The challenges of EMI for art and design students in the UAE

• Wayne Jones ^[1] ; Kara McKeown ^[1] ; Suzanne Littlewood ^[1]
  1. [1] Zayed University

     Zayed University

     Emiratos Árabes Unidos

     
• Localización: ELT journal: An international journal for teachers of English to speakers of other languages, ISSN 0951-0893, Vol. 76, Nº 2, 2022 (Ejemplar dedicado a: Special Issue: Rethinking the roles of ELT in English-medium education in multilingual university settings), págs. 238-249
• Idioma: inglés
• Texto completo no disponible (Saber más ...)
• Resumen

  • While there are a variety of reasons for implementing English medium instruction (EMI) at higher-education institutions (HEIs) worldwide, this decision is often made without consideration of its potential impact on student learning. Federal HEIs in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) are no exception. With English language admission standards at between 5.0 and 5.5 IELTS, students are frequently challenged to successfully complete the tasks required of them and faculty can be frustrated by the level of work they receive. This article describes the findings of a research project, conducted with Emirati art and design students at one of these HEIs, which identified challenges experienced by students and faculty in an EMI setting. A subsequent initiative investigating writing genres students need to be familiar with is also discussed. Finally, collaboratively developed teaching materials are also described. With appropriate contextual modifications, these initiatives could be replicated in EMI contexts elsewhere.