【Article by  EMI Resource Center】

On October 28, 2025, the EMI Resource Center at National Chengchi University (NCCU) co-organized a cross-university open EMI classroom observation with National Taiwan Normal University (NTNU). The class was taught by Dr. Thi-Nham Le, Associate Professor at NCCU’s Department of Southeast Asian Languages and Cultures. Earlier this year, Dr. Le represented NCCU in the 2025 EMI Teacher Training Program hosted by the University of Texas at Austin (UT Austin) under NTNU’s leadership. She received outstanding evaluations for her teaching performance, demonstrating a high level of EMI pedagogical expertise and deep intercultural teaching competence.

The event was honored by the presence of Professor Jyh-Jian Sheu, Deputy Executive Director of the Bilingual Education and Multicultural Promotion Office, Director of the Center for Teaching and Learning Development, Associate Vice President for Academic Affairs, and Director of the EMI Resource Center, who delivered opening remarks. Discussants included Professor Yi-Ping Huang from NCCU’s Department of English and Assistant Professor Chun-Ying Wu from NTNU’s Department of East Asian Studies. Associate Professor Su, Ying Yueh from Fu Jen Catholic University’s Department of Textiles and Clothing joined as an observing instructor and participated in the post-class discussion.

The observed class, titled “Vietnamese Culture and Society,” followed a three-stage structure: pre-observation briefing, in-class observation, and post-class discussion. In the pre-class session, Dr. Le clearly outlined the learning objectives, which included understanding and explaining how traditional Vietnamese beliefs developed within social and cultural contexts; comparing Vietnamese folk beliefs with similar systems in other Asian cultures; and applying intercultural analysis to interpret values such as gratitude, respect, and harmony embedded in traditional belief systems. The course further required students to define key concepts such as animism and folk beliefs, describe major forms of Vietnamese faith—including ancestor worship, fertility cults, mother goddess worship, village guardian spirits, and the Twelve Midwives cult—and analyze their underlying cultural meanings while reflecting on their continuing influence in modern Vietnamese society.

At the start of class, Dr. Le explicitly communicated the learning objectives to ensure students understood the course structure and expectations. She used guided questioning to activate students’ prior knowledge, beginning with, “We see many symbols of morality and harmony in traditional performing arts—where do you think these values originate?” and leading to, “Before Buddhism and Confucianism arrived, what might the Vietnamese have believed in?” Students’ spontaneous responses naturally introduced the main topic—animism, the belief that all things possess a spiritual essence. Building on this concept, Dr. Le guided students to explore how animism evolved into an intricate folk belief system deeply rooted in Vietnamese family and community life.

Throughout the lecture, Dr. Le systematically introduced the five major forms of belief, weaving together historical analysis, visual aids, and folk narratives to explain their moral functions—for example, filial piety and ancestral memory in ancestor worship; fertility and the celebration of life in fertility cults; compassion and protection embodied in mother goddess worship; communal security in village guardian beliefs; and childbirth rituals linked to the Twelve Midwives cult. She regularly inserted comprehension-check questions and encouraged students to share examples from their own cultures to enhance comparative depth and cross-cultural translation skills. To support learning, she provided bilingual key vocabulary and structured note-taking templates, effectively reducing linguistic barriers and strengthening analytical ability.

During group activities, Dr. Le employed Think–Pair–Share and small-group discussions, asking students to compare Vietnamese beliefs with those from China, Japan, Korea, and Thailand in terms of both forms and values. She offered immediate oral feedback, addressing content accuracy, cultural depth, and English expression, thereby reinforcing learning through real-time interaction. Later, Dr. Le conducted a Kahoot! quiz of ten questions to check comprehension of key concepts, vocabulary, and cultural values. She provided brief clarifications and cultural context for any incorrect answers to ensure misconceptions were promptly addressed.

At the end of the session, students were invited to write one to two reflective sentences in English in response to the question: “Which folk belief best represents Vietnamese values, and why?” This activity not only assessed their grasp of core ideas but also examined their ability to articulate personal insights in English and relate them to their own cultural experiences. Most responses demonstrated that students not only understood the content but also developed an awareness of the deeper connections between belief systems and cultural values. Dr. Le concluded with a summary titled “The Spirit of Vietnamese Beliefs,” reinforcing the interconnection among humans, nature, and spirituality, and guiding students to cultivate intercultural understanding and interpretive ability at linguistic, cultural, and cognitive levels.

During the post-observation discussion, participating experts commended the high level of teacher-student and peer interaction. They noted that the warm-up activities effectively engaged students, and the instructor’s clear explanations of key terms helped students grasp essential points. Experts suggested that if students struggle to express specialized terms in English, visual aids such as images could be used to assist comprehension. The course structure was widely praised for its coherence as Dr. Le introduced each session’s topic and its link to the previous one, helping students form a holistic understanding. About one-third of the students were international, and Dr. Le’s effort to remember each student’s nationality demonstrated her attentiveness and inclusiveness.

Experts also highlighted the course’s effective learning cycle: defining key terms, conducting discussions, summarizing concepts, and concluding with a formative assessment. The design encouraged strong collaboration between international and local students, ensuring equal participation and preventing dominance by those with higher English proficiency. Suggestions included refining time management during discussions, simplifying warm-up questions to focus on reflections on one’s own culture, and structuring cultural comparisons by introducing one specific example before inviting students to explore parallels in their own cultures. For large-scale opinion collection, experts recommended using digital tools such as Google Forms.

Overall, reviewers unanimously praised the class for its high interactivity, depth of cultural learning, and well-structured pedagogy. Their constructive feedback provided valuable insights for future improvement. This cross-university open EMI classroom exemplified the successful collaboration between NCCU and NTNU in advancing EMI practice. It also showcased the EMI Resource Center’s ongoing commitment to fostering EMI instruction that is interactive, analytical, and culturally grounded, while creating a shared platform for EMI educators nationwide to exchange insights and grow together.