The British Council’s evidence-based position on English Medium Instruction (EMI), now referred to as English Medium Education (EME) emphasises the importance of using familiar local languages rather than English for learners to achieve academic success especially in early years.

Multilingual education has a direct and positive impact on systemic inequities, it has seen to be improving the quality of education for all learners and is cost-effective for practitioners and policy-makers. While multilingualism offers many effective learning opportunities for teachers and learners in the classroom especially while teaching English, it does pose several questions for teachers such as what language to use or not use, and when and how? How much of the home language should be used? Is mixing languages an effective strategy? If yes, to what extent and for what purposes?

The research project has a three-year timeline from 2023 to 2026 and aims to achieve the objectives with the research partner Cambridge University Press and Assessment by doing the following: 

  • Integrate translanguaging practices in EMI government and low-cost private and government schools, activating students’ entire language repertoire while learning English;
  • Show the benefits of using translanguaging practices for the development of students’ oral and written comprehension skills in English as well as their metacognitive abilities.
  • Introduce a transformative action-research project involving teachers, head teachers as well as parent groups and school stakeholders for public engagement. The aim is to achieve a shift in the mindset of educational stakeholders regarding MLE and involve them in the transformation of educational practices.

Objectives

  • Examine NEP’s significant focus on multilingualism and the proposed three-language policy (that allows states to select languages, but mandates use of home language as medium of instruction at least until grade 5) and build insight into effective language policy implementation.
  • Examine how localised initiatives have focussed on use of home languages and integration of English
  • Build upon British Council’s stand on EMI and existing work in the area (e.g. MultiLiLa’s areas of further investigation). 

 

Output

  • Research report that describes key findings about teacher practices and teacher training needs and pedagogies
  • A comprehensive framework will develop improved understanding of language policy implementation in multilingual education contexts. 
  • A record of existing best practice

 

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