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English-Medium Instruction as a Pedagogical Strategy for the Sustainable Development of EFL Learners in the Chinese Context: A Meta-Analysis of Its Effectiveness

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  • Jian-E Peng

    (College of Liberal Arts, Shantou University, Shantou City 515063, China)

  • Xiaowen (Serina) Xie

    (Moray House School of Education and Sport, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH8 8AQ, UK)

Abstract

With English-medium instruction (EMI) as a pedagogical strategy being practiced worldwide in higher education (HE), extensive research has explored stakeholders’ attitudes toward, and perceived benefits and challenges of EMI based on self-report data. However, the actual effectiveness of EMI on students’ subject content and English language learning achievements tested with objective measures has accrued little evidence. This meta-analysis synthesized 44 independent samples (32 in medical disciplines) from 36 studies. The results show that EMI students performed significantly better in both subject content and English learning than students in Chinese-medium courses, but it should be noted that the difference in content learning was found only with students from medical disciplines. Discipline was the only significant factor moderating content learning, while disciplines, research design, and instruction time in English significantly moderated English learning. The findings provide implications for implementing EMI in similar contexts and highlight the importance of rigorous future research to examine the benefits of EMI.

Suggested Citation

  • Jian-E Peng & Xiaowen (Serina) Xie, 2021. "English-Medium Instruction as a Pedagogical Strategy for the Sustainable Development of EFL Learners in the Chinese Context: A Meta-Analysis of Its Effectiveness," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(10), pages 1-20, May.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:13:y:2021:i:10:p:5637-:d:556828
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Haitao Guo & Fuhui Tong & Zhuoying Wang & Yue Min & Shifang Tang, 2018. "English- vs. Chinese-Medium Instruction in Chinese Higher Education: A Quasi-Experimental Comparison," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(11), pages 1-17, November.
    2. Fuhui Tong & Zhuoying Wang & Yue Min & Shifang Tang, 2020. "A Systematic Literature Synthesis of 19 Years of Bilingual Education in Chinese Higher Education: Where Does the Academic Discourse Stand?," SAGE Open, , vol. 10(2), pages 21582440209, May.
    3. Teng Lin & Yuanyue He, 2019. "Does Bilingual Instruction Impact Students’ Academic Performance in Content-Based Learning? Evidence from Business School Students Attending Bilingual and L1 Courses," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(1), pages 1-18, January.
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    Cited by:

    1. Shih-Ling Lin & Tzu-Hsing Wen & Gregory S. Ching & Yu-Chen Huang, 2021. "Experiences and Challenges of an English as a Medium of Instruction Course in Taiwan during COVID-19," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(24), pages 1-21, December.
    2. Liping Pu & Renquan Heng & Bingchao Xu, 2022. "Language Development for English-Medium Instruction: A Longitudinal Perspective on the Use of Cohesive Devices by Chinese English Majors in Argumentative Writing," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(1), pages 1-15, December.
    3. Lei Feng & Li He & Jie Ding, 2023. "The Association between Perceived Teacher Support, Students’ ICT Self-Efficacy, and Online English Academic Engagement in the Blended Learning Context," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(8), pages 1-17, April.
    4. Syariful Muttaqin & Hsueh-Hua Chuang & Ching-Hui Lin & Ming-Min Cheng, 2022. "When Proficiency and Education Matter: The Mediating Role of English Proficiency and Moderating Effect of Parents’ Education in the SES–Academic Achievement Relationship During EMI," SAGE Open, , vol. 12(2), pages 21582440221, June.

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