Multilingual Perspectives from Europe and Beyond on Language Policy and Practice


Book Description

This edited volume offers an overarching, yet detailed view of fast-changing language policy and practice in Europe and beyond. It provides a thorough investigation of different linguacultural scenarios, exploring how language policy has repercussions on research and initiatives in the field of language education. With contributions from a range of European settings as well as Turkey and the USA, the book discusses topical issues related to language learning and explores how these can shape our identities. Chapters present cutting-edge research on translanguaging, English Medium Instruction, multilingualism and minority languages in Europe. The volume forecasts what future educational policies might look like, and questions how evaluating and rethinking educational practices can produce positive effects on language practices as well as language policies. The book has a wide-reaching international focus and will be an important resource for researchers, academics, language experts and postgraduate students in the fields of applied linguistics, language education and sociolinguistics.




Intercultural Learning in Language Education and Beyond


Book Description

This book provides a contemporary and critical examination of the theoretical and pedagogical impact of Michael Byram’s pioneering work on intercultural communicative competence and intercultural citizenship within the field of language education and beyond. The chapters address important theoretical and empirical work on the teaching, learning, and assessment of intercultural learning, and highlight how individual language educators and communities of practice enact intercultural learning in locally appropriate ways. The book offers comprehensive, up-to-date and accessible knowledge for researchers, teachers, teacher-trainers and students.




Multilingual and Translingual Practices in English-Medium Instruction


Book Description

English Medium Instruction (EMI) refers to the use of the English language to teach academic subjects where first language of the majority of the population is not English. One popular implementation of EMI, the Multilingual Model, would imply that some aspects (e.g. courses, sessions in some courses, and/or assessment) are taught through English, whereas the first language of the students is used in some other respects. This volume explores context-related ways in which the multilingual EMI model and translingual practices are seen and enacted in higher education contexts across the globe. Research on this topic is not only timely but also very much needed, particularly in contexts that are relatively new to EMI, as well as in contexts where monolingual forms of teaching and monolingual institutional policies still prevail. Empirical, research-based studies as well as theoretical reviews that centre around multilingual and translingual practices in partial and full (i.e. English-only) EMI settings are elaborated, with case studies from Colombia, Indonesia, Iraq, Norway, Qatar, Spain, Turkey, United Arab Emirates, the UK and the USA.




English-Medium Instruction in Turkish Universities


Book Description

In response to the growing use of English as an international language, the number of English-medium instruction (EMI) programs in higher education has increased. However, decisions to implement EMI programs are often made through top-down policymaking processes with little consideration for the educational issues surrounding language policy changes. This book examines the variation with which EMI is implemented at universities in Turkey through a multilevel empirical investigation of policies, practices, and perceptions. In addition to providing a sociohistorical overview of EMI in Turkey, the book draws on a dataset that includes policy documents, classroom observations, interviews with teachers, and focus group discussions with students. Despite national policies which envision a "one-language-at-a-time" model of EMI education, this book argues that EMI is neither English-only nor English-always in practice. By highlighting the variation with which EMI is implemented at and across Turkish universities, this study illustrates the need for more comprehensive EMI policies and processes aimed at integrating content and language learning in higher education. Implications are discussed with respect to policy planning, program development, and pedagogical support and will be relevant for researchers and postgraduate research students interested in EMI, particularly in the Turkish context.




Language Education Programs


Book Description

This book delves into the realm of effective language education programs, examining them from both macro and micro-policy-making perspectives. It unravels the distinguishing features of exemplary language programs and explores how these programs are implemented in diverse international contexts. The book comprehensively explores various facets of language education programs, encompassing well-crafted language education policies, robust curriculum and syllabus design, impactful teaching materials, effective approaches to English for specific purposes (ESP), English as a medium of instruction (EMI), content and language integrated learning (CLIL), and English as a Lingua Franca (ELF)-informed instruction. The book also delves into fruitful school/institute-university partnerships, the judicious use of technology, strategies for teacher recruitment and professional development, as well as efficient policies for learner assessment, among other topics of significance. The contributions within this book are firmly grounded in data, incorporating findings from empirical studies. The insights provided draw upon valuable data obtained from a range of diverse contexts in which effective language education programs have been implemented.




Reconceptualizing Language Norms in Multilingual Contexts


Book Description

With cultural and linguistic diversity, migration, and constant change as defining features of contemporary societies, it is increasingly necessary to enhance our capabilities within multilingual environments. Reconceptualizing Language Norms in Multilingual Contexts offers a groundbreaking exploration of language practices and norms in the diverse and dynamic world we inhabit today. It challenges the traditional understanding of language norms as stable and stationary. Instead, it embraces multiculturalism and multilingualism as the norm rather than the exception. Drawing upon a wide range of methodological approaches, this book brings together a collection of position papers, critical reflections, and explorations by emerging and established voices in the field. It delves into how language norms emerge, evolve, and shape communication in both collective and individual contexts of diversity. By reconceptualizing language norms, this book sheds light on real and relevant language practices in multilingual and multicultural spaces, offering insights from the people who inhabit and navigate these contexts. While the content of this book revolves around everyday communication, its academic approaches and comprehensive exploration make it a valuable resource for graduate students, educators, and researchers in the fields of multilingualism and applied linguistics. By bridging the gap between language norms and multilingualism, this book seeks to advance our understanding of language practices in the increasingly interconnected and diverse world.




