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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

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“Improvisation is not allowed in a second language”: A survey of Italian lecturers’ concerns about teaching their subjects through English

Francesca Helm
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  • Department of Politics, Law and International Studies, University of Padova, Via del Santo, 28, Padova 35123, Italy
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 / Marta Guarda
Published Online: 2015-10-02 | DOI: https://doi.org/10.1515/cercles-2015-0017

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Abstract

English-medium instruction (EMI) is increasingly being introduced not only in universities in northern Europe but also in central and southern countries, such as Italy. However, the competences and concerns of the lecturers involved are not always considered when such developments are introduced, and support or training may not be offered. This paper reports on a survey on EMI to which 115 lecturers in a public university in northern Italy responded. The survey was carried out by the university’s Language Centre as part of the LEAP (Learning English for Academic Purposes) Project, which was developed to support lecturers in EMI. The survey sought to identify what the lecturers perceived as their strengths and weakness in English, their concerns, and also their evaluations of the experience of teaching through English if they had any. The findings discussed in this paper shed light on the needs of lecturers who are involved in EMI, which relate to methodology as well as language issues. The implications of this for European university language centres intending to support EMI at their universities are discussed in the conclusion.

Keywords: English-medium instruction (EMI); internationalization; higher education needs analysis; academic staff training

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About the article

Francesca Helm

Francesca Helm is an assistant professor at the Department of Political Science, Law and International Studies at the University of Padova, where she teaches Advanced English in the Master’s Degree courses. She co-ordinated the LEAP project in collaboration with the University Language Centre and has worked on EMI professional development in Austria as well as Italy. Her research interests are in computer-mediated communication, online intercultural exchange, English as a Lingua Franca (ELF), English Medium Instruction and internationalization.

Marta Guarda

Marta Guarda is an assistant researcher at the University of Padova, where she collaborates with the Language Centre in the LEAP project. She holds a PhD in Applied Linguistics and English Studies, and is particularly interested in English Medium Instruction, internationalization, English as a Lingua Franca (ELF), intercultural communication and telecollaboration.

Published Online: 2015-10-02

Published in Print: 2015-10-01

Citation Information: Language Learning in Higher Education, Volume 5, Issue 2, Pages 353–373, ISSN (Online) 2191-6128, ISSN (Print) 2191-611X, DOI: https://doi.org/10.1515/cercles-2015-0017.

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