“Please improve students’ English”: Power interplay between content lecturers and language lecturers in English Medium Degree Programmes (EMDPs) in Sri Lankan Higher Education (SLHE)

Abstract

Scholars agree that undergraduates' academic literacy is best achieved by mainstreaming the curriculum and pedagogy through a process in which content and language lecturers work collaboratively in the mainstream classroom (Calvo et al., 2020). However, the power dynamics between the content and language lecturers are underpinned by issues related to their different identities. Therefore, the overt and covert power dynamics and identity-related issues between these two groups need to be made transparent. This study, which investigated the challenges faced by undergraduates in gaining academic literacy in EMDPs[1] in SLHE[2], found that the power imbalance between content and language lecturers was one of the major obstacles to undergraduates gaining academic literacy. The study employed a qualitative approach and conducted 40 interviews with academics of ten faculties in three state universities. Data were analyzed thematically through qualitative content analysis. The findings revealed that content lecturers were regarded as core lecturers, while language lecturers were thought to play an adjunct role. This resulted in a power imbalance which is reflected in issues related to identity and the role of the language support courses. Therefore, this study emphasises the need to minimise the power differential between the two groups so that the language lecturers have more agency within the system. This in turn calls for a critical evaluation of the structural support provided for EMDPs across SLHE.