The Practice of English as a Medium of Instruction (EMI) Around the World


Book Description

This edited volume presents eleven empirical papers reporting the existing literature and the results of an original study focusing on EMI (English as a medium of instruction) in a particular area (Central and Eastern Europe, Western and Southern Europe, Nordic/Baltic countries, Central Asia, the Middle East, East Asia, South-East Asia, North Africa, Sub-Saharan Africa, South Asia, and Latin America). Each of these different areas tends to have its own ways of dealing with the EMI issue, and these are brought together in a meta-analysis in the final chapter. Implications for the conduct of English as a medium of instruction are drawn, both on a chapter-by-chapter basis and also in the meta-analysis. The examination of EMI on a contextual basis is a unique feature of this book, setting it apart from others in the field, which almost all deal with a single or limited context. The volume will be of interest to policymakers, institutional heads, graduate students and their teachers, and to thesis writers and researchers.




EMI Classroom Communication


Book Description

Examining English medium instruction (EMI) through a corpus-based approach, this volume offers a critical inquiry into the use of different linguistic and pedagogical strategies in the EMI classroom. It explores aspects of content lecturers’ language use, pedagogy, and intercultural communicative competence by drawing on the findings obtained from EMI lecture corpus analysis and post-observation interviews with EMI lecturers from five universities in Croatia, Denmark, Italy, the Netherlands, and Spain. The book also offers insights into lecturers’ engagement with students in English, which is their second language, as well as their perception of differences between EMI and first-language-medium instruction (L1MI). Finally, the volume provides readers with corpus-based analysis of teachers’ oral ability profiles, as a basis for the identification of communicational challenges and provision of language support. The book will be of interest to scholars interested in EMI in higher education, and postgraduate students in applied linguistics and TESOL programs. It will also be relevant to teachers who are involved in EMI provision, teacher trainers who design support programs for EMI teachers, and policymakers who establish language-in-education policies for EMI.




Multilingual Approaches for Teaching and Learning


Book Description

Multilingual Approaches for Teaching and Learning outlines the opportunities and challenges of multilingual approaches in mainstream education in Europe. The book, which draws on research findings from several officially monolingual, bilingual, and multilingual countries in Europe, discusses approaches to multilingual education which capitalise on students’ multilingual resources from early childhood to higher education. This book synthesises research on multilingual education, relates theory to practice, and discusses different pedagogical approaches from diverse perspectives. The first section of the book outlines multilingual approaches in early childhood education and primary school, the second looks at multilingual approaches in secondary school and higher education, and the third examines the influence of parents, policy-makers, and professional development on the implementation and sustainability of multilingual approaches. The book demonstrates that educators can leverage students’ multilingualism to promote learning and help students achieve their full potential. This book will be of great interest to academics, researchers, and postgraduate students in the fields of language education, psychology, sociolinguistics, and applied linguistics.




Cultural Interactions of English-Medium Instruction at Vietnamese Universities


Book Description

This book presents a case study of English-Medium Instruction (EMI) implemented by universities in Vietnam, making valuable theoretical, empirical, and methodological contributions to the research in EMI which is currently a popular theme in the field of Higher Education. The importance of internationalization of higher education has been widely recognized by many countries all over the world. The spread of English as an international language has resulted in its crucial role in teaching and learning any disciplines. Globally, higher education in many non-English speaking countries has witnessed rapid expansion of (EMI) which was initiated in Europe, then to Asia and other continents which are featured with “Cultural Circles” spread in the world. Although there are many publications with the same theme available today, this monograph is unique because it is the first time to examine EMI classroom interaction from the cultural perspective specifically rather than from linguistic or pedagogical perspectives. It is a pioneering attempt to discuss in depth about cultural issues relating to EMI, namely (1) the social-cultural context of EMI classes in higher education; (2) the cultural backgrounds of EMI teachers and learners; and (3) culture interactions between teachers and learners in EMI classrooms. In addition, both quantitative and qualitative methods are employed to collect data from teachers and learners. Finally, a context-based model of EMI is proposed based on findings of this research. As a country within the Confucius Heritage Cultural Circle, Vietnam has been selected for this study because few studies to date are carried out in how EMI is culturally integrated to teaching and learning in the Vietnamese universities. This book is a joint effort by international academics, prepared for established scholars, researchers, educators, and research higher degree students who are interested in higher education, second and foreign language education and EMI teacher training.