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

Abdulwahid Qasem Al Zumor, Challenges of Using EMI in Teaching…

CHALLENGES OF USING EMI IN TEACHING AND LEARNING OF UNIVERSITY SCIENTIFIC DISCIPLINES: STUDENT VOICE

Abdulwahid Qasem Al Zumor King Khalid University, Saudi Arabia E-mail: [email protected]

DOI: 10.26858/ijole.v1i1.7510

Abstract 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.”

Keywords: English medium instruction; Arabic medium instruction; lecture comprehension; language education policy; higher education; language barrier

INTRODUCTION delivery, assessment, communication and the quality of learning outcomes. To In most Arab education institutions, the illustrate, Al Abdul-Rahman (2010) argues: shift from a school education that provides "Indeed, the reality of teaching medicine in Arabic medium instruction (henceforth, Arab countries in foreign languages is AMI) to tertiary education, which provides evidence of psychological defeat, especially English medium instruction (henceforth, if we admit that the graduates do not often EMI) for students with scientific majors is a have the ability to write one page in English big challenge, especially in the absence of without making many mistakes. Moreover, an efficient English preparatory program. they avoid involvement in academic Shamim, Abdelhalim and Hamid (2016) discussions due to their low proficiency in call for providing research-based support to the foreign language. The reason is that facilitate the shift in the medium of students’ English proficiency is low, and instruction from Arabic in high school to what they learn is a hybrid of both Arabic English in higher education settings. This and English. In addition, their academic educational shift in the medium of reading is slow which results in relying on instruction, though sometimes summaries and notes rather than reading institutionally justified, conveys several textbooks.” challenges to students, teachers and institutions which are related to instruction

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Given this significant shift, this study News 2015). Students from Asia represent was designed to examine students' attitudes over half of the world’s mobile towards this change in the medium of international students (IEAA 2015). A third instruction and how they adapt to it and to argument stems from the policy actions of examine what impact this shift may have on governments in several Asian countries in the quality of teaching and learning. Before relation to internationalization. EMI has delving into the details of this study, it is become the most important feature of necessary to begin discussing this issue in a macrolevel language policy and planning conceptual framework that helps identify over the past twenty-five years, both the problem and its roots. regionally (i.e., policies formed Asia-wide), locally (i.e., policies formulated by ministries of education), and institutionally CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK (i.e., policies approved by individual Research has provided solid evidence universities). Dearden (2014) notes these that mother tongue education leads to better arguments aim to develop foreign language academic performance. It has demonstrated skills, enabling students to work in a foreign the close relationship between teaching in language environment and become the mother tongue and good academic bilingual and multilingual, enhancing their achievement (Markee 2002, William and education to respond to globalization, Cooke 2002). Similar findings have been preparing students for postgraduate studies, observed in several UNESCO studies and and attracting foreign students to local literature (1953, 2008). However, the global universities. spread of English has brought about a new The present study is informed by a higher education scenario in which mother critical theoretical approach and draws tongues in many non-Anglophone countries critical applied linguistics (CAL) to inform worldwide have taken a backseat to the interpretation of the data. One of the English, leading to a flourishing area of central aims of CAL is to problematize research called EMI. According to given truths, by revisiting their relevance Madhavan (2016) EMI is “teaching subjects and efficacy (Pennycook, 2001). This using the English language without explicit theoretical approach explores aspects of our language learning aims and usually in a educational reality that have been taken for country where English is not spoken by a granted and are identified as “naturalized” majority of the people.” Scholars, assumptions to be questioned (Pennycook, researchers, and policy makers present 2001). It follows that CAL can highlight the several arguments to support this move. The problematization of a given reality, along first is the role that English now plays with the unchallenged assumptions which within the geopolitical framework shape language policy. Spolsky (2004) worldwide. It has become almost the sole argues that all the language practices, contact language for trade, commerce, beliefs, and management decisions of a diplomacy, and scholarship (Kirkpatrick community or polity are driving forces for 2010). The second argument is the growth language choice. CAL, however, calls for of higher education in the world in general scrutiny of decisions made at the and in Asia in particular where obviously, administrative levels, which subsequently “you can see the hunger for learning” (Pie influence the educational process, including

