VietTESOL International Convention 2026

In the context of the growing implementation of English-medium instruction (EMI) in Vietnamese higher education, English is increasingly repositioned from a foreign-language subject to a medium for disciplinary learning. This study investigates the language-related and academic learning challenges experienced by non-English-major undergraduate students enrolled in the EMI International Economics programme at the Academy of Policy and Development. The study uses a convergent mixed-methods case study design, drawing on student questionnaires, interviews with students and EMI lecturers, and an analysis of teaching materials. It investigates students' struggles with lecture comprehension, academic vocabulary, disciplinary reading, classroom participation, and written assessments, while exploring how these challenges affect content understanding and engagement with disciplinary knowledge. The study also examines how far language support is built into content teaching. Findings are intended to inform language-sensitive EMI pedagogy through vocabulary scaffolding, guided reading, academic writing support, bilingual resource use, and stronger collaboration between language and content lecturers.
Keywords: English-medium instruction, International Economics, language-sensitive pedagogy, student challenges, Vietnamese higher education