Science teachers’ perceptions of the role of language in pedagogic practices in plurilinguistic EMI settings in India

Sancheti, P. and Zacharias, S. (2023) Science teachers’ perceptions of the role of language in pedagogic practices in plurilinguistic EMI settings in India. Language Scholar, 12, pp. 35-55.

Abstract

Supporting learners’ understanding of science-specific concepts in English Medium of Instruction (EMI) contexts is challenging due to the multiplicity of registers and languages at play, yet a vital element for learners to progress. Understanding teachers’ beliefs and experiences of using multiple registers and languages of the EMI science classroom is a crucial step towards achieving this goal. The present study was conducted during the Covid-19 pandemic across two continents (India and UK) via four three-hour activity- and reflection-oriented online professional development workshops with a set of science educators (n=20) involved with the English medium education school system (chiefly the primary and middle school levels) in India. The workshop was led and facilitated by two language specialists with English for Academic Purposes backgrounds. The aim of the study was to explore the science educators’ beliefs about the role played by the multiple registers and languages used in their teaching environments when they teach subject-specific concepts. We used a sociocognitive framework to design the activities for the workshops and, through a thematic analysis of the recorded transcripts, explored the teachers’ responses and beliefs as they evolved during the workshops. Despite the limitations of our findings, we found that the participants showed a strong awareness of the language challenges faced by their learners, especially at a word level. Their reflections on their practices indicate they were skilled meaning negotiators between different languages and keen on plurilingual approaches in their classroom. They had some understanding of the communicative purposes of registers, which further developed during the workshops. We were also able to explore the latent relationship between conceptual understanding and language use. For instance, some held on to the view that the language of textbooks is a neutral conduit of facts, while the concept of ‘construal’ challenged others’ perspectives.

• Item Type: Articles
• Status: Published
• Refereed: Yes
• Glasgow Author(s) Enlighten ID: Zacharias, Dr Sally
• Authors: Sancheti, P., and Zacharias, S.
• College/School: College of Social Sciences > School of Education > Culture, Literacies, Inclusion & Pedagogy
• Journal Name: Language Scholar
• Publisher: Leeds Centre for Excellence in Language Teaching
• ISSN: 2398-8509
• ISSN (Online): 2398-8509
• Published Online: 30 November 2023
• Copyright Holders: Copyright © 2023 The Authors
• First Published: First published in Language Scholar 12:35-55
• Publisher Policy: Reproduced under a Creative Commons License