English as the Medium of Instruction in Saudi Higher Education: Necessity or Hegemony?

Al-Kahtany, Abdallah H.; Faruk, Syed Md Golam; Zumor, Abdul Wahed Q. Al

doi:10.17507/jltr.0701.06

Cited by 28 publications

(27 citation statements)

References 5 publications

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“…Onsman (2012) points to the problem of the internationalization of English in academia, in the GCC countries in general and in Saudi Arabia in particular, that results in the marginalization of the role of Arabic as a language and a culture. Al Kahtany et. al (2016) believe that it is currently difficult to remove English from its role as a medium of instruction in Saudi universities without enriching the linguistic potential of the Arabic language to be able to assume this role.…”

Section: Literature Reviewmentioning

confidence: 99%

Challenges of Using Emi in Teaching and Learning of University Scientific Disciplines: Student Voice

Zumor

2019

ijole

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This study examines the challenges of using English medium instruction (EMI) in teaching and learning scientific disciplines. The main objective of the study is to identify students’ perceptions regarding lecture comprehension, communication, pedagogy, assessment, and affect in an EMI setting. The participants in this study are 264 Saudi students who study Computer Science, Engineering, and Medicine. A questionnaire with a four-point Likert scale was used to survey the participants’ views on the challenges they encounter as a result of the use of EMI for teaching and learning scientific disciplines. The collected data were analysed quantitatively with SPSS and qualitatively by using the content analysis method. The major findings of the study are: a) using English language to teach scientific disciplines has a seriously negative impact on the scientific content comprehension and assessment of a majority of the students in the present study, b) using English language as the medium of instruction and assessment causes anxiety, frustration, tension, fear, embarrassment and, ultimately, poor educational outcomes, c) EMI deprives the students of their basic rights to effective understanding, communication, interaction, discussion and inquiry. The study recommends ensuring quality English education in the foundation year and examining the option of “additive bilingual education.”

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Section: Literature Reviewmentioning

confidence: 99%

Challenges of Using Emi in Teaching and Learning of University Scientific Disciplines: Student Voice

Zumor

2019

ijole

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“…Specifically, code-switching method in EMI remains controversial. Some authors hold the view that code-switching is necessary for explaining difficult concept or challenging content because of exclusive use of English brought to difficulties in comprehension (Hu & Lei 2014;Al-Kahtany et al 2016). However, other researchers doubted that code switching may not be an appropriate pedagogical approach as it fails to facilitate learners' academic literacies (Kyeyune, 2010).…”

Section: Teachers' Teaching Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…According to Keuk and Tith (2013), reading skills seem the most difficult tasks for students because of grammatical differences between English and students' mother tongues. Besides, students encounter uncounted challenges in writing assignment when writing in a language not of their mother tongues (Al-Kahtany, Faruk & Al Zumor, 2016;Rogier, 2012). Students' essays lack both diversified uses of vocabulary and critical thinking (Dorasamy, 2012).…”

Section: Inadequate Language Skillsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The findings revealed that learners of EMI classes quite negatively reflect the content comprehension in EMI lectures. Due to the lack of academic knowledge achievement, learners show their preference in lectures taught in their mother tongues than in English (Al-Kahtany et al, 2016). Furthermore, students in countries that English is a foreign language were found to face more challenges in lesson comprehension in EMI classes that those who live in countries English is more pervasively used (Keuk & Tith, 2013).…”

Section: Lesson Comprehension In Emi Classes At Hoa Sen Universitymentioning

confidence: 99%

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An Exploration of the Factors Hindering Students’ Lesson Comprehension in EMI Classes

Tran

Bien

2020

IJLLS

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The implementation of English as a medium of instruction (EMI) has been found to bring numerous benefits to its learners. There has been a rising trend in introducing EMI at higher education institutions worldwide. However, challenges are ubiquitous and there is still prevalent hesitation in integrating content and language in many institutions. This study aimed to explore factors hindering students’ level of lesson comprehension in EMI classes through a mixed-method study carried out on 233 participants at Hoa Sen University, Vietnam. The findings showed that variables hampering students from lesson understanding were mainly associated with instructors’ teaching methods and students’ and instructors’ language competences. Results from standard multiple regression indicated that vocabulary range, writing skills and teaching methods were found to have significant contribution to the prediction of the level of lesson comprehension of the students. The findings of the study could be a considerable reference source for universities aiming at implementing EMI programmes.

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“…In Saudi Arabia, the main sectors where the use of English language has gained increasing significance are education and commerce [1]. As a result, as part of the important reforms being introduced in the Saudi educational sector, English is now taught as a main subject in schools, and used as a medium of instruction in colleges and universities [2]. In spite of these latest developments, available studies suggest that students at the basic level do not acquire sufficient English language skills for higher education [3], [4].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Identifying the Underlying Factors of Students’ Readiness for E-Learning in Studying English as a Foreign Language in Saudi Arabia: Students’ and Teachers’ Perspectives

Mutambik

Lee

Foley

2018

Advances in Intelligent Systems and Computing

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In an era of increased global investment in the use of technology in education generally, Saudi Arabia has intensified its quest to incorporate E-learning in studying English as a foreign language (EFL) in Saudi schools. The benefits for this paradigm shift in focus are not far-fetched because the growth of the internet and the proliferation of computers appear to have had a direct impact on the steady increase in popularity of E-learning, especially in studying EFL. This paper is based on a qualitative research design using group interviews that explored the perspectives of students and teachers on the underlying factors that indicate the readiness of students to use E-learning in studying EFL in Saudi Arabia. The findings identified three underlying sets of immediate factors that included: E-learning self-efficacy, personal drivers and access to the requisite resources. In addition, the study demonstrated how contextual underlying factors such as school and family support help to shape the readiness of students to use E-learning in studying EFL in Saudi Arabia. This paper provides a synthesis of the evidence on what participants considered as the personal and environmental conditions that contribute to successful E-learning implementation.

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English as the Medium of Instruction in Saudi Higher Education: Necessity or Hegemony?

Cited by 28 publications

References 5 publications

Challenges of Using Emi in Teaching and Learning of University Scientific Disciplines: Student Voice

Challenges of Using Emi in Teaching and Learning of University Scientific Disciplines: Student Voice

An Exploration of the Factors Hindering Students’ Lesson Comprehension in EMI Classes

Identifying the Underlying Factors of Students’ Readiness for E-Learning in Studying English as a Foreign Language in Saudi Arabia: Students’ and Teachers’ Perspectives

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