in the world. Therefore, it is desirable to use EMI in the public schools of Nepal. However, because of the difficulties in implementing EMI effectively, public schools are still struggling to attract students by changing the medium of instruction.

Importance of EMI

As the English language has been used widely across the world, it has become a powerful language that supports different aspirations of human life. Currently, most countries have been adopting the English language as a medium of instruction (Dearden, 2014). Nowadays, the English language is playing a vital role because the knowledge of the English language updates us with current happenings. In other words, it has several advantages for people who want to advance and survive the current situation. Therefore, public schools are using English as a medium of instruction to make students familiar with the English language considering the huge demand for it to be fitted in the current world (Gyawali & Khadka, 2016).

In the same way, EMI is associated with the socio-economic realities of the people. In this regard, Coleman (2011, p. 18) argues, “English is assumed to play an important role in increasing employability, facilitating international mobility (studying abroad, tourism, migration), unlocking development opportunity, accessing crucial information, and acting as an impartial language”. Similarly, Coleman and Nunan (as cited in Phyak, 2017, p. 1) explore that “While English language teaching is increasingly embraced as an important aspect of educational reforms in developing countries, local challenges, (lack of) resources and pedagogical practices are often overlooked”.

Research Methodology

I employed a qualitative research methodology adopting a narrative design to carry out this research study. The population of the study included all the EMI teachers from public schools in the Kathmandu district. To get the responses to major research questions, four teachers from two public schools in Kirtipur, Kathmandu, were selected. The participants and research sites were selected purposively. Using a questionnaire, I interviewed the teachers, recorded their answers, transcribed them, and analyzed them using a thematic approach. I read the transcriptions many times and developed common codes. Then, I grouped them into certain categories. Similarly, to maintain the voice of the participants, I have used participants’ quotes. Moreover, to protect the privacy and anonymity of the research participants and the research environment, I have utilized pseudonyms.

Results and Discussion

The results of the study are presented in two themes: (a) opportunities for using EMI in public schools and (b) Challenges in the Implementation of EMI.

Opportunities for Using EMI in Public Schools   

EMI itself is an issue in the academic field believing it has both opportunities and challenges. Teachers belonging to different EMI-implemented schools during the interviews pointed out some benefits of EMI. Some view it as a tool for improving the quality of education and others view it as a policy to increase student enrollment in public schools. The followings are some opportunities for using EMI in public schools.

Students’ Proficiency Development and Career Opportunity Development

English is considered a foreign language in Nepal. It is regarded as an international medium for learning in many sectors. It is becoming essential to get a better job in the international market. There is a high demand for English experts in different sectors like education, business, and politics. In this regard, Ojha (2018) says, “EMI is a means to provide students with the English skills which will enable them to get access to enhanced employment opportunities”. In this regard, T₁ explained:

EMI enhances the language proficiency of the students. Similarly, it is very much helpful for their higher study, career development, and personality development. Moreover, science and technology are primarily based on the English language. All technology-based gadgets like mobiles, T.V., laptops, etc. use English as a default language. Therefore, we should use the English medium in schools to develop the English language of the students.

Development of Communication Skills

EMI develops listening, speaking, reading, and writing skills in English. These are the requisites of communication. In addition, admitting EMI as an opportunity, T₂ advocates:

I think English is a better language for communication, especially in language-diversified classrooms. If we have English language ability, we can communicate internationally and we can compete with them as well. It is a kind of language, which gives students international exposure and opportunities to develop comprehensively.

EMI enhances the ability of the students to communicate with the outer world. Most of the international sectors are using the English language. Mostly, politicians, journalists, businesspersons, teachers, and students love to communicate in English, if they know the English language. Consequently, EMI helps students to develop English language proficiency which creates many opportunities later, not just nationally but globally as well.

Source of Motivation for Learning

Motivation is a kind of internal drive that encourages one to do something and to learn something new. Moreover, the parents are happy to see their child talking in English. They focus on their child studying English. Therefore, EMI is taken to motivate the students as well as parents to engage in the learning process. To support this, T₃ argued: 

Students and their parents are happy after using EMI in public schools. Students are getting a chance to learn in the English medium in public schools as in the private schools where the English language is given priority in their teaching-learning process. After the implementation of EMI in public schools, students’ effort for learning is increasing day by day. Most of the students are highly motivated to learn in the English medium.

EMI stimulates parents, students, and teachers to learn something new. Phyak (2015, as cited in Ojha, 2018, p. 190) states, “Parents seem to think that if their children are not educated in English medium school, their future is not bright, because English is associated with success in later life”. It means that EMI is a kind of motivation for parents in which they see their children’s bright future.

Generating Human Resources and Developing Social Status

Human resource is the personnel of an organization, regarded as a significant asset in terms of skills and abilities. It is a prerequisite element for social, economic, and national advancement. EMI is crucial for producing competitive manpower in the context of the national and international markets. In other words, the EMI program has a significant role to produce human capital. A person with a good command of the English language is treated as an honorable member of society. Therefore, the English language is one of the best ways to generate human resources and develop personality in social, organizational, and institutional contexts.

Challenges in the Implementation of EMI in Public Schools

English is the international language and it is a demand of modern times. The interest in EMI is increasing day by day. The parents, the communities, and world leaders are prioritizing the EMI. Everyone is emphasizing its implementation but there are several challenges to implementing it. These challenges are being faced by the teachers, students, administration, and other related ones. Introducing EMI in public schools is characterized by severe resource constraints: untrained and unqualified teachers, large classes, and limited time on task (Simpson, 2017). Moreover, the teacher participants pointed out the following challenges to implementing EMI in public schools. 

