Factors affecting student comprehension in EMI classrooms: Teachers’ perceptions

Yedil Nurymbetov, Al-Farabi Kazakh National University, Kazakhstan
Aizhan Shabdenov, Al-Farabi Kazakh National University, Kazakhstan
Yerkhan Abduldayev, SDU University, Kazakhstan
Akmarzhan Nogaibayeva, SDU University, Kazakhstan
Natasa Bakic-Miric, University of Priština, Serbia
Gulzhaina Kassymova, Abai Kazakh National Pedagogical University, Kazakhstan

 10.21831/cp.v44i1.76221

Abstract


English-medium instruction (EMI) has become popular in educational settings worldwide and has attracted the attention of scholars, prompting scholars to investigate factors influencing student comprehension in EMI classroom.  It is important to understand the factors that influence student understanding in EMI classrooms. This paper identifies the factors influencing students' use of English in EMI classrooms. The data of the study was collected based on the results of interviews with English language teachers in Astana, and a thematic analysis was performed according to the methodology proposed by Braun and Clarke. It was determined that Task comprehension, Teacher's level of English, Terminology and Lesson Comprehension affect the students' English language comprehension according to teachers' perceptions. It was found that the identified factors can have both positive and negative effects. This study is aligning with broader issues on the internationalization of higher education and the growing prevalence of English as a global language (Fang et.al., 2023) It synthesizes research findings to identify key factors influencing student understanding in EMI classrooms from the perspective of teachers, highlighting key insights and further research recommendations.

Keywords


teachers of English language, English Medium Instruction (EMI), reading and listening skills, task and lesson comprehension, thematic analysis

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DOI: https://doi.org/10.21831/cp.v44i1.76221

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