This presentation considers research into content teacher views on the use of Arabic within English medium of instruction (EMI) environments in the UAE federal tertiary sector. Findings suggest that Arabic must have a place in the research context for both learning and preparation for students’ future employment.
This session draws on doctoral research findings into content teacher views on and enactments of English medium of instruction (EMI) policies in the UAE federal tertiary sector. Working within an interpretive paradigm, data were collected via open questionnaire from a purposive sample of 45 teachers and 9 teachers were interviewed, four of whom considered Arabic their mother tongue while the other 5 identified as having English as their L1. While the research framework included broader aspects of education policy, contextual literature often highlighted the position of Arabic in the UAE. This latter focus on Arabic was also apparent in the findings, as many respondents referred to its importance for students’ futures and its use in the federal tertiary EMI classroom. This session focuses on those findings specifically related to Arabic in a learning context where a mandated EMI policy brings with it attendant problems due to students’ insufficient target language ability. Students and teacher enactments to mitigate this policy to create learning opportunities include code-switching into Arabic and the use of Arabic as an emotional crutch. Of interest is the varied opinions of interview respondents in relation to using Arabic, with English L1 teachers appearing to be more sympathetic to their students’ linguistic plight. The discussion questions the marginalization of Arabic in the research context, given evidence of its relevance alongside English for students’ future employment. Recommendations include that both English and Arabic remain an integral part of the learning environment and that the choice of a ‘pure’ EMI model for learning be reviewed. Finally, if EMI remains the chosen model, teachers are recommended to continue enacting policy by using and/or allowing Arabic use as part of their professional practice to ensure that their students get some benefit from their relatively challenging study environment.
