Breaking the silence: exploring the challenges of oral participation faced by Chinese undergraduate students in a Sino-US university in China

Purpose This study aimed to explore the underlying reasons for student silence in EMI classrooms and identify the coping strategies employed by students and teachers. Design/methodology/approach Employing qualitative case study methods, in-depth semi-structured interviews and focus group discussions were conducted with both teachers and students. Thematic analysis was used for the findings. Findings Thematic analysis of the data revealed four primary reasons for student silence, and several effective coping strategies used by students and teachers to mitigate this challenge. Research limitations/implications The findings provide a comprehensive understanding of the phenomenon of silence among Chinese undergraduate students in English as a medium of instruction classrooms and offer valuable insights to students and teachers to adapt and succeed in these challenging environments. Originality/value The originality of this study lies in the fact that this is among the few studies conducted on students from a foreign branch campus of an American university in China that explores the explores the phenomenon of silence of Chinese students in such universities.