English as a medium of instruction at secondary level education: Challenges and pitfalls

Abstract

This research entitled English as a Medium of Instruction at Secondary Level Education: Challenges and Pitfalls was an attempt to explore the challenges encountered by teachers in the classroom where EMI is implemented. Another objective of the study was to identify the pitfalls caused by EMI education. I adopted mixed method design. The population of the study included all the public secondary level teachers of Kathmandu Valley where EMI is implemented. Altogether thirty five public secondary level teachers from seven different schools were selected as a sample using purposive non-random sampling procedure. The researcher used questionnaire as a research tool. On basis of analysis and interpretation of the collected data, it has been found that there are not enough ICT based classrooms for teaching through EMI, no any written guidelines on how to teach through English mediumand English-speaking environment is not created there in their school premises. Besides these, the challenges of employing EMI are diversity in background of the students, lack of necessary teaching materials, traditional mindsets and lack of co-operation among teachers, and poor students in English. On the other hand, in regards to pitfalls of EMI, one of the negative effects of shifting medium of instruction in to English is slowly but surely the loss of local cultures in the near future that diminishes the local or indigenous knowledge. In addition, the pitfalls of growing demand of employing EMI in public schools are gradual death of local language, religion and culture by Western ones. The present study includes five chapters. The first chapter deals with introduction including background of the study, statement of the problem, objectives of the study, research questions, significance of the study, delimitations of the study and operational definitions of the key terms. Chapter two deals with review of related literature and conceptual framework which consists of review of related theoretical literature, review of related empirical literature, implications of the review for the study and conceptual framework. Chapter three deals with methods and procedures of the study including design of the study, population, sample and sampling strategy, research tools, sources of data, data collection procedures, data analysis and interpretation and ethical consideration. Similarly, chapter four deals with analysis and interpretation of data. Likewise, chapter five deals with findings, conclusion, and recommendations. Finally, the references and appendices are included at the end of this work respectively.