Tuned for Success: A Case Study on Teacher–Student Alignment and Cognitive Demands in EMI Environments

Abstract

In the realm of English-Medium Instruction (EMI) education, diversity comes to the forefront as numerous cultures, identities, habits, customs, and languages converge. This paper aims to shed light on the relevance of linguistic alignment between students and teachers in a higher education setting where English is used as the medium of instruction. The study explores the perspectives of international students majoring in different academic disciplines at a university located in Belgrade, at the heart of the Balkans. The fact that neither these students nor their instructors are native speakers of English makes the setting in which they operate even more fragile. A quantitative research instrument was used to gain insight into students’ views regarding several dimensions, namely perceived in-class language comprehension, language proficiency, linguistic interference, and harmonisation between students and their instructors. In interpreting the results, these dimensions are also examined through a cognitive–psychological lens, considering the role of processing demands, cognitive load, and learner perceptions in shaping comprehension within the observed environment. The results indicate strong correlations among all the dimensions investigated, underscoring the importance of achieving linguistic harmonisation in order to attain the desired educational outcomes.