Jump to ContentJump to Main Navigation
Show Summary Details
More options …

 

Language Learning in Higher Education

Journal of the European Confederation of Language Centres in Higher Education (CercleS)

Editor-in-Chief: Szczuka-Dorna, Liliana / O’Rourke, Breffni

Online
ISSN
2191-6128
See all formats and pricing
More options …

Teaching science subjects in Arabic: Arab university scientists’ perspectives

Munassir Alhamami
  • Faculty of Languages and Translation, King Khalid University (KKU), Abha, The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, New Campus at Greger, Abha POB 9100; Department of Second Language Studies, University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa, Moore Hall 570, 1890 East-West Road, Honolulu, Hawaiʻi 96822.
  • Email
  • Other articles by this author:
  • De Gruyter OnlineGoogle Scholar
Published Online: 2015-04-30 | DOI: https://doi.org/10.1515/cercles-2015-0006

Abstract

This study investigates Arab university scientists’ views of the status of English and Arabic in the 21st century, and their attitudes towards using English and Arabic as media of instruction in science faculties in the Arab world. Twenty-seven science instructors at a Saudi University coming from different backgrounds responded to a written survey, and the data were analyzed quantitatively and qualitatively. The findings reveal that the majority of the science instructors preferred to use the students’ mother tongue (Arabic) to teach science, even though the current policy is to use English as the medium of instruction. The results indicate that, from the perspective of Arab scientists, English as medium of instruction in Saudi universities presents academic and social challenges in science education at university undergraduate level.

Keywords: English as medium of instruction (EMI); Arabic as medium of instruction (AMI); language policy; mother tongue in higher education

References

  • Airey, John & Cedric Linder. 2006. Language and the experience of learning university physics in Sweden. European Journal of Physics 27(3). 553–560.Google Scholar

  • Al Jarf, Reima. 2008. The impact of English as an international language (EIL) upon Arabic in Saudi Arabia. Asian EFL Journal 10(4). 193–210. http://www.asian-efl-journal.com/December_2008_EBook.pdf (accessed 5May2014).

  • Amin, Tamer. 2009. Language of instruction and science education in the Arab region: Towards a situated research agenda. In S. Bou Jaoude & Z. Dagher (eds.), The world of science education: Arab states, 61–82. Rotterdam, The Netherlands: Sense Publishers.Google Scholar

  • Byun, Kiyong, Huijung Chu, Minjung Kim, Innwoo Park, Suhong Kim & Joyoung Jung. 2011. English-medium teaching in Korean higher education: Policy debates and reality. Higher Education 62(1). 431–449. DOI 10.1007/s10734-010-9397-4CrossrefGoogle Scholar

  • Coleman, James. 2006. English-medium teaching in European higher education. Language Teaching 39(1). 1–14.CrossrefGoogle Scholar

  • Coyle, Do, Philip Hood & David Marsh. 2010. Content and language integrated learning. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University PressGoogle Scholar

  • Crystal, David. 2003. English as a global language, 2nd edn. New York: Cambridge University Press.Google Scholar

  • Day, Elaine & Shapson Stan. 1996. Studies in immersion education. Clevedon, UK: Multilingual Matters.Google Scholar

  • Doiz, Aintzane, David Lasagabaster & Juan Manuel Sierra (eds.). 2013. English-medium instruction at universities: Global challenges. Clevedon, UK: Multilingual Matters.Google Scholar

  • Evans, Stephen & Bruce Morrison. 2011. The student experience of English-medium higher education in Hong Kong. Language and Education 25(2). 147–162.Web of ScienceCrossrefGoogle Scholar

  • Graddol, David. 1997. The future of English? London, UK: British Council.Google Scholar

  • Graddol, David. 2000. The future of English? A guide to forecasting the popularity of the English language in the 21st century. London, UK: The British Council.Google Scholar

  • Graham, Janet. 1987. English language proficiency and the prediction of academic success. TESOL Quarterly 21(3). 505–521.CrossrefGoogle Scholar

  • Hewson, Mariana, G. 1988. The ecological context of knowledge: Implications for learning science in developing countries. Journal of Curriculum Studies 20(4). 317–326.CrossrefGoogle Scholar

  • Hoffman, Charlotte. 2000. The spread of English and the growth of multilingualism with English in Europe. In Jasone Cenoz & Ulrike Jessner (eds.), English in Europe: The acquisition of a third language, 1–21. Clevedon, UK: Multilingual Matters.Google Scholar

