Speaker
Description
English-medium Instruction (EMI) has gained considerable attention in Vietnamese higher education as part of internationalization efforts, yet its implementation is hindered by persistent linguistic and pedagogical challenges. This study aims to investigate Vietnamese university teachers’ perceptions, classroom practices, and reflections on pedagogical translanguaging (PT) - a purposeful pedagogical approach allowing strategic use of students’ first language (L1) to support comprehension and engagement with academic content - in response to linguistic and pedagogical issues. By employing a mixed method design, the research integrates semi-structured interviews, classroom observations, stimulated recall interviews, and student surveys to capture a holistic view of PT in EMI classes. Participants includes six EMI teachers, each with a minimum of two years’ teaching experience across diverse disciplines, and 120 students enrolling in their respective classes. Data collection follows an interview-observe-recall-survey cycle, focusing on teachers’ perceptions, observed PT strategies, reflective rationales, and students’ evaluations. The findings aim to elucidate EMI lecturers’ perceptions regarding the pedagogical value and limitations of PT, identify potential discrepancies between their perceptions and actual classroom practices, and evaluate the impact of PT strategies on student learning and engagement. This study contributes valuable insights that can inform EMI policy decisions and aids in designing professional development aligned with teachers’ specific contexts. However, the modest size of the participant limits the generalizability of the findings. Overall, the research highlights the pivotal role of PT as an adaptive pedagogical strategy aligning internationalization goals within Vietnamese EMI tertiary contexts.
Biography
Thi Hong Ngoc Nguyen is currently an English teacher at Long Truong High School and is pursuing a PhD in English Language Teaching Methodology at Can Tho University. She has eight years of experience teaching English to both college and high school students. Her academic interest includes context-responsive pedagogy and the role of reflective teaching in supporting multilingual approaches in English-Medium Instruction (EMI) classrooms. Motivated by the challenges in teaching and learning EMI, she is carrying out research focusing on how EMI teachers perceive, practice and reflect on pedagogical translanguaging as a means to enhance student learning and classroom dynamics. Her work contributes to ongoing discussions on equitable language practices and teacher empowerment in Vietnam’s rapidly expanding EMI programs.
Associate Professor Dr. Duy Khang Nguyen is a senior lecturer in the Department of English Language at Can Tho University. He holds a PhD in Social Sciences Education from the University of Gdańsk, Poland. With eighteen years of teaching experience, he has contributed to researching field by focusing on pedagogical innovation, reflective teaching, and significant learning in higher education. His academic interests include teacher identity, educational equity, the intergration of inform9ation technology in language education, and the role of professional development. His work is grounded in critical theories and focuses on empowering both educators and learners through inclusive and transformative practices. He has published in international journals and presented in both national and global conferences on English language teaching and education reform.
