【Article by NCCU EMI Resource Center】

On Monday, April 28, 2025, the mid-semester training workshop for EMI Teaching Assistants, organized by the EMI Resource Center at National Chengchi University (NCCU), concluded successfully. Professor Siaw-Fong Chung, the Director of the EMI Resource Center, delivered the opening remarks, which highlighted the key focuses and achievements of this academic year’s TA training program. She also expressed her appreciation for the active participation and valuable contributions of all TAs throughout the semester.

The training featured a keynote address by Assistant Professor Cheng-Han Wu from the NCCU EMI Resource Center, who delivered an inspiring talk on the unique impact and collaborative potential of TAs in EMI classrooms. A total of 82 TAs attended the session with great enthusiasm, which engaged in lively interactions and provided highly positive feedback, which demonstrated the growing effectiveness of the EMI TA training initiative at NCCU.

Dr. Wu’s talk, titled “TA POWER: Let’s Shine in an EMI Classroom ✨”, guided TAs to reflect on their roles and responsibilities in EMI courses. Dr. Wu emphasized that TAs are not merely language facilitators but essential bridges between teaching and learning. Professor Wu encouraged the use of materials that resonate with students’ everyday experiences—such as pop culture, the sense of humor, metaphors, and relatable references—when designing class activities to enhance student engagement and comprehension. Dr. Wu cited the iconic line from Toy Story, “To infinity and beyond!”, as an example of how cultural familiarity can be effectively integrated with language learning to make EMI classes more dynamic and enjoyable. Students also raised their hands to express that the role of an EMI TA in the classroom is akin to that of subtitles in a video—helping listeners better comprehend the content being delivered.

The second half of the event featured a hands-on simulation activity titled “Challenges in EMI Classes”, co-designed and facilitated by Abbie Lee and Rachel Lin from the NCCU EMI Resource Center. Appreciation is extended to the staff of the Bilingual Education and Multicultural Promotion Office, as well as Assistant Professor Chen-An Chang from the Department of English, and all members of our center for their participation in the discussions and for serving as station leaders throughout the activity. The activity was designed based on feedback from previous EMI TA surveys. The survey results indicated that many TAs were unclear about the formal definition of EMI and its practical implementation principles. To address this, the activity incorporated relevant teaching scenarios and strategies to enhance TAs' understanding and application of EMI concepts. According to the Ministry of Education's "Program on Bilingual Education for Students in College," an EMI (English as a Medium of Instruction) course is defined as the courses offered in non-English speaking institutions where the delivery of content, teacher-student interaction, the learning and academic support materials, and the demonstration and assessment of learning outcomes are 100% in English. The relevant instructions are as follows:

1. Courses focusing on language learning rather than subject content should not be considered as EMI courses. However, the importance of ESL, EAP, or ESP courses should be emphasized, and the contribution of English teachers should be considered essential for the successful provision of EMI courses. This means that universities should give English courses and teachers a prominent role in their EMI-enhancement plans.
2. For EMI courses, the delivery of content, teacher-student interaction, presentation of learning outcomes (such as oral presentations or reports), and assessments should be conducted entirely in English. Student interactions may use other languages in specific situations, such as during group discussions to facilitate idea generation and brainstorming. However, students are still required to present their discussion outcomes in English. As students' English proficiency improves or as they enroll in more EMI courses, they should be encouraged to use English more frequently during class discussions.
3. The use of other languages by students in class should be limited. During group interactions, students may use other languages to aid mutual understanding and idea generation. However, teachers should ensure that at least 70% of classroom communication is conducted in English.
4. High-quality EMI courses should encourage students to engage in English speaking and writing as much as possible.（Reference：Program on Bilingual Education for Students in College" website）

This definition aligns with the concept of translanguaging, which encourages students to flexibly use multiple language resources, such as their native language and English, to aid comprehension and expression. According to the Ministry of Education’s guidelines, when full English instruction (100%) is not feasible, maintaining at least 70% English usage is required. The remaining 30% can be considered an effective application of translanguaging. Additionally, the activity incorporated the concept of scaffolding, where teachers provide appropriate guidance and support—such as examples, sentence structures, or key prompts—when students are learning new knowledge and skills. This approach helps students gradually achieve learning objectives independently and is particularly crucial for language and content learning in EMI classrooms.

During the activity, TAs worked in groups to discuss tasks and presented their solutions to EMI classroom challenges in English at various stations. Upon approval, they received stamps, and collecting three stamps completed the mission. The lively discussions demonstrated TAs' high engagement and critical thinking abilities, which fostered peer interaction and provided opportunities to practice essential communication strategies and adaptability in classroom scenarios. One featured scenario simulated a discussion conflict in a multicultural EMI class, where a student’s direct communication style was misinterpreted by another student as confrontational, which created a tense atmosphere. TAs practiced how to handle such cross-cultural misunderstandings effectively. They learned to employ strategies such as pausing to de-escalate tension (e.g., “Let’s take a quick pause and breathe”), which encouraged the use of “I-statements” to express personal feelings, and using clarify-and-confirm techniques to foster mutual understanding. Through this simulation, TAs not only strengthened their English communication skills but also developed greater sensitivity and sound judgment in handling interpersonal conflicts and cultural differences—skills essential for meeting the demands of EMI classrooms.

The training concluded with a prize draw, which brought excitement and joy to the event. Five lucky groups walked away with attractive prizes, which ended the session on a high note. Participants praised the training for its practical relevance and engaging format, which expressed that they left the session feeling more confident and better prepared for the challenges ahead. The feedback collected from the training evaluation form received many positive comments. Comments included “The interactive activities were quite fun! Each station leader offered lots of tips and support, which really helped ease the pressure for me as a first-time TA,” and “This semester training is fun and give us lots of sights, really helpful!” Looking ahead, the NCCU EMI Resource Center remains committed to offering diverse, practice-based training to empower TAs in EMI teaching contexts. Through continued support, TAs will grow beyond their supportive roles and become active facilitators of meaningful cross-cultural learning.

The final EMI TA training session is scheduled for Thursday, June 5, 2025, which features engaging activities and sharing sessions to further deepen understanding of EMI TA responsibilities. We welcome everyone's participation!

Website：https://www.eminccu.com/
Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/nccu.emi
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nccu.emi