Unlocking the full potential of English-medium education: A longitudinal exploration of business students’ views of disciplinary literacies

Abstract

This study investigated student perceptions of Disciplinary Literacies (DLs) in an English-medium education (EME) Business Studies programme at a Spanish university. It re-examined DLs through a bi/multilingual and internationalised lens, positioning them as a dynamic meeting ground for English for Specific Purposes (ESP) and EME professionals. The study had two aims: (i) to explore how prior EME experience shaped first-year students' perceptions of DLs and self-efficacy beliefs, and (ii) to examine how these perceptions evolved over three academic years. Using a validated survey covering four dimensions—English use, L1 use, international community of practice, and internationalisation—findings show that prior EME experience was linked to greater self-reported confidence in English, while perceptions of the other dimensions remained consistent. From a longitudinal perspective, students continued to value their L1 as a cognitive resource, though their expectations of internationalisation slightly declined. These results highlight the need to explicitly support DL development in EME to unlock its full language learning potential and to recognise students’ multilingual repertoires. The study advocates for closer collaboration between ESP and EME professionals to co-design inclusive, context-sensitive literacy instruction that promotes equitable access to academic content.