Sihan Zhou
Biographic Data
| ID | 3883644 |
|---|---|
| NAME | Sihan Zhou |
| GIVEN NAMES | Sihan |
| FAMILY NAME | Zhou |
| SIGNATURE | ZHOU S |
| AFFILIATIONS | Chinese University of Hong Kong |
| ORCID | 0000-0002-1815-5938 |
| VERIFIED | Yes |
| TOTAL WORKS | 25 |
| TOTAL CITATIONS | 51 |
| AUTHOR COUNT | 25 |
| EDITOR COUNT | 0 |
| FIRST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2021 |
| LATEST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2026 |
| H-INDEX | 4 |
The relationship between physical activity and social anxiety in adolescents: A cross-lagged study
Background Social anxiety (SA) is highly prevalent among adolescents and is closely linked to psychological wellbeing and social adjustment. Physical activity (PA) has been identified as an important protective factor; however, most existing studies rely on cross-sectional designs and focus on unidirectional effects, overlooking potential bidirectional dynamics between PA and SA. Objective This study aimed to examine whether PA and SA exhibit sta…
Redefining and measuring student agency in AI-assisted learning: Development and validation of the agentic engagement with AI (AE-AI) scale
Student agency has become a central concern in learning with AI. With growing capability and adaptiveness, GenAI tools are no longer merely passive tools but responsive participants in learning. This shift makes agency relational and reciprocal: students exercise agency through intentional engagement with AI, while AI responses shape how students express, adjust, and develop that agency. Existing instruments, however, continue to frame agency as …
Multilingual identity and English achievement: A moderated mediation model of self-regulated learning strategy use and gender among Chinese EFL learners
While research into multilingual identity and self-regulation among language learners has been flourishing in recent years and the relations between identity and identity-driven behaviors have been well-discussed, few studies have investigated the potential links between these two important self-constructs and their connection to language achievement. In order to address this gap, this study investigated the relationships between English as a for…
A systematic review of English medium instruction in higher education: An update of Macaro et al. (2018)
To survive or to thrive? Synthesizing the narrative trajectories of students’ self-regulated listening practice in an EMI transnational higher education context
English-medium instruction (EMI) has burgeoned alongside two decades of L2 self-regulated learning research. In both areas, listening remains under-researched, longitudinal designs are under-employed, and in-depth studies are necessary to unpack learner development. In a context believed to initiate self-regulated learning, the current study employed a longitudinal qualitative design to explore the out-of-class, self-regulated listening practice …
A longitudinal study on lecture listening difficulties and self-regulated learning strategies across different proficiency levels in EMI higher education
The absence of language admission thresholds in many English medium instruction (EMI) university programmes has led to marked heterogeneity in students’ English proficiency upon entry. These students may face diverse challenges when listening to academic lectures, adopt different strategies to cope, and undergo varying trajectories in listening over time. To unpack such complexities, this study adopts a longitudinal mixed-methods design, comprisi…
A Systematic Scoping Review of Self‐Regulated Learning With AI in Language Education
The rapid development of artificial intelligence (AI) technology has brought new opportunities for second/foreign language (L2) education while also raising concerns about the use of AI tools. This systematic scoping review provides a snapshot of the current state of research situated at the intersection of self‐regulated learning (SRL) and AI in L2 education. The review is restricted to empirical studies. It focuses on the current nature and ext…
Can emotion regulation pave the way to academic buoyancy? Evidence from Chinese university students in EMI programs
Learning through English-medium instruction (EMI) with daily academic challenges and setbacks is an emotion-intensive experience, making it essential to support learners in developing buoyancy through adaptive and effective emotion regulation strategies. This qualitative study investigates the emotion regulation strategies employed by EMI learners and how these strategies contribute to academic buoyancy. Data were collected through semi-structure…
Towards deeper learning in EMI lectures: The role of English proficiency and motivation in students’ deep processing of content knowledge
Internationalisation trends in higher education have catalysed the rapid growth of English medium instruction (EMI). A central question in EMI research is whether students can process content knowledge in depth when it is taught through a language that they have limited proficiency in. Previous studies have primarily examined the impact of EMI on content learning products (e.g. academic grades) with few investigations into learning processes. The…
Understanding multilingual student motivation through ideal self and international posture: A study of simultaneous language learning university programmes in China
