The pedagogical realities of English medium instruction: Faculty members’ experiences of teaching and professional development

Abstract

As English-Medium Instruction (EMI) becomes increasingly prevalent in higher education, faculty members are expected to teach complex content knowledge in English without pedagogical training to develop EMI teaching competencies, which remains an underexplored issue. This qualitative case study investigates EMI teaching experiences/approaches, pedagogical backgrounds, and professional development practices of 12 Architecture, Engineering, and Science faculty members at a Turkish EMI university. Data from in-depth interviews reveal that although faculty members support EMI’s long-term academic/professional benefits, students’ insufficient English proficiency often hinders classroom interaction and comprehension, urging them to code-switch and simplify the course content through extra explanations/examples. Besides, the faculty members tend to follow a lecture-based and teacher-centered approach, with limited use of interactive strategies and instructional diversity. Those who received several pedagogical courses during their doctoral studies demonstrate a broader pedagogical awareness, yet still struggle with implementation. Finally, the absence of pre-service and in-service professional development forces faculty members to refine and develop their teaching methods through limited self-directed learning practices and trial-and-error. Findings are discussed within the framework of essential lecturer competencies in EMI. The implications address the need for EMI-specific professional development programs and institutional support/policies to foster pedagogic, linguistic, and socio-emotional competencies for effective EMI teaching.