The Perceptions Of International Students About English Medium Degree Programs In China:Teaching Practices,Methods And Challenges

Higher education institutions(HEIs)in non-anglophone countries usually choose to introduce English medium instruction(EMI)in their curriculum.However,despite the popularity of EMI,a lot of people question the effectiveness of such education as the number of different challenges emerge when lessons are conducted in a foreign language.The majority of works in this area focus on local students and lecturers,reviewing their experiences and trying to assess the situation of EMI in a particular nation.The previous research done in Chinese educational context about EMI has been quite narrow and specific.There has been no interinstitutional investigation assessing the situation of English medium degree programs through the eyes of international students.The current research involved seven HEIs situated in Hangzhou,China.Ninety-eight international students studying at English-instructed majors were randomly chosen as participants.The attitudes of participants were obtained by questionnaires and semi-structured interviews between March and June 2019.In the present investigation the researcher focused on the challenges concerning teaching approach,the origin of these challenges and how to resolve them.Overall,the majority of respondents expressed the desire to see teachers use more and better English,provide more explanation and examples,effectively communicate with students on a regular basis and make lessons more interactive.