Measuring and profiling growth language mindsets, conscientiousness, and social emotional learning among university L2 learners: A variable- and person-centered perspective
Schools have a responsibility to support students' social and emotional growth. The present study aims to apply the variable-centered approach to showcase the contribution of growth language mindsets and conscientiousness to social and emotional learning (SEL). Then, this study utilises the person-centered approach to profile homogeneous individuals based on their shared characteristics of language mindsets and conscientiousness, and examines how…
Empowering academic communication in EMI higher education: Understanding the role of social-emotional need satisfaction in motivation and willingness to communicate
Academic communication through a second/foreign language (L2) can generate much stress for students that may hamper their willingness to communicate (WTC) and motivation for learning. Guided by Collie's (2022) framework of social-emotional need satisfaction, this mixed-methods study investigates how satisfying students' basic needs for autonomy, competence, and relatedness affected their motivation and WTC at an English-medium instruction (EMI) u…
Orchestrating listening in EMI university lectures: How Listening Proficiency and Motivation Shape Students’ Use of Metacognitive Listening Strategies
Recent research has called for cultivating strategic learners in globally expanding English medium instruction (EMI) university programs, so as to help them effectively orchestrate resources to handle the challenging task of learning subject knowledge through an L2. EMI studies exploring students’ strategies have thus far primarily categorized strategy types, with scant research investigating what key learner variables affect their strategic choi…
Researching EMI policy and practice multilingually: Reflections from China and Turkey
In the field of English medium instruction (EMI), multilingual research approaches are crucial to carrying out effective and ethically responsible research, because EMI policies and practices are inherently multilingual. This paper is a partial replication study that adopts a ‘researching multilingually’ analytical framework to interrogate the challenges and affordances of using multiple languages during two EMI research projects. In the project …
Transitioning from secondary school to an English-medium transnational university in China: A longitudinal study of student self-efficacy and motivational beliefs
This longitudinal study explores changes in self-efficacy and motivational beliefs for learners beginning to study via English-medium instruction (EMI) at a transnational university in China. Following first-year local Chinese students over their first semester of learning via EMI, the study focuses on changes in learner self-efficacy beliefs towards lecture listening alongside task value, intrinsic goal orientation, and extrinsic goal orientatio…
Qualitative research on language learning strategies and self-regulation
Scholarship on language learning strategies has evolved from small-scale, practitioner-oriented studies to predominantly large-scale, questionnaire-driven research. This general shift has been instrumental in contributing to the field’s increased popularity. Robust quantitative studies are valuable. However, many scholars have called for more qualitative research to understand learners’ strategic behaviors in greater depth. Similarly, research on…
Exploring the interplay between enjoyment, anxiety, ideal self, and willingness to communicate in EMI higher education
Learning academic disciplinary knowledge through English as a medium of instruction (EMI) in higher education can be emotionally taxing. However, compared to the bulk of studies investigating the role of emotions in language learning, research that explores students’ emotional experiences in EMI contexts remains scarce. Drawing on a sample of 746 undergraduate students at an EMI university in China, the present study disentangles how two heavily …
L2 listening in a digital era: Developing and validating the mobile-assisted self-regulated listening strategy questionnaire (MSRLS-Q)
Researching multilingually to rethink EMI policy and practices
An abstract is not available for this content so a preview has been provided. Please use the Get access link above for information on how to access this content
The celebrity effect on gaze following in older and young adults
Background In daily life, people often follow others' gaze direction to infer their attention and mental state. This phenomenon is known as gaze following. Objective This study aimed to explore whether gaze following in different age groups is influenced by celebrity identity. Methods We recruited 70 participants, including 35 older adults and 35 young adults. The experimental materials consisted of three faces with different identity information…
The incentivisation of English medium instruction in Chinese universities: Policy misfires and misalignments
The growth of English medium instruction (EMI) in higher education in China over the past two decades has been promoted via implicit and explicit policies that aim to incentivise activities associated with the creation of English-taught courses and programs. This study investigates the components of such incentivisation schemes. It also explores how incentivisation policies are being implemented by policy arbiters, EMI programme directors, and EM…
