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This book offers new insights into the language gains of adult learners enrolled in an English-medium instruction (EMI) degree programme. It provides longitudinal empirical evidence of the phonological gains of the learners; discusses which individual factors contribute to the changes in the learners’ pronunciation and investigates whether and to what extent increased exposure to the target language in EMI classrooms leads to incidental learning of second language pronunciation. Furthermore, it expands on the discussions surrounding the Critical Period Hypothesis, the native-speaker norm, foreign language accent and the role of English as a Lingua Franca. The comparative and longitudinal design of the research study fills a significant gap in the literature and the book offers considerable original and important research-informed insights into the fields of EMI, bilingual education and second language acquisition. As such, it is a valuable resource and must-read book for researchers, practitioners and policymakers in these areas.
This book not only effectively demonstrates that long run EMI instruction can improve students’ pronunciation, it also shows that the critical period is not absolute – adults can improve their pronunciation. The impressive literature reviews of EMI in Europe, of language learning in the EMI classroom, and of factors influencing L2 pronunciation mastery, are in themselves are compelling reasons to read the book.
Karin Richter is Senior Lecturer at the University of Vienna, Austria. She has been working in the field for over 15 years and her research focuses on English-medium instruction, teaching speaking skills and pronunciation learning and teaching.
Acknowledgements
Tables and Figures
List of Abbreviations
Chapter 1. Introduction
Chapter 2. English-Medium Instruction in European Higher Education
Chapter 3. Language Learning in the English-Medium Classroom
Chapter 4. Factors Influencing L2 Pronunciation Mastery
Chapter 5. The Development of the Austrian Accent in the EMI Classroom
Chapter 6. Conclusion
References
Appendix
Subject Index