Nearly 8,000 miles away from home, 21 Taiwanese educators joined Teachers College faculty for a two-week professional development intensive. Hosted by TC’s Center for International Foreign Language Teacher Education (CIFLTE) in partnership with National Taiwan Normal University (NTNU), faculty from 12 universities across Taiwan gained an immersive experience in English Medium Instruction (i.e. the use of English in teaching academic subjects, other than English itself, in countries or jurisdictions where English is not the first language.). 

In its first year, the two-phase TC-NTNU EMI initiative includes two-weeks of in-person training at TC, and two-months of exploratory practice research. The program will culminate in an October symposium in Taipei during which participants will demonstrate their capacity to apply EMI insights and create innovative practices in their local contexts.

“The TC’s approach to teacher education lies in its commitment to, and embodiment of, the symbiotic relationship between research and practice,” says ZhaoHong Han, Professor of Language & Education and the program’s director. “Through a state-of-the-art curriculum, the TC-NTNU EMI Professional Development Program offers an educational experience that is conceptual, practical and future-oriented.” 

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Participants from the TC-NTNU EMI program alongside leadership, including ZhaoHong Han, Professor of Language & Education and Director of CIFLTE (third from left), KerryAnn O'Meara, Vice President for Academic Affairs, Provost, and Dean of the College (fourth from left) , NTNU Vice President Ying Yung-Hsiang (center front) and NTNU EMI Resource Center Deputy Director Fan Ya-Chu (right). 

TC lecturer Sarah Chepkirui Creider (second from left) leads participants in an activity. 

Doctoral student Ashley Beccia chats with participants during an activity. 

During their two weeks in New York City, program participants enjoyed a guided day of exploration in Morningside Heights and beyond. 

Han, who also serves as director of CIFLTE, designed the curriculum and led sessions alongside lecturer Sarah Chepkirui Creider, doctoral students Ashley Beccia and Liza Ostolaza, around four major themes: learning and needs assessment; EMI in the 21st century; pedagogical strategies; and EMI as an art, craft, and science. The curriculum aims to prepare students with a “glocalized” understanding of pedagogical practices that foster functional competence in EMI students — specifically, the ability to skillfully manage domain-specific communicative tasks.

With participants from a wide array of disciplines, the program’s interdisciplinary lens was a highlight for many attendees. 

“The opportunity to learn from the dedicated faculty at Teacher College's CIFLTE and to engage with 20 Taiwanese professors across a wide range of disciplines was truly enriching,” wrote Yueh-Nu Hung, Associate Professor at National Chung Cheng University. “I was immersed in thoughtfully designed activities that deepened my understanding about my students’ EMI learning experiences…I finished the program feeling intellectually recharged and professionally inspired.”