Teaching on the edge: examining EMI teacher agency in the education of international students under the convergent management policy in China

Despite extensive research on EMI education in China, limited attention has been given to EMI teacher agency in the education of international students. This study, informed by an ecological perspective, addresses this gap by investigating the agency of teachers teaching mixed classes of Chinese and international students and identifying its influencing factors under convergent management policy. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews, classroom observations and relevant policy documents. The findings reveal that teacher agency in response to convergent management policy manifests in three ways: (i) Teacher agency in policy implementation by committing to inclusive education (ii) Teacher agency in policy negotiation due to blurred self-positioning (iii) Teacher agency in policy resistance hindering equitable treatment of international students. The study identifies factors influencing teacher agency at three ecological levels: micro-level (limited language proficiency, tricky interpersonal interaction); meso-level (insufficient institutional support, unfavourable school culture); macro-level (negative social expectations). The research highlights the complexity and dynamism of teacher agency, and its interplay with policies, social norms, institutional contexts, and individual attributes. By examining EMI teacher agency in the education of international students, this study enriches existing research on EMI and provides insights into LPP from the micro-level perspective of teacher agency.