An investigation into the role of English in language policy and practice in EMI in a university setting in Saudi Arabia: English as a Lingua Franca Perspective

Abstract

The interpretation of the ‘E’ in EMI/EME (English as a medium of instruction/education) or the kind of English that should be implemented and used is a debatable subject within the field (e.g., Smit, 2010; Jenkins, 2014; Iino & Murata 2016, 2018; Macaro et al., 2018). Within the field of English as a lingua franca (ELF), it has always been questioned why standard native English is considered the only legitimate and acceptable use of English that students should follow in EMI/EME in the higher education sector. This offered the starting point of this study, which investigates the presentation of English in EMI/EME and students’ experiences, attitudes and perceptions of English in a very under-researched context within the field of ELF by conducting two case studies in a selected university in Saudi Arabia. In order to do so, the research adopted Spolsky’s (2004, 2009) framework of language policy, which covers three levels, language management, practice and ideology, as well as Shohamy’s (2006) interpretation of mechanisms in language policy. The research adopted a qualitative approach and employed three methods in the study: document analysis of national and institutional documents, and semi-structured interviews and focus groups with students on two different EMI/EME programmes. The research findings illustrate a strong attachment to standard native English and raises issues related to the awareness and legitimisation of other English varieties within the levels of national and institutional documents. The findings suggest that the participants of the two case studies had different experiences in terms of English language expectations on their EMI/EME programmes. The findings from the engineering school revealed an orientation towards intelligibility and successful learning and communication, whereas the findings from the medical school suggested an explicit orientation towards standard native English with contextual factors related to miscommunication and medical errors. The findings also demonstrate conflict, doubt, uncertainty and deviations that appeared in the participants’ attitudes and perceptions of the use of English, either in EMI/EME or the social use of English, which suggests a struggle between what students think to be ‘proper’ English and that which they believe to be effective and intelligible. The study therefore contributes to the field of ELF as well as providing a platform for Saudi students’ attitudes and perceptions of English to be taken as a reference in language planning.

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