What Type of Questions do EMI Students Pose? A Multidisciplinary Exploration

The rapid spread of English-medium instruction (EMI) is one of the most outstanding transformations that universities have lately undergone. Whereas EMI teachers’ questioning practices have received some attention, the study of the type of questions posed by students is conspicuous by its absence. Since the use of English as the means of instruction may directly affect students’ willingness to ask questions in class, this study aims at examining what type of questions are usually asked by students and whether there is any noticeable difference depending on the discipline. With this objective in mind, 36 lessons from three different disciplines were recorded and analysed. The recordings amounted to 44 hours and 14 minutes and were fully transcribed prior to their analysis. The results revealed that students’ questions were mainly limited to confirmation checks and referential questions, and that the teachers’ individual characteristics exerted a greater influence than the discipline under scrutiny.