Lu-Chun Lin
Li-Tang Yu*
Yi-Chen Wu
ABSTRACT
The rise of English-medium Instruction (EMI) across academic disciplines underscores the need for proficient communication skills among students. Many tertiary-level students, however, encounter frustration due to language barriers. This study explores the efficacy of reciprocal teaching (RT), traditionally employed for enhancing second-language reading, in bolstering
English speaking skills among English-as-a-foreign-language (EFL) graduate students. Given its emphasis on collaboration and meaningful interaction, RT aligns well with the needs of EFL learners who often lack authentic English communication opportunities. Twelve Computer Science graduate students with intermediate to low confidence in English proficiency,
who attended EMI courses, engaged in a 14-week extracurricular program integrating RT. Pre- and post-tests on pronunciation, intonation and stress, grammar, vocabulary, coherence and cohesion, fluency, and content relevance were conducted. Pre- and post-program surveys explored their learning perception. A Wilcoxon signed-rank test was used to compare the
pre- and post-test and survey results due to the small sample size. Significant improvements were found in post-program speaking abilities, including pronunciation, intonation, stress, and idea description, as well as in perceptions of reading and listening skills. Thematic analysis of qualitative responses revealed increased confidence, reduced anxiety, and greater
willingness to communicate in English. Participants held a favorable view of the RT approach and demonstrated positive attitudes toward the program. These findings indicate that RT holds promise for fostering English-speaking skills, particularly within collaborative learning environments. The study highlights the pedagogical value of adopting RT to enhance EMI graduate students’ English proficiency and suggests potential benefits for their academic performance in EMI contexts.
Key words: Reciprocal Teaching Approach; speaking abilities; English-medium Instruction (EMI)
DOI: 10.30397/TJTESOL.202504_22(1).0003
 03-EMI Graduate Student Support for English Speaking.pdf | [ ] | 525 kB |