Abdulwahid Qasem Al Zumor, Challenges of Using EMI in Teaching… pedagogical decisions made in the single society. In Vietnam, Manh’s study classroom and quality of learning. (2012) addressed some of the factors that could cause the long-term failure of education as a result of the application of a foreign monolingual policy in university Aims and Significance of the Study education programs. In the same context, Vu and Burns (2014) studied the challenges The main objective of this study is to affecting higher education as a result of identify some of the challenges faced by using the English language as a medium of students in tertiary Saudi Arabian education instruction. These problems include the due to the use of a foreign language as the weakness of the teaching staff’s English, medium of education and the need to language proficiency of the students, seriously think in support of a new language learning methods, teaching methods and the policy and planning that ensures the availability of appropriate resources. preservation of the status of Arabic Basibek, et.al (2014) share the same language and its role in higher education concern in their study on engineering and the utilization of English as a window departments of Turkish public universities. through which global scientific production In a study linked to EMI challenges, can be accessed. Wiseman and Odell (2014) believe that This study is important in that it tries to lecturers in such an educational identify the impact of the use of English as environment believe that their role is not to a language of education in scientific help students understand English, which is disciplines on the educational situation the language of scientific content, but to inside and outside lecture halls, and then it provide content in English whether the emphasizes the need to adopt a language student understands it or not. Knagg (2013), policy plan that preserves the educational in his study from the perspective of the function of Arabic and provides an British Council, argues that this type of environment of additional rather than teaching requires highly educated students subtractive bilingualism (Luckett, 1993). and strong English preparation. He also LITERATURE REVIEW states that this type of education is either detrimental or helpful. It could harm due to Many studies have examined the impact the lack of coverage of the curriculum in of EMI on university education in non- depth which is caused by the language English speaking countries. Phillipson barrier; this view is shared by Kirkgoz (2015) argues that such a situation is an (2005) and Darden (2014). According to example of linguistic dominance. He called Marsh (2006), the use of English as a for the linguistic dualism that generates not language of instruction in schools in some an English-only policy that affects mother poor countries is directly linked to tongue, but rather maintains cultural educational failure and deprivation. Macaro heritage and linguistic diversity. Mahboob (2015) addresses the situation inside the (2017) discussed the “imposition” of classroom and tries to discover whether the English language in Pakistani higher educational process becomes less education and the effect it has on creating interactive between parties due to the use of class discrimination among students in a a foreign language as a teaching language.

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He concludes that contemporary scientific also criticizes the discourse that deepens the research supports this finding; Airey and imposition of the reality that English is the Linder (2006) reach the same conclusion. only language of science and academia and Similarly, Sert (2008) and Tamtam et.al restricts the Arabic language in the (2012) show the ineffectiveness of using expression of cultural and religious heritage English to present scientific content as well only. The study confirms the possibility of as its negative impact on students' critical coexistence between the two languages in thinking abilities. the academic environment. In the Qatari Williams (2015) in South Korea argues context, Pessoa and RajKumar (2011) that the challenges to the learning process demonstrate that although the prevalence of of using English as a language of instruction English is in line with the state's rapid are greater than opportunities for all parties, modernization, there is fear and anxiety and this may be a natural consequence of about the loss of the Arabic language in implementing an accelerated language academic and professional roles. policy without paying attention to the As far as the Saudi context is concerned, necessary academic support. Kim (2011) several studies exist that address EMI in believes that the purpose of this type of higher education. For instance, Shamim et education is to upgrade the global and local al. (2016) discusses English language in the ranking of institutions rather than the needs preparatory year at Taibah University and of students. the challenges that faculty members and The situation in the Arab world is not students face, such as students’ weakness in different from the abovementioned the English language, and how to address environments. Several studies have these challenges and their impact on addressed similar challenges in the United scientific content learning. Ebad (2014) Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia. Troudi highlights the knowledge gap between and Hafiza (2017) study the dilemma of the teaching and learning and between teachers English language and its role in the United and students as a result of the use of EMI in Arab Emirates and the Gulf states and argue higher education and modest Arabization that the link between the use of English as a efforts. Alhamami (2015) addresses the language of instruction and the decline of teaching of scientific courses in Arabic Arabic as a language of scientific and from the perspective of specialists who academic affairs is absent in the academic teach these courses at the university. The discourse in the region. The study also study results show that most of teachers shows the double burden on students when prefer to teach specialized scientific courses they are forced to study in a language other in the mother tongue because the English than their own and to internalize the language represents an academic and social scientific content. Bowman (2011) wonders challenge for students in the bachelor's whether EMI in UAE serves local or global degree program. In a similar survey study needs. In a survey study by Troudi and on students at Jazan University, Hassan and Jendli (2011), the students' opinions on the Abdul Aziz (2012) finds that most employment of EMI are investigated, and pharmacy students preferred Arabic as a the study finds that they link the issue of language of instruction. The study also Arabic to the discourse of identity as well as emphasizes the difficulty of discovering the cultural and linguistic heritage. The study linguistic challenges students face in

