The impact of EMI on student English writing proficiency in a Spanish undergraduate engineering context

IF 3.7 1区文学 Q1 LINGUISTICS

Studies in Second Language Learning and Teaching Pub Date : 2023-06-29 DOI:10.14746/ssllt.38279

María Del Mar Sánchez-Pérez

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引用次数: 0

Abstract

This study analyzes the influence of English medium instruction (EMI) on student English writing development in a Spanish undergraduate context, a language skill that remains underexplored in EMI research at tertiary level. Through a longitudinal pre- and post-test method, it explores the writing progress of EMI engineering students as compared to the achievement of a group of English as a foreign language (EFL) learners, according to different quantitative and qualitative writing measures. Results show a positive impact of EMI on student writing development at the levels of lexical accuracy and vocabulary. However, other writing areas, such as syntax, grammar, organization, or fluency, appeared unaffected. These findings challenge, to some extent, the widespread assumption that EMI contributes to improving student English language proficiency. This study suggests that sole exposure to the language in EMI contexts does not suffice to improve students’ English writing abilities beyond the area of vocabulary. Therefore, it argues for the inclusion of language skill support within EMI programs to provide students with opportunities to achieve a comprehensive development of their English language and writing competence.

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EMI对西班牙本科工程背景下学生英语写作能力的影响

本研究分析了英语媒介教学(EMI)对西班牙本科背景下学生英语写作发展的影响，这一语言技能在高等教育水平的EMI研究中仍未得到充分探索。通过纵向的前后测试方法，它根据不同的定量和定性写作措施，探讨了EMI工程专业学生与一组英语作为外语(EFL)学习者的写作进展。结果显示，EMI对学生的写作发展在词汇准确性和词汇水平上有积极的影响。然而，其他写作领域，如句法、语法、组织或流畅性，似乎没有受到影响。这些发现在一定程度上挑战了EMI有助于提高学生英语语言能力的普遍假设。这项研究表明，仅仅在EMI环境中接触语言不足以提高学生的英语写作能力，超出了词汇的范围。因此，它主张在EMI课程中包含语言技能支持，为学生提供全面发展英语语言和写作能力的机会。

本文章由计算机程序翻译，如有差异，请以英文原文为准。

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来源期刊

Studies in Second Language Learning and Teaching LINGUISTICS-

CiteScore

5.30

自引率

2.90%

发文量

审稿时长

12 weeks

期刊介绍： Studies in Second Language Learning and Teaching (ISSN 2083-5205) is a refereed journal published four times a year by the Department of English Studies, Faculty of Pedagogy and Fine Arts, Adam Mickiewicz University, Kalisz, Poland. The language of publication is English. The journal is devoted to reporting previously unpublished highest quality theoretical and empirical research on learning and teaching second and foreign languages. It deals with the learning and teaching of any language, not only English, and focuses on a variety of topics ranging from the processes underlying second language acquisition, various aspects of language learning in instructed and non-instructed settings, as well as different facets of the teaching process, including syllabus choice, materials design, classroom practices and evaluation. Each issue carries about 6 papers, 6000-8000 words in length, as well as reply articles and reviews. At least one of the four issues per year is a special focus issue devoted to a particular area of second language learning and teaching, sometimes with a guest editor who is an expert on a specific topic.