Lack of English Language Proficiency

The lack of English language proficiency of the teachers is the biggest challenge that public schools are facing to implement EMI (Giri, 2011). Most of the teachers in public schools have never studied English, have never been trained to teach in the English medium, and have been used to teaching in Nepali medium for years. As a result, “non-English subjects such as Social Studies and History are taught in a mixed approach but assessed in English” (Dearden, 2014, p. 26). In this regard, T₂ expressed his view as:

It is not easy for us to teach in the English medium because we have almost forgotten the English language and have been used to teaching in Nepali for years. The students of our school do not understand the content properly if it is not explained in Nepali. However, now, most of us are gradually developing our English proficiency and confidence to use EMI in the classroom.

In an environment where the methodology for Nepali medium instruction is widely considered defective and has failed to provide satisfactory outcomes, the introduction of a foreign language for instruction will increase the challenges for both students and teachers (Baral, 2015). For teachers who are not able to deliver the curriculum effectively in their mother tongue, using English to teach the same content is almost guaranteed to do more harm than good. The students are unlikely to understand the content taught in English by teachers who do not have the appropriate proficiency to explain concepts in an intelligible way.

Learner Variations

Learner variation is another challenge for effective EMI implementation in public schools. In the context of Nepal, we have different languages, cultures, religions, and so on. Different people have different desires, feelings, learning styles, and backgrounds. It makes variations in learning. Similarly, it is hard to address all student variations in the classroom. Therefore, learner variations are another challenge for EMI implementation. In this regard, T₄ argued as:

Our learners are from different backgrounds, so they have variations in learning. Some of the learners are introverts and some are extroverts, some learners can understand the content at one time and some at more than one time. Likewise, learners’ factors such as age, gender, ethnicity, family background, economic status, aptitude, motivation, and interest also create problems in teaching and learning activities in EMI classrooms.

EMI as a Utopian Ideology

Despite a wholehearted adaptation of EMI, the lack of resources and necessary preparations for the policy overhaul is another challenge for EMI teachers in public schools. Regarding whether indigenous students are likely to receive the perceived benefits of EMI or if it has just been a utopia for them, T₃ reported:      

Students do not have enough English and they also do not have an English environment at home. Although we have English-medium textbooks, we are not fully competent to understand the textbooks. Sometimes, when we force students to use English, they either switch between English and Nepali or remain silent, even when they understand the content. Likewise, most teachers also feel pressured when they need to speak in English or to teach only in English.

There is no good base of English among old teachers, and their level of English language is very low. It is because teachers from older generations and those who have graduated from Nepali-medium public schools lack a good knowledge of the English language. Therefore, some schools decided to hire private teachers to take the major responsibility for creating an environment/exposure for learning English.

Negotiating the Lack of English with Nepali

There are no institutional guidelines regarding the amount of English exposure in the curriculum. The English-only policy has required schools to negotiate it both within and outside of the classroom. To support this, T₁ told said:

The lack of English proficiency acted as a barrier to learning as students often struggled to demonstrate their creativity while writing answers in examinations. Although the students sometimes showed their understanding of content knowledge, they scored lower grades because they were unable to express their understanding of English. In most cases, they tended to insert Nepali phrases and chunks in English structures while writing in their examinations.

Teachers and students in the EMI program use Nepali as a default language to complement teaching and learning content knowledge. The lack of English proficiency in dealing with lessons only in English is negotiated with the use of another language, which teachers believe helps students to understand the content. Using other languages in EMI classrooms is, in fact, a common practice in other contexts as well. For example, the study of Bhattacharya (2013) demonstrated teachers’ heavy use of Hindi in the EMI classroom in India.

Conclusion

The present study has critically explored the opportunities and challenges of using EMI in public schools. This research study reveals that most teachers are positive about the use of EMI because they think that English as a global language may open the doors to success for both the teachers and students. EMI develops the language proficiency of the students and it is one of the sources of motivation in learning. Similarly, it would be very much helpful for their higher study, career development, personality development, and communication. However, in the EFL context, it seems difficult to implement EMI effectively. While implementing a monolingual policy of EMI in the classroom, students feel difficulty in understanding. The teachers are thereby compelled to teach in EMI classes while having no prior knowledge of how what, or when to do so. Most of them are not experienced in EMI contexts. Additionally, due to the lack of sufficient knowledge of English vocabulary and fluency, students also feel hesitant to share their ideas in the classroom even if they know the topic. As a result, the government and policymakers must pay close attention to the efficient implementation of EMI.

References

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About the Author

Mr. Hayat Singh Dhami is a Secondary-level English language teacher. He has completed his bachelor’s degree in English. Currently, he is pursuing an M.Ed. in English language education at the department of English Education, Tribhuvan University, Nepal, He has attended and presented at national and international conferences of NELTA. His areas of interest include English Medium Instruction (EMI), Multilingual Education (MLE), ELT, and ICT in English language teaching and learning.

To Cite this Article (APA)

Dhami, H. S. (2022, August 30).  EMI Implementation in Public Schools: Opportunities and Challenges. NELTA ELT Forum. https://neltaeltforum.wordpress.com/2022/08/30/emi-implementation-in-public-schools-opportunities-and-challenges/