Abdulwahid Qasem Al Zumor, Challenges of Using EMI in Teaching… understanding scientific concepts and the experience of using English in teaching, scientific language of the book. Onsman learning, communication and testing?" This (2012) points to the problem of the major research question was divided into internationalization of English in academia, the following sub-questions: in the GCC countries in general and in 1. To what extent does a lecture presented Saudi Arabia in particular, that results in the in English pose a challenge to content marginalization of the role of Arabic as a comprehension? language and a culture. Al Kahtany et. al 2. What is the impact of EMI on students’ (2016) believe that it is currently difficult to performance in assessment tasks? remove English from its role as a medium 3. Is communication between students and of instruction in Saudi universities without faculty members in the lecture hall and enriching the linguistic potential of the during office hours hindered because of Arabic language to be able to assume this English? role. The study points to the need for the 4. How do students face the challenge of Arabization of higher education. English books and references during their Previous studies that address the impact study and exams? of using English instead of the mother 5. What impact does this mode of tongue in higher education institutions in instruction have on students? different countries of the world and in the 6. Is there any variation in students’ Gulf and Saudi Arabia in particular have responses due to the impact of the variables been reviewed. Various studies on the need of English proficiency level, major, gender, for the Arabization of Saudi higher or level of study? education have also been surveyed. The Responding to these research questions is findings of all these studies seem to likely to identify some of the challenges unanimously call for an urgent need to facing university education in Saudi Arabia determine the views of students who are because of EMI and to highlight the need to experiencing EMI. This study was seriously consider language policies and conducted among the students of the planning that contribute to maintaining the scientific faculties at King Khalid status of the Arabic language and its role in University, a large university in Abha, providing quality education and the use of South of Saudi Arabia, which ranks fourth English to facilitate access to global among Saudi universities. The contribution scientific production. of this study lies in its attempt to determine exactly what happens in an EMI lecture, METHODOLOGY with a special focus on lecture Quantitative and qualitative research comprehension, performance during exams, methodology was used in data collection in-class communication, study from and analysis. The quantitative analysis was textbooks and notes, and affective impact based on IBM SPSS Statistics 21 this experience has on students. descriptive and inferential statistics. The qualitative analysis was based on thematic Research questions analysis of the responses to the open This study attempts to answer this question: question in which respondents were asked "How do King Khalid University students to reflect on their experience with EMI. of scientific faculties assess their

