Beyond Proficiency: Rethinking Preparedness in English‐Medium Instruction

ABSTRACT This article challenges the assumption that EMI success depends mainly on students' English proficiency. Drawing on East Asian contexts and my own trajectory as a researcher and practitioner, I argue that student challenges stem more from gaps in academic literacy than from linguistic deficits. Preparedness must be understood as learning to think, read, and write in discipline‐specific ways, not simply achieving higher test scores. Recent studies confirm the weak predictive value of standardized tests and highlight the centrality of disciplinary literacies and broader educational experiences. Practical implications include TESOL educators and content lecturers working together to design ESAP curricula that reflect disciplinary demands, aligning assessment with course outcomes, and co‐running workshops to embed literacy development into the curriculum. In addition, EMI training should prepare lecturers not only to deliver in English but also to scaffold disciplinary literacy practices, make academic expectations explicit, and engage students in epistemological dialogue. Reframing preparedness in this way offers more equitable pathways for EMI participation.