REFLECTIONS ON USING CHATGPT TO ADJUST THE DIFFICULTY OF EMI READING MATERIALS: A CASE STUDY
Main Article Content
Abstract
As English as a medium of instruction (EMI) continues to grow in universities where English is a foreign language, many lecturers face difficulties in helping students understand complex academic concepts, particularly those who are not English majors. This case study looks at how five university teachers in a public university in Hanoi used ChatGPT to adjust the difficulty of content for an EMI course on Theories of International Relations. The study was carried out as part of the teachers’ reflective practice to make complex academic readings more accessible to undergraduate students. During one semester, ChatGPT was used to simplify authentic materials and create versions suited to different proficiency levels. The data came from classroom observations, teachers’ notes, and comparisons between the original and adapted texts. The reflections suggest that ChatGPT helped save time and provided flexible options for text adaptation. However, the tool sometimes altered key disciplinary meanings and required careful checking for accuracy. This study adds to current conversations about how generative AI can be used in EMI classrooms, offering practical lessons on how teachers can use ChatGPT into their teaching in thoughtful and responsible ways.
Keywords
ChatGPT, English as a medium of instruction (EMI), non-English major students, reading adaptation, reflective practice
Article Details
References
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Crossley, S. A., Yang, H. S., & McNamara, D. S. (2014). What’s so simple about simplified texts? A computational and psycholinguistic investigation of text comprehension and text processing. Reading in a Foreign Language, 26(1), 92–113. https://doi.org/10.64152/10125/66686
Dang, H. T., & Moskovsky, C. (2019). English-medium instruction in Vietnamese higher education: A ROAD-MAPPING perspective. Issues in Educational Research, 29(4), 1330–1347. https://www.iier.org.au/iier29/tri.pdf
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Galloway, N., & Ruegg, R. (2020). The provision of student support on English medium instruction programmes in Japan and China. Journal of English for Academic Purposes, 45, 100846. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jeap.2020.100846
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Long, M., & Ross, S. (1993). Modifications that preserve language and content. In M. L. Tickoo (Ed.), Simplification: Theory and application (pp. 29–52). SEAMEO Regional Language Center. https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED371572.pdf
Macaro, E. (2018). English medium instruction: Content and language in policy and practice. Oxford University Press. https://search.worldcat.org/title/1030258534
Macaro, E., Curle, S., Pun, J., An, J., & Dearden, J. (2018). A systematic review of English medium instruction in higher education. Language Teaching, 51(1), 36–76. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0261444817000350
McGlinchey, S. (Ed.). (2017). International relations. E-International Relations Publishing. https://open.umn.edu/opentextbooks/textbooks/international-relations
Nguyen, H. T., Walkinshaw, I., & Pham, H. H. (2017). EMI programs in a Vietnamese university: Language, pedagogy and policy issues. In B. Fenton-Smith, P. Humphreys, & I. Walkinshaw (Eds.), English-medium instruction in higher education in Asia-Pacific: From policy to pedagogy (pp. 37–52). Springer. https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-319-51976-0_3
Nguyen, H. V., & Ngo, P. L. H. (2022). English as a medium of instruction in Vietnam higher education: Insights from the perspective of a language policy implementation framework. Journal of English Language and Linguistics, 3(1), 118–140. https://doi.org/10.62819/jel.2022.111
Nguyen, V. L., & Ngo, Q. M. H. (2018). English as a medium of instruction: A case study at a gifted high school in Vietnam. Journal of Asia TEFL, 15(4), 1083–1102. https://www.doi.org/10.18823/asiatefl.2018.15.4.13.1083
Piller, I., & Cho, J. (2013). Neoliberalism as language policy. Language in Society, 42(1), 23–44. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0047404512000887
Ravšelj, D., Keržič, D., Tomaževič, N., Umek, L., Brezovar, N., Iahad, N. A., Abdulla, A. A., Akopyan, A., Segura, M. W. A., AlHumaid, J., Allam, M. F., Alló, M., Andoh, R. P. K., Andronic, O., Arthur, Y. D., Aydın, F., Badran, A., Balbontín-Alvarado, R., Ben Saad, H., … Aristovnik, A. (2025). Higher education students’ perceptions of ChatGPT: A global study of early reactions. PLOS ONE, 20(2), e0315011. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0315011