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Participants information from the sample to identify participants’ gender, scientific The study sample consisted of (264) specialization, grade point average and year students from different study levels; 143 of study. The second section consists of 33 (54%) of them were females and 121 (46%) statements that were meant to answer the were males. They were enrolled in the five research questions. The last section was Faculties of Medicine, Engineering and an open question that required the Computer Sciences at King Khalid respondents to provide any comments they University during the data collection have related to their EMI experience. period. The distribution of participants Participants’ responses were elicited by across disciplines is as follows: 148 (56%) using a four-point Likert scale where the students come from Computer Science, 68 respondents choose one of these four (26%) students come from the medical responses: strongly agree, agree, disagree, college, and 48 (18%) students belong to the and strongly disagree. Engineering College. The participants were asked to self-rate their level of English 1.1. Statistical analysis proficiency, and the results were as follows: 26% thought they were weak, 43% thought The Likert scale was used to evaluate they were good, 64% thought they were students' responses to the statements. The very good, and 18% rated their English means were characterized as follows: the proficiency as excellent. Although self- range from 1 to 1.75 indicates respondents’ assessment of English language proficiency strong disagreement; 1.76 to 2.5 indicates is not perfectly accurate, it may provide a their disagreement; 2.6 to 3.25 means rough idea about the general proficiency respondents agree; 3.26 to 4 is an indicator level. of students’ strong agreement with the statements. In other words, the cut-off point Data collection between agreement and disagreement is 2.5. One-way ANOVA was used to determine if With the help of Google Forms, an there were statistically significant online survey was created and posted on the differences between the means of variables. university learning management system To measure the reliability of the data (Blackboard) after obtaining official collection tool, a Guttman scale was used, permission from the e-learning deanship. and the coefficient was 0.734, which is an Frequent access of Blackboard by all acceptable value for tool reliability. To students in the university is a requirement. measure tool validity, inter-rater method The survey link stayed on the website for a was used and the results showed month. Three hundred and forty one homogeneity of the ratings done by judges students accessed the survey and answered who were experts in Applied Linguistics the questions. Seventy-seven students were from two Saudi universities. The excluded because they did not complete the suggestions made by them were used to entire questionnaire, and some of students enhance comprehensibility and distribution belonged to faculties other than medicine, of statements across different themes. engineering, and computer science. Exploratory Factor Analysis was used to The survey consisted of three sections. test the reduction of data to the five sets of The first section elicited descriptive variables represented in the first five

Abdulwahid Qasem Al Zumor, Challenges of Using EMI in Teaching… research questions. To achieve this goal, the grouping of survey items (Hair, Anderson et data underwent Kaiser-Mayer-Olkin test al. 1995a; Tabachnick and Fidell 2001). that measures how suited the data is for Moreover, Bartlett’s test of sphericity is Factor Analysis, and the result was greater statistically significant with the value of than 0.791, indicating the adequacy of the 0.000. Table 1. Explanatory factor Analysis KMO and Bartlett's Test Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin Measure of Sampling .791 Adequacy Approx. Chi- 234.0 Bartlett's Test of Square 20 Sphericity Df 10 Sig. .000

RESULTS This section presents the statistical results and discussion of the six research The researcher used quantitative and questions as follows. qualitative research methodologies in data collection and analysis. For the purpose of EMI and content comprehension quantitative analysis of the survey, the researcher used an SPSS program for both Three statements were used to answer descriptive and inferential analysis. The the first research question from the qualitative analysis was based on the open students’ perspective. The statements and question in which respondents were asked results are shown in the table below: to reflect on their experience with EMI in the university. Table 2. EMI effect on scientific content comprehension

Statements SA A DA SDA Mean Mean% SD Using English medium instruction is the main reason behind the difficulty 54% 23% 18% 5% 3.33 83.25% .897 of scientific content comprehension. Difficulty in comprehending scientific content is mainly caused by 58% 21% 13.5% 6.5% 3.39 84.75% .879 the fact that text books are in English. My linguistic proficiency is adequate for comprehending scientific content 9% 62% 73% 62% 2.13 57.65% .950 in books and lectures.

