EMI and immersive language teaching at Technical Tertiary School of Ukraine: Readiness of students and teachers assessment

Abstract

The article develops the topic of EMI and immersive language learning in the context of the readiness of the participants of the educational process to implement this approach in a non-native language environment. The background to this implementation in the context of the newly-established state policy of English development in universities and the draft law on the use of the English language in Ukraine is described, stressing the new stage of relevance of the topic. In order to assess the readiness for EMI introduction in the universities, a survey of students (n=1383) and teachers (n=86) of Igor Sikorsky Kyiv Polytechnic Institute was held. The topics of the survey were 1) assessment of the current state of language proficiency and instruction (including self-assessment of proficiency in EGP and ESP, satisfaction with the current state of instruction); 2) assessment of the possibility and benefits of EMI introduction (readiness and eagerness to this introduction, benefits for the language, Majors instruction as well as future employment; 3) preferred parts of instruction that can be organized within EMI approach; 4 ) recommendations and opinions given by the participants of the survey regarding introduction of EMI in the university. The survey results present the starting point for the potential deployment of the EMI immersion approach at higher educational institutions.