Rets, I., & Rogaten, J. (2021). To simplify or not? Facilitating English L2 users' comprehension and processing of open educational resources in English using text simplification. Journal of Computer Assisted Learning, 37(3), 705–717. https://doi.org/10.1111/jcal.12517
Rets, I., Stickler, U., Coughlan, T., & Astruc, L. (2022). Simplification of open educational resources in English: Its effect on text processing of English learners. In B. Rienties, D. Whitelock, E. Scanlon, & R. Hampel (Eds.), Open world learning: Research, Innovation and the Challenges of High-Quality Education (pp. 89–102). Routledge. https://www.taylorfrancis.com/chapters/oa-edit/10.4324/9781003177098-8/simplification-open-educational-resources-english-irina-rets-ursula-stickler-tim-coughlan-lluisa-astruc
Reynolds, B. L., Xie, X. S., & Pham, Q. H. P. (2023). The potentials for incidental vocabulary acquisition from listening to computer science academic lectures: A higher education corpus-based case study from Macau. Frontiers in Psychology, 14, 1219159. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1219159
Richards, J. C., & Pun, J. (2023). A typology of English-medium instruction. RELC Journal, 54(1), 216–240. https://doi.org/10.1177/0033688220968584
Rose, H., & McKinley, J. (2018). Japan’s English-medium instruction initiatives and the globalisation of higher education. Higher Education, 75(1), 111–129. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10734-017-0125-1
Thomae, A. V., Witt, C. M., & Barth, J. (2024). Integration of ChatGPT into a course for medical students: Explorative study on teaching scenarios, students’ perception, and applications. JMIR Medical Education, 10, e50545. https://doi.org/10.2196/50545
Tweissi, A. I. (1998). The effects of the amount and the type of simplification on foreign language reading comprehension. Reading in a Foreign Language, 11(2), 191–206. https://doi.org/10.64152/10125/66956
Vygotsky, L. S. (1978). Mind in society: The development of higher psychological processes. Harvard University Press. https://www.jstor.org/stable/j.ctvjf9vz4
Walkinshaw, I., Fenton-Smith, B., & Humphreys, P. (2017). EMI issues and challenges in Asia-Pacific higher education: An introduction. In B. Fenton-Smith, P. Humphreys, & I. Walkinshaw (Eds.), English-medium instruction in higher education in Asia-Pacific: From policy to pedagogy (pp. 1–18). Springer. https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-319-51976-0_1
Wang, R. (2024). Exploring teachers’ perceptions of generative AI (ChatGPT) use on undergraduate teaching in EMI context: A literature review. Lecture Notes in Education Psychology and Public Media, 74, 144–150. https://doi.org/10.54254/2753-7048/2024.BO17885
Wilang, J. D., Ngamchatturat, T., & Seepho, S. (2024). Bridging content and language in English-medium engineering programs. International Journal of Learning, Teaching and Educational Research, 23(4), 99–117. https://doi.org/10.26803/ijlter.23.4.6
Yano, Y., Long, M., & Ross, S. (1994). The effects of simplified and elaborated texts on foreign language reading comprehension. Language Learning, 44(2), 189–219. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-1770.1994.tb01100.x
Yin, R. K. (2018). Case study research and applications: Design and methods (6th ed.). SAGE Publications. https://uk.sagepub.com/en-gb/asi/case-study-research-and-applications/book250150
Al-Bakri, S. (2013). Problematizing English medium instruction in Oman. International Journal of Bilingual & Multilingual Teachers of English, 1(2), 55–69.
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/328565498_Problematizing_English_Medium_Instruction_in_Oman
Amirjalili, F., Neysani, M., & Nikbakht, A. (2024). Exploring the boundaries of authorship: A comparative analysis of AI-generated text and human academic writing in English literature. Frontiers in Education, 9, Article 1347421. https://doi.org/10.3389/feduc.2024.1347421
Bradford, A. (2016). Toward a typology of implementation challenges facing English-medium instruction in higher education: Evidence from Japan. Journal of Studies in International Education, 20(4), 339–356. https://doi.org/10.1177/1028315316647165
Chang, Y. Y. (2010). English-medium instruction for subject courses in tertiary education: Reactions from Taiwanese undergraduate students. Taiwan International ESP Journal, 2(1), 55–84.