As table 1 shows, there is a problem faced by students with science majors at with lecture and textbook comprehension King Khalid University. The main reason is

International Journal of Language Education, Vol. 3, No. 1, 2019, pp. 74-90 that the language of lecture, books, and understand EMI. This is confirmed by the notes is essentially English. Paradoxically, mean of “2.13”, indicating that majority of the students are not well-equipped students do not consider their English linguistically to attend English science language proficiency as sufficient to help lectures and read English science books. them understand the lectures and scientific The table shows that 83% of the students content. This finding supports what Troudi agree with the statement that the study in (2009) argues by claiming that studying English is a major reason for the difficulty through another language adds to the in understanding the scientific content. The learner’s cognitive burden and makes table shows the mean of this statement is mastery of content subjects more difficult 3.33 which means that a large proportion of and contingent upon the student’s language the participants in this study strongly agree skills. on the difficulty of studying due to the use of the English language. Impact of using English on students’ performance in assessment tasks It is notable that the statistical analysis of the second statement is largely consistent This study theme deals with the with the first statement because of the participants’ evaluation of their similarity of meaning despite the fact that performance in the tests. In table 2 below, it their positions in the survey are dispersed, is noticed that 72% of the students with a which strengthens the validity of the tool mean of 3.18 believe that the main reason and the validity of the analysis. The for their failure on tests and their low scores statement here focused on the impact of is that the tests are in English; 87% of them English textbooks and notes in English on with a high mean score (3.55) believe that if understanding scientific material during they had the opportunity to take their tests study; 79% of the study sample (mean of in the Arabic language, their performance 3.39) agree this is a real challenge. This would be much better. The results shown in indicates, once again, that a majority of the the third statement under this second participating students strongly agree with research question confirms a significant the difficulty of understanding the scientific reason for students’ failure is resulting from content of the English books and notes. This the language barrier, which prevents their difficult educational atmosphere imposed ability to arrange ideas logically while on students and their inability to function answering the test questions in writing. This properly in it is confirmed by their challenge is shared by 62.5% of the responses to the third question under the participants in the study as shown in the first theme that inquires about the English table below. According to Marsh (2006), language proficiency of the students. The “failure to achieve satisfactory educational table shows that 65% of the students believe outcomes when teaching through English is their English language does not qualify commonplace in certain countries. This them to understand the scientific material failure is compounded by stakeholders presented in the lectures and the books, seeing barriers to learning in terms of while only 35% see that their English language, as opposed to learning needs, language proficiency qualifies them to cognition and methodologies.”

Table 3. Impact of EMI on students’ performance in different assessment tasks

Abdulwahid Qasem Al Zumor, Challenges of Using EMI in Teaching…

Statements SA A DA SDA Mean Mean% SD I usually do not do well in exams because questions are in English which hinders my 79.3% 66.7% 82.2% 9.6% 3.18 39.5% 1.01 comprehension of questions and production of answers. If given the chance to take exams in Arabic, I 22.7% 68.8% 9.7% 7.7% 3.55 22.35% .782 would do pretty well. I can present my ideas well and logically when I 63.5 81% 63.5% 75% 2.15 57.35% .959 do my exams in English. %

EMI as a barrier to effective contains eleven statements that cover communication between students and various aspects of student-teacher faculty members during lectures and office hours communication. It explores how communication is poor in such an EMI The third research question deals with a context as demonstrated in the following crucial issue at the heart of the instruction table: process, namely, communication. It Table 4. EMI effect on student-instructor communication inside and outside of class

Statements SA A DA SDA Mean Mean%SD Using English as a medium of instruction and communication in my department is a 44% 29.3% 20.1% 6.6% 3.19 39.35% .894 barrier to communication between students and their professors during office hours. I hesitate to visit my professors at their offices for scientific inquiries during office 39.5% 29.9% 21.9% 8.7% 3.08 33% .958 hours because of the English language barrier. I can organize my thoughts and ideas coherently when discussions are in English 11.2% 12.4% 43.4% 33% 6.75 52.3% .840 in the lecture hall. My weakness in English is the main reason for not asking questions for clarification 50.9% 23.5% 17.6% 8% 7.61 21% .954 during the lecture. I take notes in English during the lecture. 7.9% 32.6% 31.1% 28.4% 6.85 57.35% .963 I take notes during the lecture. 28.4% 53.1% 14.3% 4.2% 7.11 35% .798 My role in the lecture presented in English is 37.2% 38.1% 17.9% 6.8% 3.09 33.65% .878 a passive listener and I do not participate. Instructors organize pair discussion and group discussion activities among students 15.6% 8.1% 39.5% 36.8% 1.93 72.65% .936 during the lecture that can help in enhancing content comprehension. I can say that I am active during the lectures 23.1% 5.4% 39.3% 32.1% 8.92 79.5% .881 presented in English.

