The paper titled "Instructional Communication and Medium of Instruction: Content Instructors’ Perspectives" primarily focuses on examining the role of language proficiency in the medium of instruction (MI) and its impact on instructional communication (IC) within higher education, specifically in the context of English as the medium of instruction (EMI) at a Saudi public university.
The study aims to explore how content instructors (CIs) perceive the use of English versus Arabic as the MI and the implications this has on IC, cognitive processes, and student performance. The paper investigates the advantages and disadvantages of using students' mother tongue (Arabic) compared to EMI, and it examines the purposes of code-switching by instructors in EMI contexts. Additionally, it seeks to provide recommendations for improving IC in EMI programs based on instructors' experiences and suggestions.
The research methodology involved a qualitative study using open-ended questionnaires distributed to 341 content instructors across 26 undergraduate programs in a Saudi public university where English is the MI. Thematic analysis was used to analyze the responses, resulting in four main themes: the benefits of using Arabic as the MI, the advantages of EMI, the role of code-switching in EMI classes, and suggestions for enhancing IC in EMI programs.
The key findings indicate that using Arabic as the MI has significant cognitive, affective, and performance-related benefits. Instructors reported that Arabic enables better comprehension, positive emotions towards learning, and higher student performance due to the removal of language barriers. Conversely, EMI offers advantages in terms of access to educational resources, opportunities for international collaboration, and preparation for global job markets. However, instructors also highlighted challenges such as students' limited English proficiency leading to poor IC, which necessitates frequent code-switching to Arabic to facilitate understanding.
The study concludes that effective IC in EMI programs is crucial for student success and recommends integrating IC theory and linguistic relativity into EMI research to better understand the impact of language on cognition and learning outcomes. The paper also suggests that policymakers should involve CIs in curriculum design, provide training for teaching in EMI contexts, and implement language proficiency requirements for students entering EMI programs to improve overall instructional effectiveness. The findings emphasize the need for ongoing language support and the potential benefits of a bilingual approach in higher education.