6. From ‘Late–Late’ to ‘Early–Early’ Immersion: Discontinuities and Dilemmas in Medium of Instruction Policies and Practices

Gallagher, Kay

doi:10.21832/9781783096602-009

Cited by 11 publications

(7 citation statements)

References 0 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…Given the severe challenges, Gulf Arab students face in switching from an Arabic-speaking home and school environment to an English-speaking college and university environment, one might have expected some of the students' feelings of unfairness to arise from their resentment at the need to master English as the medium of instruction in the tertiary sector in the UAE (Gallagher, 2016). Surprisingly, however, none of the students alluded to the hegemony of English in education, although several scholars from within the Arab world, such as Karmani (2005) and Badry (2011), have critically questioned the hegemonic role of English in relation to Arabic.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Student voice: perceptions of fair treatment in a Foundations program

Gallagher

2019

JARHE

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to investigate why beginning university Emirati students might believe they are unfairly treated by their instructors. By understanding student perceptions, the learning needs of such students can be better catered for, and learning outcomes enhanced. Design/methodology/approach An interpretivist approach was taken to investigate a finding from a standardized survey of student satisfaction which showed that students felt they were treated unfairly by their instructors. Focus group interviews were used to uncover the possible reasons why students believed they received unfair treatment. Findings Interpersonal or interactional unfairness is the type of unfair treatment most often cited by the Foundation students who participated in this study, indicative of the importance of interpersonal relations in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) higher education teaching and learning environment. Research limitations/implications Although the study is situated within one Foundations program in the UAE, the imperative for instructors to build positive interpersonal relationships with beginning students is highlighted, as well as the need for curricular transparency and ongoing moderation of grading practices, and the importance of informing students about these practices. Practical implications The imperative of building positive pedagogical relationships with beginning university Arab Gulf students is highlighted, as well as the need for transparent practices such as moderation of grades, and explicitly informing students about fair practices. Social implications Drawing on data from faculty instructors, the paper suggests that a deeper, macrosystemic level of educational unfairness may also be at play: that is, the unfairness inherent in the hegemony of English, and the disconnect between the quality of the state school system and the demands of university. Until these educational issues are addressed, perceptions of unfair treatment in Foundations programs in the Gulf are likely to continue. Originality/value As higher education continues to undergo expansion and transformation in the UAE, increasing numbers of academic staff from around the world migrate there, and thousands of Gulf students continue to emigrate to study overseas. This paper contributes important insights into Gulf students’ perceptions.

show abstract

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Student voice: perceptions of fair treatment in a Foundations program

Gallagher

2019

JARHE

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…This monumental change was perhaps too sudden. As Gallagher (2013) points out, the UAE education system has veered from one extreme to the other by shifting paradigm from 'late--late' immersion all the way down to 'early--early' immersion starting from Kindergarten. (p. 6) Using the mother tongue in primary school and English immersion in secondary school, as is the case in Hong Kong (Gallagher, 2013, p. 5) may be a more gentle approach.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The effects of global English on culture and identity in the UAE: a double-edged sword

Hopkyns

2014

Learning and Teaching in Higher Education: Gulf Perspectives

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

The United Arab Emirates' complex history, its current demographics, its youthfulness as a country, and the fact that it is a region undergoing fast-paced change make the issue of cultural identity particularly relevant and urgent in this part of the world. This is especially true given the rapid spread of English in the sphere of education and everyday life in recent years. This paper discusses the above issues before analyzing the attitudes and perceptions of female Emirati undergraduate students and female Emirati primary school teachers with regard to global English and its effects on local culture and identity. After analysis of the findings from a qualitative study using open-response questionnaires with 35 undergraduates and twelve teachers, a discussion follows with recommendations on how to overcome issues raised in the study. Introduction: the power of English as a global language English has been given, at various points in time, the labels world English (since the 1920s), international English (since the 1930s), and most recently global English (since the mid-1900s). These labels have subtle differences in meaning with "the third being linked (often negatively) to socioeconomic globalization" (McArthur, 2004, p. 3). The terms are used somewhat interchangeably in public discourse though, and all relate to the fact that English, as a language, stands in a category of its own with regard to its far-reaching and immense influence. It is true to say that its power in the world cannot be disputed. It is estimated that a staggering "one in three of the world's population are now capable of communicating to a useful level in English" (Crystal, 2012, p. 155), and this is a number which is on the rise. As a result, as Al-Dabbagh (2005) states, "English has become the Latin of the contemporary world" (p. 3). It is the only language spoken on all five continents and is the official language of 52 countries, meaning that as Mohd-Asraf (2005) points out Its influence spans the entire globe, and there is hardly any country today that does not use English in one way or another or that is not affected by its spread.

show abstract

“…(Gallagher 2011). Since then, the development of bilingualism and biliteracy in Arabic and English has become a goal of state education, following a paradigm shift in 2011 that saw the introduction of English as a medium of instruction alongside Arabic in Abu Dhabi (Gallagher 2016). As part of a rootand-branch reform of education (Matsumoto 2019), the New School Model launched by the former Abu Dhabi Education Council in 2010 included a reconceptualization of the medium of instruction in state schools from Arabic-only to Arabic-and-English.…”

Section: Bilingual Development In the Early Yearsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…. controversial reforms in the region" by Al-Suwaidi (2017, p. 28) because of fears for the loss of Arabic due to the early adoption of English as the medium of instruction for mathematics and science (Gallagher 2016).…”

Section: Bilingual Development In the Early Yearsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In addition to the relative lack of provision for early years education, there has been limited published research in English into early childhood education (Al-Momani et al 2008), and much of this limited research and policy have tended to focus on the state kindergarten sector, with little research and policy attention paid to the burgeoning private preschool sector. Furthermore, for language education in particular, the focus of much of the funding and the research in the Gulf is on issues surrounding the late acquisition of English, rather than issues in early second language acquisition, due to the dominance until recently of preuniversity intensive English-medium programs (Gallagher 2016). Actually, this situation is in line with language and literacy research globally which "has been a captive of Anglo-American concerns, overwhelmingly dominated by English" (Saiegh-Haddad and Joshi 2014, p. v).…”

Section: Limited Focus On the Early Yearsmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 1 more Smart Citation