A Case Study of Sports and Leisure Management Students’ Perceptions and Learning Engagement in an EMI Course

[[abstract]]This study aims to investigate college students’ perceptions of English as a Medium of Instruction (EMI) courses and to examine their level of learning engagement. The participants were 37 sophomore students from the Department of Sports and Leisure Management at Meiho University. They were enrolled in the "Sports and Leisure English" course during the first semester of the 2024 academic year. The researcher utilized the university’s "113-1 EMI Course Final Survey" as the research instrument. The survey was conducted at the end of the semester. The questionnaire included both quantitative measures and qualitative feedback. The results indicated that students generally held positive views toward the EMI course, as well as the instructor’s teaching style and methods. However, two items received relatively low scores: (1) students’ willingness to answer the instructor’s questions during lectures, and (2) because the language of instruction is English, I have to spend more time on class preview and review." These findings suggest that students lacked confidence and initiative in using English and did not increase their learning efforts in response to the challenges posed by the EMI format. These issues are commonly observed by instructors implementing EMI courses in higher education settings. Based on teaching observations and reflections, the researcher suggests that EMI instructors should try to identify potential challenges faced by students and adjust their teaching methods to enhance the teaching effectiveness of EMI courses.