7. Revisiting the Suitability of the IELTS Examination as a Gatekeeper for University Entrance in the UAE

Freimuth, Hilda

doi:10.21832/9781783096602-010

Cited by 4 publications

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“…In EMI contexts, 'English only' classroom policies and monolingual English assessments such as the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) are seen as jarring with students' natural and authentic language use (Freimuth, 2016;Hopkyns, 2020a). While students often mix English and Arabic through translanguaging, code-switching and Arabizi (the use of English letters and numbers to represent Arabic sounds) (Hopkyns et al, 2018(Hopkyns et al, , 2021Palfreyman & Al Khalil, 2003), such translingual practice is often frowned upon in EMI contexts (Bassiouney, 2020;Creese & Blackledge, 2010).…”

Section: The Sociolinguistic Implications Of Emi For Emirati Universi...mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Further concerns relating to EMI include the gatekeeper status of English. In international benchmark tests such as IELTS, which is commonly used as a university entrance and exit exam in the UAE, studies have shown cultural bias disadvantaging students from periphery contexts, including Gulf students (Freimuth, 2016). Although locally designed alternatives to IELTS are becoming increasingly popular, such as the Emirates Standardised Test (EmSAT), assessments in EMI HE remain generally inflexible and intolerant of World Englishes and translingual practice.…”

Section: The Sociolinguistic Implications Of Emi For Emirati Universi...mentioning

confidence: 99%

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English as a Medium of Instruction on the Arabian Peninsula

Wyatt¹,

Gamal²

2023

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Focusing on English as a Medium of Instruction (EMI) in the Arab Gulf states, the authors consider both sociolinguistic and pedagogical perspectives and explore practical implications.This edited volume features chapters covering how teachers are negotiating the linguistic challenges posed by EMI; issues of ownership, choice and agency; the scaffolding of academic literacies; how to support the development of content teachers' pedagogical content knowledge in EMI settings as well as the benefits of a bilingual education. Chapter authors all have extensive local experience that they draw upon reflectively in their writing. Policy-makers, teachers and teacher educators wondering how they can best balance the need to develop competence in English in students of all ages on the Arabian Peninsula in a globalizing world, together with the concern to nurture the Arabic language, culture and identity, will gain rich insights from this book.Postgraduates and researchers exploring issues surrounding EMI, both locally and internationally, will benefit from the arguments presented in this volume.

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Section: The Sociolinguistic Implications Of Emi For Emirati Universi...mentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: The Sociolinguistic Implications Of Emi For Emirati Universi...mentioning

confidence: 99%

English as a Medium of Instruction on the Arabian Peninsula

Wyatt¹,

Gamal²

2023

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“…Jenkins writes that internationalization and ‘Englishization’ (2019) tend to go together, as English is most often the lingua franca in higher education settings. In fact, admission to most TNHE programs requires evidence of English language proficiency, so much so that high-stakes tests such as the International English Language Testing System (IELTS), Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL), and Pearson Test of English (PTE) have become ‘gatekeepers’ (Freimuth, 2017) despite mixed reports of the predictive validity of such tests (for example, for reports on the predictive validity of the IELTS see Dooey and Oliver, 2002; Kerstjens and Nery, 2000; and Schoepp, 2018). This is somewhat disturbing because the prohibitive cost of such tests prevents many from taking the test, barring them from access to TNHE, a thriving industry that has already come under fire for its elitist nature (De Wit and Jones, 2018).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Inclusive Transnational Education Partnerships: A Case Study of a Master of Arts in TESOL Program

Yeo

Newton

2021

RELC Journal

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Recent nationalist and isolationist policies coupled with travel restrictions have prompted a shift in perspectives on the internationalization of higher education. Furthermore, criticisms surrounding issues such as the widespread adoption of English as a medium of instruction in higher education and quality assurance of transnational programs have emerged, with increasing calls for more inclusive models and greater emphasis on quality over quantity. This paper presents an evaluative study of a transnational Master of Arts in the Teaching of English to Speakers of Other Languages (MATESOL) program delivered in partnership by an institution in Singapore (SI) and a university in New Zealand (NZU) and designed for English language teachers from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) region. Drawing on an impact evaluation, the paper identifies key design features in the program that contributed to its effectiveness as an inclusive model of English medium instruction (EMI) and internationalization in transnational higher education (TNHE).

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Genre-Based Literacy and Collaboration: Promoting Social Justice and Quality Education

Morgan,

2023

Education for Sustainability

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7. Revisiting the Suitability of the IELTS Examination as a Gatekeeper for University Entrance in the UAE

Cited by 4 publications

References 0 publications

English as a Medium of Instruction on the Arabian Peninsula

English as a Medium of Instruction on the Arabian Peninsula

Inclusive Transnational Education Partnerships: A Case Study of a Master of Arts in TESOL Program

Genre-Based Literacy and Collaboration: Promoting Social Justice and Quality Education

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