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Because of my weakness in English, I hesitate to ask the lecturer a question to 45% 27.2% 19.9% 7.9% 7.87 32.5% .924 clarify a point I did not understand.

The statistical table above clearly reluctant and embarrassed to visit their diagnoses the challenges and accurately teachers during office hours because of the describes the reality of communication language barrier. The same note is made by problems university students face inside Macro (2015) and Ryhan (2014) in their and outside an EMI classroom. The overall studies on the role and impact of EMI in trend of the responses, as demonstrated in higher education from both students’ and terms of means and percentages, shows that instructors’ perspectives. the English language is a barrier to communication between students and their Strategies of coping with the challenges of English textbooks and references during teachers both inside and outside of lecture students’ study and exams rooms. During lectures, statistics shows that only 40.5% of the participating students This research theme answers the fourth take notes in English, and most of them research question and attempts to identify cannot organize their ideas and thoughts the strategies used by students in scientific coherently during any discussion in English disciplines to cope with the challenge of (76.4%). The majority of them (72.2%) English, which is the language of textbooks, hesitate to ask questions because of the references, readings, notes, assignments, English language barrier. Only 23.7% of the activities, and exams. The following table students agree that teachers organize presents the results of participants’ collaborative learning activities during responses to two statements aimed to lectures. The outcome of this poor confirm or reject a common belief within communication is passive and inactive the study context that students depend students (71.4%) whose role is mere passive mainly on translations and summarized listening (75%). Similarly, outside the notes. lecture hall, almost all (70%) of them are Table 5. Impact of EMI on material content and study habits

Statement SA A DA SDA Mean Mean% SD I depend on note summaries and translated notes more 39.35 than on the textbook because 72.5% 65.9% 89.7% 2.7% 3.19 .948 % of my low proficiency in English. I spend most of my study time at home doing the 27.35 57.9% 62.9% 87.8% 5.8% 3.39 .827 translation from English into % Arabic.

As the table shows, 74.4% of the on summarized and translated notes rather participants in this study (mean=3.19) rely than on the textbooks, due to the English

Abdulwahid Qasem Al Zumor, Challenges of Using EMI in Teaching… language barrier. In addition to that, the frustration, tension and fear. In the next amount of time spent by students in statement, 65% of respondents feel that the translating lectures from English to Arabic study of their major in English inevitably is too much, as the statistics in the table leads to weak educational outcomes, i.e., show that nearly 82% of them (mean=3.39) graduates who are academically weak in spend most of the time doing translation their specialization. These attitudes of the work. students in the classroom in specific educational situations are confirmed by the Impact of EMI on students’ attitude third, fourth, fifth and sixth statements in towards learning the table below. Responses show that 64% It is clear from the table on attitudes of the participants feel embarrassed in front towards the use of EMI in the teaching of of their classmates if asked to answer a scientific disciplines that this type of question during the lecture in English, 75% education is not welcome among university of them do not enjoy written assignments in students in this study. The evidence is that English, 68% do not enjoy discussions in 89% (mean=3.57) of the students English during the lecture. In contrast, 79% participating in the study believe that the of the participants do not hesitate to answer transition from AMI in schools to EMI at questions in Arabic in the lecture. These university seems to cause psychological results are summarized in the following problems among students, such as anxiety, table.