  • Kachru, Braj. 1985. Standards, codification, and sociolinguistic realism: The English language in the outer circle. In R. Quirk & H. Widdowson (eds.), English in the world: Teaching and learning the language and literatures, 11–30. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press.Google Scholar

  • Kang, Soon-Hee, Hyuk Suh, Sang-Keun Shin, Jongwon Lee, Hyun-Ju Lee & Jinyoung Choi. 2007. Pre-service teachers’ evaluation of English-medium lectures. Journal of Curriculum and Instruction 11(2). 637–656 [in Korean].Google Scholar

  • Karmani, Sohail. 2005. Petrolinguistics: The emerging nexus between oil, English, and Islam. In Journal of Language, Identity & Education. 4(2). 87–102.CrossrefGoogle Scholar

  • Kilickaya, Ferit. 2006. Instructors’ attitudes towards English-medium instruction in Turkey. Humanising Language Teaching 8(6). http://www.hltmag.co.uk/nov06/mart01.htm (accessed 4May2014).

  • Kirkgöz, Yasemin. 2005. Motivation and student perception of studying in an English-medium university. Journal of Language and Linguistic Studies 1(1). 101–123.Google Scholar

  • Mahboob, Ahmar. 2003. The future of English in Pakistan. Islamabad, Pakistan: Strengthening Participatory Organization.Google Scholar

  • Maiworm, Friedhelm & Bernd Wächter. 2002. English-language-taught degree programmes in European higher education: Trends and success factors. Bonn, Germany: Lemmens.Google Scholar

  • Maleki, Ataollah & Ebrahim Zangani. 2007. A survey on the relationship between English language proficiency and the academic achievement of Iranian EFL students. Asian EFL Journal 9(1). 86–96.Google Scholar

  • Mouhanna, Mouhamad. 2010. The medium of instruction debate in foundation math and IT. What’s the role of L1? UGRU Journal, Fall 2010. http://www.ugr.uaeu.ac.ae/acads/ugrujournal/docs/fall10/The_use_of_English_as_ajournal_mmedited1.pdf (accessed 4May2014).

  • Pennycook, Alistair. 2001. English in the world/the world in English. In A. Burns & C. Coffin (eds.), Analysing English in a global context, 78–89. London, UK: Routledge.Google Scholar

  • Pennycook, Alistair & Karmani Sohail. 2005. Islam, English, and 9/11. Journal of Language, Identity & Education 4(2). 157–172.Google Scholar

  • Rogier, Dawn. 2012. The effects of English-medium instruction on language proficiency of students enrolled in higher education in the UAE. Exeter, UK: University of Exeter, doctoral dissertation in TESOL.Google Scholar

  • Troudi, Salah. 2007. The effects of English as a medium of instruction. In Adel Jendli, Salah Troudi & Christine Coombe (eds.), The power of language: Perspectives from Arabia, 3–19. Dubai: TESOL Arabia.Google Scholar

  • Vizconde, Camilla. 2006. Attitudes of student teachers towards the use of English as language of instruction for science and mathematics in Philippines. The Linguistics Journal 1(3). 7–33.Google Scholar

  • Whiteley, W. 1983. Sociolinguistic surveys at the national level. In C. Kennedy (ed,), Language planning and language education, 68–79. London, UK: George Allen & Unwin.Google Scholar

  • Zare-ee, Abbas & Gholami Kobra. 2013. Academic justifications for preferring English as a medium of instruction by Iranian university teachers. Proceedings of the Global Summit on Education, 426–431. http://worldconferences.net/proceedings/gse2013/papers_gse2013/121%20Abbas%20Zare-ee-2.pdf (accessed 4May2014).

About the article

Munassir Alhamami

Munassir Alhamami is an instructor at King Khalid University, Faculty of Languages and Translation and a Ph.D. candidate at the University of Hawaii, Second Language Studies Department.


Published Online: 2015-04-30

Published in Print: 2015-05-01


Citation Information: Language Learning in Higher Education, Volume 5, Issue 1, Pages 105–123, ISSN (Online) 2191-6128, ISSN (Print) 2191-611X, DOI: https://doi.org/10.1515/cercles-2015-0006.

Export Citation

©2015 by De Gruyter Mouton.Get Permission

Comments (0)

Please log in or register to comment.
Log in