https://nurulfarhani7971.weebly.com/uploads/2/7/5/4/27546657/emi_3.pdf
Chen, Y. (2024). Exploring the impact of ChatGPT on Chinese students’ foreign language anxiety in Macau’s EMI higher education. Journal of Education, Humanities and Social Sciences, 39, 346–355. https://doi.org/10.54097/psy0yy79
Coxhead, A., & Boutorwick, T. J. (2018). Longitudinal vocabulary development in an EMI international school context: Learners and texts in EAL, maths, and science. TESOL Quarterly, 52(3), 588–610. https://doi.org/10.1002/tesq.450
Creswell, J. W., & Poth, C. N. (2018). Qualitative inquiry and research design: Choosing among five approaches (4th ed.). SAGE Publications. https://collegepublishing.sagepub.com/products/qualitative-inquiry-and-research-design-4-246896
Crossley, S. A., Allen, D., & McNamara, D. S. (2012). Text simplification and comprehensible input: A case for an intuitive approach. Language Teaching Research, 16(1), 89–108. https://doi.org/10.1177/1362168811423456
Crossley, S. A., Yang, H. S., & McNamara, D. S. (2014). What’s so simple about simplified texts? A computational and psycholinguistic investigation of text comprehension and text processing. Reading in a Foreign Language, 26(1), 92–113. https://doi.org/10.64152/10125/66686
Dang, H. T., & Moskovsky, C. (2019). English-medium instruction in Vietnamese higher education: A ROAD-MAPPING perspective. Issues in Educational Research, 29(4), 1330–1347. https://www.iier.org.au/iier29/tri.pdf
Dearden, J. (2014). English as a medium of instruction: A growing global phenomenon. British Council. https://ora.ox.ac.uk/objects/uuid:4f72cdf8-b2eb-4d41-a785-4a283bf6caaa/files/m76ff3ec69df0d4e194de40880f32f2f2
Duff, P. A. (2014). Case study research on language learning and use. Annual Review of Applied Linguistics, 34, 233–255. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0267190514000051
Eser, O., & Dikilitas, K. (2017). Learners’ perceptions of translation in English as the medium of instruction (EMI) at university level. Journal of Education and Practice, 8(8), 124–129. https://iiste.org/Journals/index.php/JEP/article/view/36041/37035
Galloway, N., & Rose, H. (2021). English medium instruction and the English language practitioner. ELT Journal, 75(1), 33-41. https://doi.org/10.1093/elt/ccaa063
Galloway, N., & Ruegg, R. (2020). The provision of student support on English medium instruction programmes in Japan and China. Journal of English for Academic Purposes, 45, 100846. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jeap.2020.100846
Ghimire, A., Prather, J., & Edwards, J. (2024). Generative AI in education: A study of educators’ awareness, sentiments, and influencing factors. arXiv. https://arxiv.org/abs/2403.15586
Gibbons, P. (2015). Scaffolding language, scaffolding learning: Teaching English language learners in the mainstream classroom (2nd ed.). Heinemann. https://www.heinemann.com/products/scaffolding-language-scaffolding-learning-second-edition-e05664.aspx
Keuk, C. N., & Tith, M. (2013). The enactment of English medium instruction (EMI) undergraduate program in Cambodia: Students’ voices. International Journal of Innovation in English Language Teaching and Research, 2(2), 159-175. https://scholar.google.com/citations?view_op=view_citation&hl=en&user=M4lDqbEAAAAJ&citation_for_view=M4lDqbEAAAAJ:qjMakFHDy7sC
Lam, Q. D, Phan, T. N. L., & Nguyen, T. T. (2022). EMI for engineering-technology students in Vietnam: Challenges and suggestions. VNU Journal of Foreign Studies, 38(5), 53-74. https://doi.org/10.25073/2525-2445/vnufs.4869
Long, M., & Ross, S. (1993). Modifications that preserve language and content. In M. L. Tickoo (Ed.), Simplification: Theory and application (pp. 29–52). SEAMEO Regional Language Center. https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED371572.pdf
Macaro, E. (2018). English medium instruction: Content and language in policy and practice. Oxford University Press. https://search.worldcat.org/title/1030258534
Macaro, E., Curle, S., Pun, J., An, J., & Dearden, J. (2018). A systematic review of English medium instruction in higher education. Language Teaching, 51(1), 36–76. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0261444817000350
McGlinchey, S. (Ed.). (2017). International relations. E-International Relations Publishing. https://open.umn.edu/opentextbooks/textbooks/international-relations
Nguyen, H. T., Walkinshaw, I., & Pham, H. H. (2017). EMI programs in a Vietnamese university: Language, pedagogy and policy issues. In B. Fenton-Smith, P. Humphreys, & I. Walkinshaw (Eds.), English-medium instruction in higher education in Asia-Pacific: From policy to pedagogy (pp. 37–52). Springer. https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-319-51976-0_3