Exploring the role of English proficiency, self-efficacy, and motivation in listening for learners transitioning to an English-medium transnational university in China
Defining English Medium Instruction: Striving for comparative equivalence
English Medium Instruction (EMI) has been defined as ‘the use of the English language to teach academic subjects (other than English itself) in countries or jurisdictions where the first language (L1) of the majority of the population is not English’ (Macaro, 2018, p. 19). This definition has proved to be controversial but has underpinned the work of our research group, from whose collective perspective this article is written. Debates have centr…
Global English Medium Instruction: Perspectives at the crossroads of Global Englishes and EMI
This conceptual article draws together perspectives from the research fields of Global Englishes and English medium instruction (EMI) to explore shared issues, critical perspectives, and future agendas. While embedded in the reality of English being a dominant global language and academic lingua franca, both Global Englishes and EMI lobby for the promotion of multilingual pedagogies, challenge native speaker hegemony, and highlight the importance…
Self-regulated listening of students at transition from high school to an English medium instruction (EMI) transnational university in China
Self-regulated listening of students at transition from high school to an English medium instruction (EMI) transnational university in China
Exploring the role of English proficiency, self-efficacy, and motivation in listening for learners transitioning to an English-medium transnational university in China
Defining English Medium Instruction: Striving for comparative equivalence
English Medium Instruction (EMI) has been defined as ‘the use of the English language to teach academic subjects (other than English itself) in countries or jurisdictions where the first language (L1) of the majority of the population is not English’ (Macaro, 2018, p. 19). This definition has proved to be controversial but has underpinned the work of our research group, from whose collective perspective this article is written. Debates have centr…
Towards deeper learning in EMI lectures: The role of English proficiency and motivation in students’ deep processing of content knowledge
Internationalisation trends in higher education have catalysed the rapid growth of English medium instruction (EMI). A central question in EMI research is whether students can process content knowledge in depth when it is taught through a language that they have limited proficiency in. Previous studies have primarily examined the impact of EMI on content learning products (e.g. academic grades) with few investigations into learning processes. The…
Orchestrating listening in EMI university lectures: How Listening Proficiency and Motivation Shape Students’ Use of Metacognitive Listening Strategies
Recent research has called for cultivating strategic learners in globally expanding English medium instruction (EMI) university programs, so as to help them effectively orchestrate resources to handle the challenging task of learning subject knowledge through an L2. EMI studies exploring students’ strategies have thus far primarily categorized strategy types, with scant research investigating what key learner variables affect their strategic choi…
Exploring the interplay between enjoyment, anxiety, ideal self, and willingness to communicate in EMI higher education
Learning academic disciplinary knowledge through English as a medium of instruction (EMI) in higher education can be emotionally taxing. However, compared to the bulk of studies investigating the role of emotions in language learning, research that explores students’ emotional experiences in EMI contexts remains scarce. Drawing on a sample of 746 undergraduate students at an EMI university in China, the present study disentangles how two heavily …
L2 listening in a digital era: Developing and validating the mobile-assisted self-regulated listening strategy questionnaire (MSRLS-Q)
Researching multilingually to rethink EMI policy and practices
An abstract is not available for this content so a preview has been provided. Please use the Get access link above for information on how to access this content
Self-regulated listening of students at transition from high school to an English medium instruction (EMI) transnational university in China
Global English Medium Instruction: Perspectives at the crossroads of Global Englishes and EMI
This conceptual article draws together perspectives from the research fields of Global Englishes and English medium instruction (EMI) to explore shared issues, critical perspectives, and future agendas. While embedded in the reality of English being a dominant global language and academic lingua franca, both Global Englishes and EMI lobby for the promotion of multilingual pedagogies, challenge native speaker hegemony, and highlight the importance…
The incentivisation of English medium instruction in Chinese universities: Policy misfires and misalignments
The growth of English medium instruction (EMI) in higher education in China over the past two decades has been promoted via implicit and explicit policies that aim to incentivise activities associated with the creation of English-taught courses and programs. This study investigates the components of such incentivisation schemes. It also explores how incentivisation policies are being implemented by policy arbiters, EMI programme directors, and EM…
