Vocabulary learning in EMI courses: A longitudinal study of Chinese university students over a term

Abstract

This paper reports the results of research investigating EMI students' vocabulary gain over a term of study (10–12 weeks) at a university in China. Though vocabulary learning is usually considered by stakeholders to be an underlying goal of EMI, relatively little empirical research systematically explores EMI students' vocabulary gains. We examined EMI students' learning outcomes of receptive and productive general and academic vocabulary, as well as multi-word units. Data was collected from 114 students taking EMI courses in various subject areas using a range of vocabulary knowledge tests, including the vocabulary levels test (VLT), the productive vocabulary levels test (PVLT) and a multi-word units test. Findings reveal some significant gains in students' vocabulary knowledge but with small effect sizes. Significant vocabulary gain was found in students’ general vocabulary receptive and productive knowledge as well as in their productive academic vocabulary and knowledge of multi-word units. Their productive vocabulary knowledge was considerably lower at both data collection points, even though students showed more improvement in productive than receptive vocabulary. Greater vocabulary gains were observed in students who attended more EMI classes. The results suggest that vocabulary gain might not be taken for granted as a by-product of EMI.