About

English Medium Instruction (EMI) refers to the use of the English language to teach academic subjects (other than English itself) in countries where the first language of the majority of the population is not English.

Currently, the world is seeing a boom in EMI as an educational model in universities, secondary schools and even primary schools; however the implications of this growing trend remain severely under-researched. EMI is increasingly being implemented via top-down policies, sometimes with little attention to the educational implications that learning through a second language can have for the millions of students affected. Thus, this research group aims to fill this void in its exploration of the effects of EMI on language learning, content learning, teaching delivery, quality of education, inequalities of access, language flexibility and hybridity, the competencies needed to be a successful EMI teacher, and other multi-faceted aspects of EMI. The EMI Oxford research group cooperates with education institutions and organisations around the world through leading research into the extent and effects of EMI across the globe.

Learn more on the EMI website

Recent Publications

2018
  • Macaro, E. (2018). English Medium Instruction: Content and language in policy and practice​. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
  • Macaro, E., Curle, S., Pun, J., An, J., & Dearden, J. (2018). A systematic review of English Medium Instruction in Higher Education. Language Teaching, 51(1): 36-76. DOI: 10.1017/S0261444817000350
  • Rose, H., McKinley, J. (2018). Japan’s English-medium instruction initiatives and the globalization of higher education. Higher Education, 75(1): 111-127. DOI: 10.1007/s10734-017-0125-1
  • ​An, J., & Murphy, V. (2018). English as a Medium of Instruction in primary schools in South America: A review of the evidence. A report commissioned by the Oxford University Press.
  • Macaro, E., & Akincioglu, M. (2018). Turkish university students’ perceptions about English Medium Instruction: exploring year group, gender and university type as variables. Journal of multilingual and multicultural development. 39(3): 256-270. DOI: 10.1080/01434632.2017.1367398
  • Briggs, J., Dearden, J. & Macaro, E. (2018). Teacher beliefs about EMI: educational phase as variable. Studies in Second Language Learning and Teaching. (in press)
2017
  • Macaro, E. (2017). English medium instruction: Global views and countries in focus. Language Teaching, 1-18. DOI: 10.1017/S0261444816000380
  • Briggs, J.G. & Smith, S.A. (2017). English Medium Instruction and Idiomaticity in English as a Lingua Franca. Iranian Journal of Language Teaching Research, 5(3), 27-44.

Resources

The EMI group contributes to the ‘Teaching English and teaching IN English in global contexts’ network, which is a cutting-edge online academic network with teaching resources, online seminars, blogs, a student section and a forum to foster collaborative projects.

The website encourages networking and information exchange between students, researchers and practitioners, as well as form research partnerships in this growing field. 

Study with us

Taught courses
  • MSc Applied Linguistics and Second Language Acquisition (full-time only)
  • MSc Applied Linguistics for Language Teaching (part-time only)
  • MSc Education (Higher Education)
Examples of current DPhil projects
  • ‘Effects on content knowledge and language acquisition of English as Medium of Instruction in Japanese Higher Education’ Ikuya Aizawa
  • ‘Variations of English-medium instruction: Comparing policy and practice in Turkish higher education’ Kari Sahan
  • ‘Investigating English Medium of Instruction (EMI) students’ vocabulary learning and vocabulary learning strategies use: A longitudinal study in China’s tertiary context’ Minhui Wei
Examples of past DPhil projects
  • ‘Stakeholders’ attitudes towards English Medium of Instruction for academic subjects in the Japanese higher education context’ Samantha Curle
  • ‘Monolingual teachers’ interaction with Chinese students in English as the medium of instruction (EMI) science classes: an exploratory study of the new EMI model in high schools in China’ Jiangshan (Tiny) An
  • ‘An exploratory study of teaching and learning secondary science through English: classroom interactions, perceptions of teachers and students’ Dr Jack Pun
  • ‘What happens to classroom interaction patterns and teachers’ code-switching behaviour when the medium of instruction changes? An exploratory study in Hong Kong secondary schools’ Dr. Yuen Yi Lo