Inclusion and Equity in EMI Classrooms

1. Understanding Inclusion and Equity in EMI

Inclusion and equity are fundamental to the quality and sustainability of English-Medium Instruction (EMI). Inclusion ensures that all students—regardless of linguistic background, socioeconomic status, or learning ability—have equitable access to learning opportunities. Equity, however, moves beyond access, emphasizing the fair distribution of support, resources, and accommodations that recognize students’ diverse starting points and lived experiences. In the multilingual and multicultural classrooms characteristic of Asia, these two principles determine whether EMI functions as a pathway for expanded educational opportunity or reinforces existing inequalities.

Research highlights that EMI programs must acknowledge and draw upon students’ full linguistic repertoires to foster an inclusive learning environment. Sah (2024) advocates for critical translanguaging practices, which allow students to use their home languages alongside English in meaningful ways, protecting marginalized identities and supporting deeper engagement with academic content. These practices affirm students’ cultural and linguistic identities rather than positioning English as the sole marker of academic legitimacy.

Additionally, a social justice–centered approach to EMI emphasizes the need to prioritize diversity, equity, and cultural responsiveness at the institutional level. Costa et al. (2021) argue that fostering intercultural awareness and ensuring equitable access to academic resources are essential for creating EMI environments in which all students can succeed. This perspective highlights that EMI is not solely a linguistic or pedagogical project but also an ethical one that reflects broader commitments to fairness and inclusion within higher education.

Ultimately, advancing inclusion and equity within EMI classrooms is crucial not only for student engagement and academic success but also for supporting the development of globally competent citizens who are capable of navigating diverse cultural and linguistic contexts. EMI initiatives that value linguistic diversity, support multilingual learning practices, and promote equitable participation help ensure that global education does not come at the expense of local identities.

2. The Linguistic Dimension of Equity

Language is the most visible factor shaping inequity in EMI. Students who enter university through non-English streams often experience a double load: they must simultaneously master disciplinary content and academic English. Lecturers who insist on native-like fluency risk excluding those whose ideas are rich but whose language is developing. Equity-minded EMI pedagogy treats English as a shared communicative resource rather than a gatekeeping tool.

Effective strategies include:

• Using translanguaging to allow strategic use of L1 for comprehension and peer support.
• Providing glossaries, visuals, and sentence frames for key disciplinary terms.
• Encouraging content-focused assessment where language is not penalized unfairly.

3. Socioeconomic and Cultural Barriers

Equity challenges also stem from students’ economic and cultural capital. In some ASEAN contexts, EMI favors urban, private-school graduates who can afford intensive English preparation. Rural or first-generation students may feel marginalized and underperform despite strong cognitive potential. Addressing such inequities requires institutional commitment beyond the classroom.

Universities can:

• Offer bridging or foundation programs to prepare students linguistically.
• Provide needs-based scholarships or language support tutoring.
• Promote cultural inclusivity by incorporating local examples, voices, and translational resources into curricula.

4. Pedagogical Practices for Inclusive EMI

Inclusive EMI pedagogy integrates linguistic scaffolding, multimodal resources, and differentiated instruction. Teachers can design lessons that blend visual aids, collaborative work, and formative feedback to accommodate diverse learners. The aim is to make disciplinary learning transparent and achievable without oversimplifying academic rigor.

5. Institutional Responsibility and Policy Alignment

While individual teachers can champion inclusive pedagogy, sustainable equity depends on institutional frameworks. Policies should align admission, curriculum design, and assessment to support diverse learners. For instance, universities may set flexible English entry benchmarks coupled with ongoing language development programs, or allocate credit for English-medium participation rather than proficiency alone.

Equity monitoring systems—such as student feedback surveys, retention data, and classroom observations—help identify hidden disparities. Collaboration between language centers and subject faculties is crucial to ensure consistent quality assurance in EMI provision.

6. Case Vignettes from Vietnam EMI Classrooms

In Vietnam, the movement toward more inclusive English-Medium Instruction (EMI) has led many universities to adopt co-teaching models that promote collaboration between content specialists and language specialists. This approach is intended to improve students’ comprehension and engagement by directly addressing the language barriers that often hinder academic achievement in EMI classrooms (Tran et al., 2020). Research shows that students frequently encounter difficulties understanding course material due to limited academic and discipline-specific vocabulary, which can influence their academic performance and future opportunities in an increasingly globalized educational environment (Hoa & Mai, 2023).

By integrating linguistic support alongside content delivery, co-teaching helps create a more equitable classroom environment that supports knowledge construction rather than assuming English proficiency as a prerequisite for success (Gardesten, 2023). This instructional collaboration also strengthens professional relationships among faculty, fostering shared responsibility for both language development and disciplinary learning.

Such collaborative teaching strategies have demonstrated positive outcomes in terms of student engagement and academic performance, suggesting that co-teaching provides a viable and effective pathway for improving the quality of EMI implementation in Vietnam (Manh, 2012). Ensuring the inclusion of diverse and complementary instructional practices within co-teaching frameworks is therefore essential to maintaining equitable access to education and supporting meaningful participation for all learners in EMI contexts.

7. Rethinking Success and Assessment

Equity demands that institutions redefine success beyond linguistic accuracy. Instead of measuring only proficiency, assessments can emphasize content understanding, critical thinking, and multimodal expression. Teachers can use rubrics that separate language control from conceptual mastery, giving constructive feedback on both dimensions. This approach normalizes linguistic diversity and validates students’ intellectual contributions in global academia.