Teaching in English is Not Necessarily the Teaching of English

Abstract

One of the most notable trends in educational internationalisation today is the widespread use of English as a
medium of instruction (EMI) in higher education institutions (HEIs) across the world. This phenomena, formerly
referred to as a "galloping" tendency, is now more accurately described as a "pandemic" in scale. Just like any
other country, Japan is seeing an increase in the number of institutions that offer some or all of their courses in
English. This study begins by reviewing the literature to investigate the theoretical foundations and reasoning
behind the current trend towards using EMI, which is seen by some as a magic bullet for revitalising the country's
sluggish internationalisation profile and enhancing general English language abilities. Second, in order to throw
light on attitudes, determine the concerns, and highlight certain limits and challenges linked with EMI courses, we
analyse questionnaire data and comments from Japanese students attending such classes at two, second-tier
institutions. It ends with some concrete suggestions for further language support activities and cautions against the
pitfall of mistakenly thinking that English language instruction (EMI) can magically make Japanese students better
English speakers.