ENGLISH-MEDIUM INSTRUCTION AND MULTILINGUAL REALITIES: INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS’ VOICES FROM EMI CLASSROOMS IN INDONESIA

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.15408/ijee.v13i1.50706

Keywords:

Code-switching,, English-medium instruction,, International students,, Language policy,, Multilingual classrooms

Abstract

English-medium instruction is expanding in Indonesian universities to support internationalization and global partnerships, yet classroom communication often remains multilingual. These multilingual realities matter because they shape how international students access disciplinary content, join discussion, and build a sense of belonging. This study examined how lecturers’ language practices and peer language choices shape international students’ participation and inclusion across EMI programs in Indonesia. Using a qualitative descriptive design, nine international students from Africa, Asia, and Europe at a university in East Java were purposely sampled; all had completed at least one semester of EMI experience. Semi-structured interviews were conducted and data were analyzed thematically following Braun and Clarke’s (2006) six-phase approach. Participants reported variability in lecturers’ English proficiency and intelligibility, especially early on when accents felt unfamiliar. They described routine code-switching between English and Bahasa Indonesia and mixed-language slides and handouts, which added translation work and sometimes obscured instructions. Peer talks frequently shifted to Bahasa Indonesia during group tasks and informal interaction, producing moments of micro-exclusion whereby some students remained silent or required translation. Students also relied on peers and digital translation tools, though these were limited by rapid speech and local abbreviations. Overall, EMI in this setting functioned as a hybrid language space rather than a stable English-only environment. Universities can respond by strengthening lecturer development for clear, accessible English, aligning materials with the stated medium, and providing structured peer support and guided digital language assistance to reduce routine barriers for international students and provide early orientation to local academic languages.

Author Biographies

  • Zuliati Rohmah, Universitas Brawijaya, Malang, Indonesia

    Zuliati Rohmah is a Professor of English Language Studies at the Faculty of Cultural Studies, Universitas Brawijaya, Indonesia. She currently serves as the Regional Coordinator of East Java for TEFLIN (The Association for the Teaching of English as a Foreign Language in Indonesia). She was a Fulbright scholar at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (2002–2003) and a Humphrey Fellow at the University of Minnesota (2011–2012). She has published extensively in international journals, with recent research focusing on AI in EFL education, language policy, linguistic landscape, and multimodal pedagogy. Her scholarship contributes significantly to the advancement of EFL pedagogy and multilingual education in Indonesia.

  • Syariful Muttaqin, Universitas Brawijaya, Malang, Indonesia

    Syariful Muttaqin is a Senior Lecturer in the Department of Languages and Literature at Universitas Brawijaya, Indonesia. He specializes in English-medium instruction and bilingual education, with research focusing on strategies to enhance higher education internationalization through the use of English and local languages in content delivery.

  • Siti Maftuhah Damio, Universiti Teknologi MARA, UiTM Puncak Alam Campus, 42300 Puncak Alam, Selangor, Malaysia

    Siti Maftuhah Damio is an Associate Professor at the Faculty of Education, Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM), Puncak Alam, Malaysia, specializing in Education and Teaching English as a Second Language (TESOL). She is affiliated with the Department of Teaching English as a Second Language (TESL), where her expertise centers on language learning and teaching, as well as teacher education. Her academic work reflects a strong research interest in areas such as language pedagogy, educational technology, and innovative teaching approaches, including the use of augmented and virtual reality in language learning.

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Published

2026-06-26

Issue

Vol. 13 No. 1 (2026): IJEE (INDONESIAN JOURNAL OF ENGLISH EDUCATION)| VOL. 13 | NO. 1 | 2026

Section

Articles

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Copyright (c) 2026 Sabiru Salihu, Zuliati Rohmah, Syariful Muttaqin, Siti Maftuhah Damio

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How to Cite

ENGLISH-MEDIUM INSTRUCTION AND MULTILINGUAL REALITIES: INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS’ VOICES FROM EMI CLASSROOMS IN INDONESIA. (2026). IJEE (Indonesian Journal of English Education), 13(1). https://doi.org/10.15408/ijee.v13i1.50706