Linguistically responsive pedagogies in undergraduate biology education: A systematic review and implications for English-medium instruction in Zambian universities

Licensed Under Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY-NC) Linguistically responsive pedagogies in undergraduate biology education: A systematic review and implications for English-medium instruction in Zambian universities

Monolingual English Medium Instruction versus Multilingual pedagogy: Students’ Perspectives from a Praxis Study in Pakistani Secondary Schools

The debate between monolingual English-medium instruction (EMI) and multilingual pedagogy has gained increasing attention in multilingual societies, where English functions as a global lingua franca. At the same time, local languages hold cultural and cognitive value. This study examines students' perspectives on English-medium and multilingual instruction through a qualitative, praxis-oriented investigation conducted at Pak-Turk Marif International School and The City School, Hyderabad, Pakistan. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews and reflective written responses from ESL students (n = 10). Guided by a praxis framework and informed by translingual theory and critical pedagogy, the study moves from identifying a classroom-based issue to generating contextual evidence, analyzing student responses, and reflecting on pedagogical implications. The data were analyzed using reflexive thematic analysis, which allowed key patterns to emerge from the students' experiences. The findings reveal a clear preference for multilingual pedagogy, with ( n=7) participants favoring the use of multiple languages to enhance comprehension, inclusivity, and engagement. In contrast,(n=3) respondents supported EMI, primarily for reasons of consistency and English language development. Importantly, even among EMI supporters, English was viewed as an instrumental resource rather than an inherently superior medium of cognition. The study demonstrates that multilingual pedagogical practices better align with students’ learning needs and socio-cultural contexts. The study argues for flexible, context-sensitive language practices that integrate English without marginalizing local languages. It also opens new gates for future research.

EFFECTIVE STRATEGIES FOR TEACHING ENGLISH IN MODERN CLASSROOMS: A SYSTEMATIC REVIEW AND PRINCIPLED ECLECTICISM FRAMEWORK

The increasing global prominence of English has placed unprecedented demands on educational systems to equip learners with effective communicative competence, yet a persistent gap remains between theoretical recommendations and classroom realities in English Language Teaching (ELT). This systematic review synthesizes empirical evidence from 257 peer-reviewed studies published between 2010 and 2025 to identify effective strategies for teaching English in modern classrooms and to articulate evidence-based principles for pedagogical practice. Following PRISMA guidelines, a comprehensive search across ERIC, Scopus, Web of Science, Google Scholar, and ProQuest Dissertations & Theses was conducted, with data extracted and thematically synthesized to address four research questions concerning effective strategies, moderating contextual factors, synergistic integration of approaches, and evidence-based principles. The findings reveal that Communicative Language Teaching and Task-Based Language Teaching demonstrate robust positive effects on learners' fluency, pragmatic competence, and willingness to communicate, while technology-enhanced instruction offers significant affordances for personalized learning and engagement, though effectiveness is consistently moderated by learner proficiency, teacher cognition, institutional resources, and cultural contexts. Culturally responsive and translanguaging practices contribute meaningfully to learner engagement and identity affirmation, yet implementation remains constrained by institutional resistance and persistent native-speakerist ideologies. Based on these findings, the study proposes the Principled Eclecticism Framework, built on four interconnected principles: learner-centered adaptation, pedagogical coherence, contextual responsiveness, and ongoing professional development. This framework provides an orienting guide for teachers, teacher educators, and policymakers to navigate the complexity of contemporary ELT contexts. The review concludes that effective English teaching requires a dynamic interplay of strategies adapted to specific learner profiles, contextual affordances, and institutional constraints, moving beyond one-size-fits-all prescriptions toward principled, evidence-informed decision-making. Implications for practice, policy, and future research are discussed, with particular attention to the need for sustained professional development, supportive institutional environments, and policies that recognize linguistic and cultural diversity.

ENGLISH-MEDIUM INSTRUCTION IN ASIAN EFL HIGHER EDUCATION: A SYSTEMATIC REVIEW OF POLICY TRENDS, IMPLEMENTATION CHALLENGES, AND ADAPTIVE STRATEGIES

The expansion of English Medium Instruction (EMI) across Asian higher education has intensified post-pandemic, yet a comprehensive understanding of its implementation landscape remains limited. Following PRISMA 2020 guidelines, this systematic review synthesizes 15 empirical studies (2015–2025) from four academic databases to explore implementation trends, stakeholder challenges, and adaptation strategies in Asian EFL contexts. Frequency analysis revealed that linguistic difficulties were a primary barrier in 87% of the studies, pedagogical inconsistency in 60%, and language anxiety affected 53% of the combined participants. Thematic synthesis identified three core dimensions: top-down policies generating macro-micro gaps and institutional stratification; multidimensional linguistic and psychological barriers impacting engagement; and emergent adaptive strategies, including translanguaging, bilingual professional learning communities, and learner metacognition. These findings highlight that EMI is a complex educational ecosystem rather than a mere linguistic shift. This review offers a structured, geographically scoped framework for policymakers, institutions, and future researchers to improve EMI quality and equity in the region.

Beyond digital-native assumptions: A systematic integrative review of Generation Z teachers and learners in English language education

This systematic integrative review examined teacher professionalism, pedagogy, technology use, learner experience, and implementation conditions, while maintaining a distinction between direct teacher evidence and contextual learner evidence, and organises recurring implications into an equity-sensitive framework.

Linguistically inclusive teaching in higher education: A reflective framework for teaching academics

Despite increasingly diverse student populations, including international and home students with multilingual backgrounds, higher education teaching practices often remain implicitly oriented towards monolingual English norms, alongside a continued emphasis on standardised academic English. This linguistic landscape can inadvertently disadvantage multilingual students, shaping their participation and, at times, their assessment performance. Drawing on exploratory practice research conducted within my own teaching context (Bulut Al Baba, 2024), alongside a review of relevant literature (Darling, 2026; Ryder and Lazar, 2025), I propose a self-evaluation tool designed to support teaching academics in assessing linguistic inclusion in their practice. The tool conceptualises three broad stages of engagement: multilingualism phobic, multilingualism tolerant, and multilingualism cheerleader. This self-evaluation framework is grounded in the premise that linguistic inclusion requires not only pedagogical awareness but also cultural acceptance and intentional pedagogical strategies. It encourages academics to critically reflect on their underlying assumptions about language, challenge monolingual biases, and explore how multilingual pedagogies can be meaningfully integrated into their teaching. By connecting research insights with practical, actionable approaches, this work invites higher education educators to reconceptualise linguistic diversity not as a challenge or deficit, but as a valuable resource for enriching teaching and learning.