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Sihan Zhou

Honorary Research Fellow

sihanzhou@education.ox.ac.uk

About me

Sihan Zhou is Assistant Professor of Curriculum and Instruction at the Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK). She is currently the Deputy Program Coordinator for the BA (English Studies)-BEd (English Language Education) Double Degree Program at CUHK. She graduated as a Swire Scholar with a DPhil in Education from the University of Oxford, and previously taught on the MSc program in Applied Linguistics for Language Teaching. Sihan is a member of EMI Oxford Research Group.

Sihan’s research is situated at the intersection of educational psychology and language teaching and learning. She is an applied linguist by training with a strong expertise in quantitative and mixed-methods research. Her work draws on theories in educational psychology to understand language learners’ affect, motivation, and strategic behaviour in emerging contexts such as English-medium instruction (EMI) and technology-assisted language learning environments.

She has published a number of research articles related to language education in journals such as System, Language Teaching, International Journal of Bilingual Education and Bilingualism, Studies in Second Language Learning and Teaching, Applied Linguistics Review, Language and Education, ELT Journal and RELC Journal. She is currently leading a three-year project funded by Hong Kong Research Grants Council (RGC) to explore EMI university students’ longitudinal cross-disciplinary lecture comprehension strategy use. She has also led or co-investigated several large projects funded by Swire Charitable Trust, British Council, and UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) related to EMI and digital language learning.

Research

Journal publications

Zhou, S., Xu, J., & Thomas, N. (2024). L2 listening in a digital era: Developing and validating the mobile-assisted self-regulated listening strategy questionnaire (MSRLS-Q). System, 123, 103310. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.system.2024.103310
Zhou, S., & Rose, H. (2024). A longitudinal study on lecture listening difficulties and self-regulated learning strategies across different proficiency levels in EMI higher education. Applied Linguistics Review. https://doi.org/10.1515/applirev-2023-0113
Zhou, S., Thompson, G., & Zhou, S. (2024). Transitioning from secondary school to an English-medium transnational university in China: A longitudinal study of student self-efficacy and motivational beliefs. International Journal of Bilingual Education and Bilingualism, 27(4), 487-500. https://doi.org/10.1080/13670050.2023.2213376
Xu, J., Zhou, S., Chen, Chen., Perrin, S., & Gan., H. (2024). Exploring the interplay between enjoyment, anxiety, ideal self, and willingness to communicate in EMI higher education. International Journal of Applied Linguistics. https://doi.org/10.1111/ijal.12620
Xu, J., Wang, Y., & Zhou, S. (2024). Measuring and profiling growth language mindsets, conscientiousness, and social emotional learning among university L2 learners: A variable- and person-centered perspective. Journal of Multilingual and Multicultural Development. https://doi.org/10.1080/01434632.2024.2317370
Zhou, S., & Thompson, G. (2023). Exploring the role of English proficiency, self-efficacy, and motivation in listening for learners transitioning to an English-medium transnational university in China. System, 113, 102998. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.system.2023.102998
Zhou, S., & Thompson, G. (2023). A longitudinal study on students’ self-regulated listening during transition to an English-medium transnational university in China. Studies in Second Language Learning and Teaching, 13(2), 427-450. https://doi.org/10.14746/ssllt.38281
Zhou, S., Fung, D., & Thomas, N. (2023). Towards deeper learning in EMI lectures: the role of English proficiency and motivation in students’ deep processing of content knowledge. Journal of Multicultural and Multilingual Development. https://doi.org/10.1080/01434632.2023.2248078
Zhou, S., & Thomas, N. (2023). To survive or to thrive? Synthesizing the narrative trajectories of students’ self-regulated listening practice in an EMI transnational higher education context. Language and Education. https://doi.org/10.1080/09500782.2023.2260358
Zhou, S., Bai, B., & Hao, Y. (2023). Orchestrating listening in EMI university lectures: how English proficiency and motivation shape students’ use of metacognitive listening strategies. International Review of Applied Linguistics in Language Teaching. https://doi.org/10.1515/iral-2023-0106
McKinley, J., Sahan, K., Zhou, S., & Rose, H. (2023). Researching EMI policy and practice multilingually: Reflections from China and Turkey. Language and Education, 1-18. https://doi.org/10.1080/09500782.2023.2246954
Zheng, Y., Gao, A., McKinley, J., Rose, H., Sahan, K., Zhou, S., Li, J., Prada, J., Gu, M., Ou, W., Nguyen, H., Nguyen, H., Starfield, S., Hoang, T., Melo-Pfeifer S., Lin., MY. A. (2023). Researching multilingually to rethink EMI policy and practices. Language and Education, 38(1), 1-4. https://doi.org/10.1080/09500782.2023.2283639
Zhou, S., McKinley, J., Rose, H., & Xu, X. (2022). English medium higher education in China: Challenges and ELT support. ELT Journal, 76(2), 261-271. https://doi.org/10.1093/elt/ccab082
Rose, H., Sahan, K., & Zhou, S. (2022). Global English medium instruction: Perspectives at the crossroads of global Englishes and EMI. Asian Englishes, 24(2), 160-172. https://doi.org/10.1080/13488678.2022.2056794
Zhou, S., & Rose, H. (2021). Self-regulated listening of students at transition from high school to an English medium instruction (EMI) transnational university in China. System 103, 102644. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.system.2021.102644
McKinley, J., Rose, H., & Zhou, S. (2021). Transnational universities and EMI in China: How admissions, language support and language use differ from EMI programs in Chinese universities. RELC Journal, 52(2), 236-252. https://doi.org/10.1177/00336882211020032
Xu, X., Rose, H., McKinley, J., & Zhou, S. (2021). The incentivisation of English medium instruction in Chinese universities: Policy misfires and misalignments. Applied Linguistics Review. https://doi.org/10.1515/applirev-2021-0181
Rose, H., Macaro, E., Sahan, K., Aizawa, I., Zhou, S., & Wei, M. (2021). Defining English medium instruction: Striving for comparative equivalence. Language Teaching, 56(4), 539-550. https://doi.org/10.1017/s0261444821000483

Books & Edited Journal Special Issues

Data Collection Research Methods in Applied Linguistics(under contract), with Prof Heath Rose (University of Oxford) & Prof Jim McKinley (UCL). Bloomsbury Academic.
Co-Editor, with Nathan Thomas (UCL) & Jason Schneider (DePaul University) for the Special Issue ‘Qualitative Research on Language Learning Strategies and Sources of Regulation’ in AILA Review.

Book Chapters

Zhou, S. (2024). Using a longitudinal quantitative design to investigate student transition from secondary school to EMI higher education. In S. Curle & J. Pun (Eds). Researching English medium instruction (pp. 227-239). Cambridge University Press.
Thompson, G., Kim, V., Zhou, S., & Aizawa, I. (2024). L2 proficiency and affective factors as predictors of content knowledge attainment: A comparative study of learners from Japan and South Korea. In D. Lasagabaster, A. Fernández-Costales & F. de Lis González-Mujico (Eds.). The Affective Dimension in English-Medium Instruction in Higher Education (Chapter 5). Multilingual Matters.
Zhou, S., & Rose, H. (2022). English medium instruction in mainland China: National trends, and institutional developments. In J. McKinley & N. Galloway (Eds). English-medium instruction practices in higher education: International perspectives(pp.35-36). Bloomsbury.

Reports

Rose, H., McKinley, J., Xu, X., & Zhou, S. (2019). Investigating policy and implementation of English medium instruction in higher education institutions in China. British Council.