A Systematic Review of English as a Medium of Instruction Policy in the Arab World

Abstract

Language of instruction policy plays a major role in the success of education, impacting stakeholders from different backgrounds, such as instructors, students, parents, and government officials. This article presents an analysis of English as a medium of instruction (EMI) research conducted in Arab world (AW) countries since the year 2000. A keyword search of the Scopus database returned 101 articles, 52 of which were removed using identified selection criteria. This left 49 articles analysed in terms of authorship, funding information, research instruments, contexts, publication year and place, citations, and key findings. The results were as follows: Although AW researchers have examined EMI policy in greater detail during the last five years, several AW contexts remain unexplored. Author affiliations were linked to the locations of funding organisations. Neither K-12 nor graduate EMI provision has been investigated fully. While EMI is a successful top-down policy well-suited to AW demographics, it is viewed negatively by most students, possibly because programmes are not designed well and instructors are insufficiently prepared to teach EMI programmes effectively. Although EMI’s one-size-fits-all approach is common in many AW institutions, educational levels and academic disciplines impact the success of EMI policy. I argue that AW and international researchers must collaborate to gain a wider understanding of AW contexts, and that research must strive to include other stakeholders, such as employers and parents.