Examining the English-Medium Instruction Teaching Anxiety of Preservice Secondary Education Teachers in Taiwan

Abstract

This study examines the anxiety of preservice teachers in Taiwan, where English-medium instruction (EMI) is being incorporated in public schools. Previous studies suggested that foreign language anxiety negatively affects teachers, causing avoidance behaviors. However, these studies examined foreign language teachers exclusively, whereas research on EMI teaching anxiety remains absent. This paper reports on a quantitative study implemented in Taiwan on the anxiety of 199 preservice content subject teachers in a secondary teacher preparation program. Participants completed an online questionnaire measuring (1) EMI teaching anxiety (planning and execution), (2) L1 teaching anxiety (planning and execution), (3) English speaking anxiety, and (4) English listening anxiety. Data were analyzed through descriptive statistics, correlations, and two hierarchical regression analyses predicting EMI planning and execution anxiety. The findings show that the majority of preservice teachers have EMI teaching anxiety, though this was not the case for L1 teaching anxiety, English listening anxiety, and English speaking anxiety. English speaking anxiety was a strong predictor of both EMI planning and execution anxiety. Additional variation in EMI execution anxiety was explained by L1 execution anxiety. It is recommended that teacher educators implement strategies to address preservice teachers’ anxiety toward EMI teaching.

本研究旨在探討台灣公立學校引入全英語課程（EMI)後師培生產生的焦慮。根據以往研究表明, 外語焦慮會對教師產生負面影響, 導致回避行為。然而, 這些研究只聚焦于教授外語的教師, 缺少對EMI教學焦慮的研究。本定量研究針對台灣目前在中學教育課程進修的199名師培生, 了解他們在教學與英語上的焦慮。通過要求參與者填寫一份線上問卷, 本研究測量了：（1）EMI教學焦慮（規劃和執行）, （2）L1教學焦慮（規劃和執行）, （3）英語口說焦慮, （4）英語聽力焦慮。本研究採用描述性統計、相關性以及雙層次的回歸分析來分析資料並預測規劃EMI課程和執行時的焦慮。研究結果表明, 大部分師培生存在EMI 教學焦慮, 但不存在L1焦慮、英語聽力焦慮及英語口說焦慮。運用英語口說焦慮能強而有力的預測EMI規劃和執行焦慮, 而L1執行焦慮能用於解釋EMI執行焦慮的額外變化。因此, 本文建議教培人員可以採用不同策略來解決師培生對EMI教學的焦慮。