In English Medium Instruction (EMI) programmes, students learn content subjects through English, their second language (L2). While it has been argued that students can develop their L2 alongside their content knowledge, the L2 goal is not always clearly defined. For example, we do not know enough about the amount of vocabulary required for success in EMI, and the subject-specific language demanded by different content subjects. Some attempts have been made to identify the language demand in EMI concerning the vocabulary used in learning materials and classroom discourse, representing the ‘process’ dimension of research; however, in order to clearly define the language goal, it is crucial to also delve into the ‘product dimension’, pointing to the need for research on EMI assessment. To address the research gap, our study examined 16 sets of papers containing two subjects, namely Biology and Geography, spanning eight years from a high-stakes examination in Hong Kong. The examination is conducted at the end of Secondary Six (Grade 12) to determine university admission and can thus be regarded as what learners are expected to achieve in secondary education. Our investigation into the vocabulary profiles of the examination papers indicates that students needed to learn beyond the K1−K3 (the most frequency 3000 words in English) and master the mid-frequency words (K4−K8) as well as academic words. It also reveals that the less frequent vocabulary items were not often shared by the subjects. Further, the analysis of academic words suggests how some words were commonly used in the examination papers of the two subjects, and others more subject-specific. Pedagogical implications are discussed to highlight the need for teachers and students to attend to the target language goal in EMI and to consider the subject-specific nature of the vocabulary items in EMI. Copyright © 2022 ICELEAL.

Given the significant role vocabulary plays in second language acquisition, how to help learners acquire vocabulary has always been a concern for educators. Despite the general consensus that beliefs influence learners' behaviour, limited research effort has been devoted to the exploration of English as a second language (ESL) learners' beliefs about vocabulary knowledge and learning in the secondary education context and how their beliefs are affected by such factors as grades and proficiency levels. This paper reports on a convergent mixed-methods study that addresses the research gap with the use of a questionnaire administered to 556 ESL students in a Hong Kong secondary school. Results revealed that while students in general perceived vocabulary learning as important, their beliefs about vocabulary knowledge and learning were found to be related to their grade and proficiency levels. Open-ended responses provided further insights into learners' beliefs qualitatively about the difficulties faced by learners and their perceptions of the effective ways to tackle these difficulties. Overall, this paper broadens the understanding of L2 learners' beliefs about vocabulary knowledge and learning. It complements existing literature on L2 vocabulary learning and sheds light on issues related to vocabulary learning and teaching. Copyright © 2023 Routledge.

Despite the rapid growth of English Medium Instruction (EMI) programmes around the globe, the language goals in such programmes have not been clearly defined, making it difficult to evaluate their success. Accordingly, our paper reports on a study that attempted to identify the language goals, operationalised as the vocabulary expected of learners, by investigating the under-explored area of EMI assessment. We sampled a corpus of 16 sets of examination papers in two subject areas, namely, Biology and Geography, spanning eight years in Hong Kong. The examination papers, analysed for their vocabulary profiles, indicated that students were expected to learn beyond the K3 level (the most frequent 3,000 words in English) and master mid-frequency words (K4−K8) as well as academic words. Our findings suggest that the less frequent words were not often shared by the two subjects. Analysing academic words also enabled us to showcase how some words were common across the two subjects while others were more subject-specific. Pedagogical implications are discussed, highlighting the need for teachers and students to attend to target language goals in EMI, and to consider the subject-specific nature of vocabulary items in EMI. Copyright © 2023 Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group.

Adopting a sociocultural perspective, this paper reports on a case study that examined how a dialogic approach contributed to Hong Kong English teachers' professional development in methods of vocabulary instruction. Data were drawn from interviews, lesson observations, professional dialogues, and reflective writing to present two in-depth contrasting cases. While one teacher reported marked change in her beliefs and practice, the other adapted her practice minimally despite reporting belief changes. The findings revealed the role of dialogic reflection in facilitating professional learning and noted the potential impact of Chinese culture on teachers' dialogic reflection. Further, they showed that changes in practice are mediated by internalising new ideas, linking teacher beliefs with clear goals and contextual factors including institutional policies, time constraints, and learner feedback. Teachers' verbal participation in professional dialogues, for example, showing agreement with the suggestions of others, was insufficient for generating changes in practices. Implications, including the important roles of reflexivity and sociocultural contexts in teacher professional development programmes, along with directions for future research, are considered. • Social interaction and idea internalisation contribute to teacher development. • Exploring beliefs based on multiple lenses fosters professional development. • Change in practice is affected by beliefs, reflexivity, and contextual factors. • Only overt verbal participation in professional dialogues does not assure change. • Culture plays a significant role in teachers' dialogic exchanges of views. Copyright © 2022 Elsevier.