Table 6. The affective impact of EMI on students’ attitude towards learning

Statement SA A DA SDA Mean Mean% SD The shift of medium of instruction from Arabic at school to English at university .752 %27.7 %65 %2.5 %7.6 3.57 %29.65 causes feeling of anxiety, frustration, tension, and fear. I believe EMI results in weak learning %75.6 %71.8 %65.8 %9.2 2.96 %37 .982 outcomes. I feel embarrassed in class if asked to %75.7 %62.5 %67.8 %86.9 2.95 %37.35 1.027 answer a question in English. I feel comfortable when I am asked to do 7.7% 61.2% 72.2% 72.8% 1.91 73.35% .827 written assignments in English. I enjoy participation in discussion when it 2.7% 67.7% 75.2% 76.2% 2.02 51.5% .941 is in English. I feel embarrassed in class if asked to 2.3% 86.5% 75.6% 77.2% 1.82 75.5% .911 answer a question in Arabic.

Variation in students’ responses due to the responses are affected by their proficiency impact of the variables of English in English, their majors, their study level, proficiency, subject, gender, or level of study and their gender.

This section will discuss the analysis of The variable of English proficiency variance in participants’ responses to the The analysis of variance shown in the five research questions and whether their table indicates that there is statistically

International Journal of Language Education, Vol. 3, No. 1, 2019, pp. 74-90 significant variation between respondents this variance is high with a “P” value of with regard to the five themes of the 0.00. This variation is attributed to students’ research questions, and the significance of low proficiency in English. Table 7. Analysis of variance across different research-dependent variables attributed to the independent variable of participants’ proficiency in English

Sum of df Mean F Sig Squares Square . Between 2.081 3 .694 6.593 .000 EMI impact on content Groups comprehension by students Within 25.992 247 .105 Groups Between 7.705 3 2.568 14.242 .000 EMI impact on students’ Groups assessment and testing Within 45.265 251 .180 Groups Between 1.288 3 .429 5.544 .001 EMI impact on students’ Groups psyche Within 18.813 243 .077 Groups Between EMI impact on 3.482 3 1.161 16.490 .000 Groups communication between Within students and instructors 17.034 242 .070 Groups Between 53.104 3 17.701 45.835 .000 EMI impact on students’ Groups study habits Within 98.094 254 .386 Groups

impact is the same regardless of their study The variables of study major, gender, and levels. In other words, all students in study levels The analysis showed no significant different levels consider English to be a difference between participants’ responses challenge that poses a threat to their which can be attributed to their major. This comprehension, performance in finding indicates that students in different assessments, communication, and proper subjects face the same challenges with EMI. study habits. For the gender variable, it was similarly Results of the open-ended question found that there is no significant difference between students attributed to gender which The survey that was administered to the means that both male and female students King Khalid University students contained face the same difficulties as a result of one open ended question with the purposes English medium instruction in science of giving them a chance to write whatever majors. The statistics also show that the comment they have about their experience students’ attitude towards employing with EMI. Out of the 264 respondents, 95 of English as the medium of instruction at them wrote comments. university and its academic and affective