Exploring the role of English proficiency, self-efficacy, and motivation in listening for learners transitioning to an English-medium transnational university in China
Defining English Medium Instruction: Striving for comparative equivalence
English Medium Instruction (EMI) has been defined as ‘the use of the English language to teach academic subjects (other than English itself) in countries or jurisdictions where the first language (L1) of the majority of the population is not English’ (Macaro, 2018, p. 19). This definition has proved to be controversial but has underpinned the work of our research group, from whose collective perspective this article is written. Debates have centr…
Researching EMI policy and practice multilingually: Reflections from China and Turkey
In the field of English medium instruction (EMI), multilingual research approaches are crucial to carrying out effective and ethically responsible research, because EMI policies and practices are inherently multilingual. This paper is a partial replication study that adopts a ‘researching multilingually’ analytical framework to interrogate the challenges and affordances of using multiple languages during two EMI research projects. In the project …
Transitioning from secondary school to an English-medium transnational university in China: A longitudinal study of student self-efficacy and motivational beliefs
This longitudinal study explores changes in self-efficacy and motivational beliefs for learners beginning to study via English-medium instruction (EMI) at a transnational university in China. Following first-year local Chinese students over their first semester of learning via EMI, the study focuses on changes in learner self-efficacy beliefs towards lecture listening alongside task value, intrinsic goal orientation, and extrinsic goal orientatio…
Qualitative research on language learning strategies and self-regulation
Scholarship on language learning strategies has evolved from small-scale, practitioner-oriented studies to predominantly large-scale, questionnaire-driven research. This general shift has been instrumental in contributing to the field’s increased popularity. Robust quantitative studies are valuable. However, many scholars have called for more qualitative research to understand learners’ strategic behaviors in greater depth. Similarly, research on…
Exploring the interplay between enjoyment, anxiety, ideal self, and willingness to communicate in EMI higher education
Learning academic disciplinary knowledge through English as a medium of instruction (EMI) in higher education can be emotionally taxing. However, compared to the bulk of studies investigating the role of emotions in language learning, research that explores students’ emotional experiences in EMI contexts remains scarce. Drawing on a sample of 746 undergraduate students at an EMI university in China, the present study disentangles how two heavily …
L2 listening in a digital era: Developing and validating the mobile-assisted self-regulated listening strategy questionnaire (MSRLS-Q)
Researching multilingually to rethink EMI policy and practices
An abstract is not available for this content so a preview has been provided. Please use the Get access link above for information on how to access this content
The celebrity effect on gaze following in older and young adults
Background In daily life, people often follow others' gaze direction to infer their attention and mental state. This phenomenon is known as gaze following. Objective This study aimed to explore whether gaze following in different age groups is influenced by celebrity identity. Methods We recruited 70 participants, including 35 older adults and 35 young adults. The experimental materials consisted of three faces with different identity information…
To survive or to thrive? Synthesizing the narrative trajectories of students’ self-regulated listening practice in an EMI transnational higher education context
English-medium instruction (EMI) has burgeoned alongside two decades of L2 self-regulated learning research. In both areas, listening remains under-researched, longitudinal designs are under-employed, and in-depth studies are necessary to unpack learner development. In a context believed to initiate self-regulated learning, the current study employed a longitudinal qualitative design to explore the out-of-class, self-regulated listening practice …
A longitudinal study on lecture listening difficulties and self-regulated learning strategies across different proficiency levels in EMI higher education
The absence of language admission thresholds in many English medium instruction (EMI) university programmes has led to marked heterogeneity in students’ English proficiency upon entry. These students may face diverse challenges when listening to academic lectures, adopt different strategies to cope, and undergo varying trajectories in listening over time. To unpack such complexities, this study adopts a longitudinal mixed-methods design, comprisi…
A Systematic Scoping Review of Self‐Regulated Learning With AI in Language Education
The rapid development of artificial intelligence (AI) technology has brought new opportunities for second/foreign language (L2) education while also raising concerns about the use of AI tools. This systematic scoping review provides a snapshot of the current state of research situated at the intersection of self‐regulated learning (SRL) and AI in L2 education. The review is restricted to empirical studies. It focuses on the current nature and ext…
