English-medium instruction (EMI) teachers’ lived experiences and continuing development in multilingual and multicultural contexts : an editorial

Abstract

There is a universal consensus that effective English-medium instruction (EMI) experiences depend on high-quality EMI teachers with pedagogical competence, reflective abilities, as well as a sense of mission and commitment to student learning in EMI environments. However, currently, while much has been discussed about the linguistic and pedagogical aspects of EMI, relatively limited attention has been paid to EMI teachers and their perceived needs and lived experiences in multilingual and multicultural settings. This special issue responds to such a gap by curating and presenting a series of research studies focusing on various aspects of EMI teachers’ inner worlds, including their identities, emotions, and agency. It also showcases practical initiatives implemented at the institutional level or through bottom-up collaborative efforts, which seek to enhance EMI teachers’ professional competence. Based on the introduction and analysis of these papers, we provide a tentative discussion of an “effective” EMI teacher, pedagogically, socio-affectively, and spiritually. Directions for future research are also outlined for this budding and promising line of inquiry at the intersection of teacher education and applied linguistics.