Nguyen, H. V., & Ngo, P. L. H. (2022). English as a medium of instruction in Vietnam higher education: Insights from the perspective of a language policy implementation framework. Journal of English Language and Linguistics, 3(1), 118–140. https://doi.org/10.62819/jel.2022.111
Nguyen, V. L., & Ngo, Q. M. H. (2018). English as a medium of instruction: A case study at a gifted high school in Vietnam. Journal of Asia TEFL, 15(4), 1083–1102. https://www.doi.org/10.18823/asiatefl.2018.15.4.13.1083
Piller, I., & Cho, J. (2013). Neoliberalism as language policy. Language in Society, 42(1), 23–44. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0047404512000887
Ravšelj, D., Keržič, D., Tomaževič, N., Umek, L., Brezovar, N., Iahad, N. A., Abdulla, A. A., Akopyan, A., Segura, M. W. A., AlHumaid, J., Allam, M. F., Alló, M., Andoh, R. P. K., Andronic, O., Arthur, Y. D., Aydın, F., Badran, A., Balbontín-Alvarado, R., Ben Saad, H., … Aristovnik, A. (2025). Higher education students’ perceptions of ChatGPT: A global study of early reactions. PLOS ONE, 20(2), e0315011. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0315011
Rets, I., & Rogaten, J. (2021). To simplify or not? Facilitating English L2 users' comprehension and processing of open educational resources in English using text simplification. Journal of Computer Assisted Learning, 37(3), 705–717. https://doi.org/10.1111/jcal.12517
Rets, I., Stickler, U., Coughlan, T., & Astruc, L. (2022). Simplification of open educational resources in English: Its effect on text processing of English learners. In B. Rienties, D. Whitelock, E. Scanlon, & R. Hampel (Eds.), Open world learning: Research, Innovation and the Challenges of High-Quality Education (pp. 89–102). Routledge. https://www.taylorfrancis.com/chapters/oa-edit/10.4324/9781003177098-8/simplification-open-educational-resources-english-irina-rets-ursula-stickler-tim-coughlan-lluisa-astruc
Reynolds, B. L., Xie, X. S., & Pham, Q. H. P. (2023). The potentials for incidental vocabulary acquisition from listening to computer science academic lectures: A higher education corpus-based case study from Macau. Frontiers in Psychology, 14, 1219159. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1219159
Richards, J. C., & Pun, J. (2023). A typology of English-medium instruction. RELC Journal, 54(1), 216–240. https://doi.org/10.1177/0033688220968584
Rose, H., & McKinley, J. (2018). Japan’s English-medium instruction initiatives and the globalisation of higher education. Higher Education, 75(1), 111–129. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10734-017-0125-1
Thomae, A. V., Witt, C. M., & Barth, J. (2024). Integration of ChatGPT into a course for medical students: Explorative study on teaching scenarios, students’ perception, and applications. JMIR Medical Education, 10, e50545. https://doi.org/10.2196/50545
Tweissi, A. I. (1998). The effects of the amount and the type of simplification on foreign language reading comprehension. Reading in a Foreign Language, 11(2), 191–206. https://doi.org/10.64152/10125/66956
Vygotsky, L. S. (1978). Mind in society: The development of higher psychological processes. Harvard University Press. https://www.jstor.org/stable/j.ctvjf9vz4
Walkinshaw, I., Fenton-Smith, B., & Humphreys, P. (2017). EMI issues and challenges in Asia-Pacific higher education: An introduction. In B. Fenton-Smith, P. Humphreys, & I. Walkinshaw (Eds.), English-medium instruction in higher education in Asia-Pacific: From policy to pedagogy (pp. 1–18). Springer. https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-319-51976-0_1
Wang, R. (2024). Exploring teachers’ perceptions of generative AI (ChatGPT) use on undergraduate teaching in EMI context: A literature review. Lecture Notes in Education Psychology and Public Media, 74, 144–150. https://doi.org/10.54254/2753-7048/2024.BO17885
Wilang, J. D., Ngamchatturat, T., & Seepho, S. (2024). Bridging content and language in English-medium engineering programs. International Journal of Learning, Teaching and Educational Research, 23(4), 99–117. https://doi.org/10.26803/ijlter.23.4.6
Yano, Y., Long, M., & Ross, S. (1994). The effects of simplified and elaborated texts on foreign language reading comprehension. Language Learning, 44(2), 189–219. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-1770.1994.tb01100.x
Yin, R. K. (2018). Case study research and applications: Design and methods (6th ed.). SAGE Publications. https://uk.sagepub.com/en-gb/asi/case-study-research-and-applications/book250150