Abdulwahid Qasem Al Zumor, Challenges of Using EMI in Teaching…

Their comments support what has been The present study attempted to answer discussed in the quantitative analysis, six research questions through the statistical which supports the validity of the current analysis of participants’ answers. The major findings are discussed below. research. Many respondents wish they are 1. Using the English language to teach taught in Arabic, and they connected being scientific disciplines has a seriously taught in their mother tongue with better negative impact on 78% of the students comprehension and better learning in the present study. The English outcomes. The other important issue raised language, which they learn through an by some students was the problem of intensive program, does not qualify intelligibility of some instructors who them to act effectively in an environment in which English is the belong to certain nationalities and have a medium of teaching scientific content. heavy mother tongue accent that can cause 2. Over 70% of the participants in the comprehension problems when they use study attribute the main reason for their English for teaching. In addition, there are failure in assessment tasks to the fact instructors who can be excellent in their that the language of testing is English discipline, but their English does not help and, therefore, they cannot do well. The them convey the knowledge they have form and content of their performance are not satisfactory. Indeed, 87% of intelligibly. Pedagogical skills of some them believe that if they were tested in instructors are poor, which results in poor the Arabic medium, they would do class management and overdependence on better. lecturing. The inadequacy of the English 3. The impact of using the English foundation year (Williams, 2015) is one of language as the medium of instruction the concerns of the participants in this and assessment is not limited to affecting the comprehension of study. They complain about the inadequacy scientific content and performance in of the English education they receive in the the tests but also to the psychological preparatory year. The quality of English impact EMI incurs on the vast majority education they are subjected to in schools of students (See table 5 above), such as was also considered by the participants as a anxiety, frustration, tension, fear and major concern with consequences embarrassment and, ultimately, poor experienced in their tertiary education. As a educational outcomes. 4. It is known that the success of the result of all these challenges, students take educational process is essentially based recourse to rote learning. Kirkpatrick on successful communication, (2017) summarizes the consequences of interaction, and discussion, and, EMI by saying that “Teaching remains according to modern learning theories, teacher-centered and, students ‘learn’ by the learner is the focus of the rote without developing any understanding educational process. Despite all this, we of what they are memorizing.” Many find that the use of EMI in scientific disciplines without adequate comments made by the participants call for preparation makes it difficult to yield dual language education where both fruitful results. Such a situation goes English and Arabic play the role of media against the fundamental principles of of instruction in a complementary manner. optimal educational environment and deprives the students of their basic DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION rights in understanding, communication, interaction, discussion

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and inquiry. These rights are proficiency in most Arab countries. consequently evicted because of According to the EF English Proficiency students’ weakness in the English Index in its 8th edition in 2018, the Kingdom language. The quality of program of Saudi Arabia ranks 83 among 88 outputs in this unhealthy environment surveyed countries which is characterized (See table 3) is poor, and this concern as a “very low” category. This ranking has been frequently voiced by the Saudi entails that persisting with university Shura council on more than one education in an English-only medium is a occasion (Albulwi, 2016). In addition, real threat to the quality of education in this educational mode takes us decades Saudi Arabia and similar countries. back to the educational environment in Therefore, bilingual education remains an which the teacher dominated the option that can effectively contribute to educational situation. A limited number address the EMI dilemma. of students who are fluent in English language may participate in this type of REFERENCES domination. More than two-thirds of the Airey, J., & Linder, C. (2006). Language students in this study (table 3) are and the experience of learning denied their right to effective presence university physics in Sweden. in the educational environment due to European Journal of Physics, 27(3), their weak proficiency in English. 553-560. 5. This problematic educational environment is aggravated when we Albulwi, A. (2016, March 07). Shura find that students learn very little about Council to Ministry of Education: science because of their reliance on University graduates are weak. Al translated notes and superficial Riyadh. Retrieved November 05, summarized contents. Indeed, this 2018, from generation’s time is wasted on http://www.alriyadh.com/1135082. translation, which is often inaccurate. How do you expect those who are weak Al Kahtany, et al. (2016). English As The in English to produce accurate Medium Of Instruction In Saudi translations of terms and content which Higher Education: Necessity Or may sometimes be a challenge to Hegemony?. Journal of Language professional translators? Had the Teaching and Research, 7(1)., 73-80. students received the scientific material in their native language, it would have Al Abdul Rahman, K. B. (2010). been easier for them to grasp the Arabization of medical education: meanings and to better utilize their time. Realistic vision and practical steps. Sauress. Retrieved February To conclude, the results of this study are 17, 2018, from consistent with previous studies in the https://www.sauress.com/enayh/103 literature on EMI in different settings in 5. terms of challenges and problems incurred by this university instruction mode, Alhamami, M. (2015). Teaching Science including limited participation and Subjects in Arabic: Arab University comprehension on the part of students, Scientists’ Perspectives. Language surface learning, rote learning of content, Learning in Higher Education low achievement in exams and limited 5(1):105–123. acquisition and mastery of disciplinary knowledge (Arkin, 2013). Moreover, the Arkin, İ. E. (2013). English-medium challenge in the Arab context is perhaps instruction in higher education: A stronger because of the low English

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