Can emotion regulation pave the way to academic buoyancy? Evidence from Chinese university students in EMI programs
Learning through English-medium instruction (EMI) with daily academic challenges and setbacks is an emotion-intensive experience, making it essential to support learners in developing buoyancy through adaptive and effective emotion regulation strategies. This qualitative study investigates the emotion regulation strategies employed by EMI learners and how these strategies contribute to academic buoyancy. Data were collected through semi-structure…
Towards deeper learning in EMI lectures: The role of English proficiency and motivation in students’ deep processing of content knowledge
Internationalisation trends in higher education have catalysed the rapid growth of English medium instruction (EMI). A central question in EMI research is whether students can process content knowledge in depth when it is taught through a language that they have limited proficiency in. Previous studies have primarily examined the impact of EMI on content learning products (e.g. academic grades) with few investigations into learning processes. The…
Understanding multilingual student motivation through ideal self and international posture: A study of simultaneous language learning university programmes in China
Measuring and profiling growth language mindsets, conscientiousness, and social emotional learning among university L2 learners: A variable- and person-centered perspective
Schools have a responsibility to support students' social and emotional growth. The present study aims to apply the variable-centered approach to showcase the contribution of growth language mindsets and conscientiousness to social and emotional learning (SEL). Then, this study utilises the person-centered approach to profile homogeneous individuals based on their shared characteristics of language mindsets and conscientiousness, and examines how…
Empowering academic communication in EMI higher education: Understanding the role of social-emotional need satisfaction in motivation and willingness to communicate
Academic communication through a second/foreign language (L2) can generate much stress for students that may hamper their willingness to communicate (WTC) and motivation for learning. Guided by Collie's (2022) framework of social-emotional need satisfaction, this mixed-methods study investigates how satisfying students' basic needs for autonomy, competence, and relatedness affected their motivation and WTC at an English-medium instruction (EMI) u…
Orchestrating listening in EMI university lectures: How Listening Proficiency and Motivation Shape Students’ Use of Metacognitive Listening Strategies
Recent research has called for cultivating strategic learners in globally expanding English medium instruction (EMI) university programs, so as to help them effectively orchestrate resources to handle the challenging task of learning subject knowledge through an L2. EMI studies exploring students’ strategies have thus far primarily categorized strategy types, with scant research investigating what key learner variables affect their strategic choi…
The relationship between physical activity and social anxiety in adolescents: A cross-lagged study
Background Social anxiety (SA) is highly prevalent among adolescents and is closely linked to psychological wellbeing and social adjustment. Physical activity (PA) has been identified as an important protective factor; however, most existing studies rely on cross-sectional designs and focus on unidirectional effects, overlooking potential bidirectional dynamics between PA and SA. Objective This study aimed to examine whether PA and SA exhibit sta…
Redefining and measuring student agency in AI-assisted learning: Development and validation of the agentic engagement with AI (AE-AI) scale
Student agency has become a central concern in learning with AI. With growing capability and adaptiveness, GenAI tools are no longer merely passive tools but responsive participants in learning. This shift makes agency relational and reciprocal: students exercise agency through intentional engagement with AI, while AI responses shape how students express, adjust, and develop that agency. Existing instruments, however, continue to frame agency as …
Multilingual identity and English achievement: A moderated mediation model of self-regulated learning strategy use and gender among Chinese EFL learners
While research into multilingual identity and self-regulation among language learners has been flourishing in recent years and the relations between identity and identity-driven behaviors have been well-discussed, few studies have investigated the potential links between these two important self-constructs and their connection to language achievement. In order to address this gap, this study investigated the relationships between English as a for…
A systematic review of English medium instruction in higher education: An update of Macaro et al. (2018)
EFL/ESL Teaching and Learning (17 works) · Psychology (15 works) · Second Language Learning and Teaching (15 works) · Mathematics education (12 works) · Pedagogy (10 works) · Computer Science (9 works) · Political science (9 works) · Active listening (8 works) · Linguistics (7 works) · Communication (6 works)