Immunologically speaking: Oral examinations, ELF and EMI

"English-medium instruction" (EMI) is the name given to the use of the English language in universities to teach academic subjects in countries where the majority of the population does not have English as a first language (Dearden 2014). What this definition fails to mention is that interaction during EMI courses is almost entirely through the medium of English as a lingua franca (ELF). This article focuses on the challenges facing lecturers and examiners working on English-taught programmes (ETPs) in ELF and the role of language experts in supporting them. As a basis for discussion, the article uses data from a set of immunology oral examinations carried out during an undergraduate degree programme in Medicine being taught through EMI. Qualitative analysis of the data shows that this particular oral examination involves students and examiners co-constructing highly specific, chronological narratives of immunological sequences. It is argued that, far from being an exclusively linguistic matter, this kind of narrative co-construction involves acquiring a unique discursive skill set and that preparing students for the examination needs to involve increasing students' awareness and practice of the construction process. Discussion focuses on how far qualitative results of this kind of local examination data are generalisable to other EMI contexts and whether there are recommendations for language experts and policymakers in understanding and improving the quality of EMI lecturing and assessment through in other languacultures. The article will also examine how far an ELF orientation to pedagogy can assist EMI lecturers, examiners and students in their decision-making regarding materials, methods and their own English usage.

“英语媒介教学（English-medium instruction，EMI）”指在多数人口不以英语为母语的国家，以英语教授大学学术课程的教学模式（Dearden 2014）。该定义未提及的是，英语媒介教学课程中的互动几乎完全以通用英语（English as a lingua franca，ELF）作为媒介开展。本文聚焦于以通用英语开展英语授课项目（English-taught programmes，ETPs）的讲师与考评员所面临的挑战，以及语言专家为其提供支持的角色。作为讨论基础，本文采用了某医学本科阶段通过英语媒介教学开展的课程中，一组免疫学口试的相关数据。对该数据的质性分析显示，此类口试要求学生与考评员共同构建高度特定、按时间顺序推进的免疫学序列叙事。研究指出，此类叙事共建绝非单纯的语言问题，而是涉及掌握一套独特的话语技能体系；指导学生备考，则需要提升学生对该构建过程的认知并增加相关实践训练。讨论部分将围绕两大议题展开：一是这类本地化口试数据的质性结果可推广至其他英语媒介教学场景的程度；二是能否为语言专家与政策制定者提供建议，以助力其理解并提升其他语言文化语境下英语媒介教学的授课与考评质量。此外，本文还将探讨，以通用英语为导向的教学法，能够在多大程度上帮助英语媒介教学的讲师、考评员与学生，针对教学材料、教学方法及自身英语使用开展决策优化。