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Bridging language and learning: A CLIL-ized TMI model for international students in traditional Chinese medicine

Abstract

Background & Objective: The increasing number of international students studying Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) in China has brought to light challenges related to the linguistic complexity and specialized terminology of TCM courses, which are primarily conducted in Chinese or English. This Short Communication paper presents an innovative teaching model that combines language instruction with subject-specific content to address these challenges. Materials & Methods: The model was implemented with 128 international students at a Chinese university. Data collection involved tests assessing English and Chinese language skills, TCM knowledge, and student satisfaction through a questionnaire. Results: Students showed significant improvements in language proficiency and TCM knowledge. Responses from the questionnaires indicated high levels of satisfaction, with participants noting advancements in their linguistic skills, mastery of content, and cultural understanding. Conclusion: Integrating language support into subject-specific teaching effectively addresses challenges in international TCM education, offering a replicable model for similar contexts.

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Bridging language and learning: A CLIL-ized TMI model for international students in traditional Chinese medicine

Author: Hu, Hengzhi; Hashim, Harwati; Li, Xiaoyan
Publisher: Zenodo
DOI: 10.61186/edcj.18.1.140
Source: https://zenodo.org/records/17255474/files/article-1-2358-en.pdf
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B idging language and lea ning: A CLIL-ized TMI model o
in e na ional s uden s in adi ional Chinese medicine
Hengzhi Hu1, Ha wa i Hashim1,2* , Xiaoyan Li3
1Facul y o Educa ion, Uni e si i Kebangsaan Malaysia, Bangi, Malaysia
2Uni e si y Resea ch G oup on Eduxcellence: De elopmen o Inno a i e Cu iculum & Pedagogy, Uni e si i Kebangsaan Malaysia,
Bangi, Malaysia
3School o T adi ional Chinese Medicine, Shandong Second Medical Uni e si y, Wei ang, China
A icle in o Abs ac
In oduc ion
The globaliza ion o highe educa ion has led o a no able
inc ease in he en ollmen o in e na ional s uden s in
T adi ional Chinese Medicine (TCM) p og ams in
China, p ima ily om Asia and A ica [1]. TCM is a
medical discipline ha encompasses he bal medicine,
acupunc u e, massage, and a ious adi ional healing
p ac ices. Mas e y o his ield o en equi es specialized
knowledge ha di e s om ha o mode n Wes e n
medicine [2]. In Chinese highe educa ion, TCM cou ses
a e gene ally augh in ei he Chinese o English as he
lingua anca. Howe e , he medical e minology and
discipline-speci ic language used in hese cou ses can be
complex and qui e di e en om e e yday Chinese o
English. This p esen s signi ican challenges o s uden s
who a e non-na i e speake s o ei he language, a ec ing
hei abili y o comp ehend specialized con en , engage
in c i ical hinking, and de elop a nuanced cul u al
unde s anding o TCM [3, 4]. To add ess hese linguis ic
and cogni i e ba ie s, we de eloped and implemen ed a
pedagogical model ha in eg a es Con en and Language
In eg a ed Lea ning (CLIL) wi h Ta ge -Language-
Medium Ins uc ion (TMI). This CLIL-based TMI model
is speci ically designed o imp o e in e na ional
s uden s’ unde s anding o TCM by simul aneously
enhancing hei medical knowledge and language
p o iciency wi hin a s uc u ed and suppo i e lea ning
en i onmen .
Ma e ials & Me hods
CLIL, o Con en and Language In eg a ed Lea ning, is
a pedagogical app oach ha combines con en and
language lea ning, allowing s uden s o enhance hei
subjec -speci ic knowledge and Fo eign Language (L2)
p o iciency while also p omo ing cul u al awa eness and
A icle his o y:
Recei ed 11 Dec. 2024
Accep ed 5 Ap . 2025
Published 14 Ap . 2025
Hu e al. J Med Edu De . 2025; 18(1): 140-146 Jou nal o Medical Educa ion De elopmen
Backg ound & Objec i e: The inc easing numbe o in e na ional s uden s s udying
T adi ional Chinese Medicine (TCM) in China has b ough o ligh challenges ela ed o he
linguis ic complexi y and specialized e minology o TCM cou ses, which a e p ima ily
conduc ed in Chinese o English. This Sho Communica ion pape p esen s an inno a i e
eaching model ha combines language ins uc ion wi h subjec -speci ic con en o add ess
hese challenges.
Ma e ials & Me hods: The model was implemen ed wi h 128 in e na ional s uden s a a
Chinese uni e si y. Da a collec ion in ol ed es s assessing English and Chinese language
skills, TCM knowledge, and s uden sa is ac ion h ough a ques ionnai e.
Resul s: S uden s showed signi ican imp o emen s in language p o iciency and TCM
knowledge. Responses om he ques ionnai es indica ed high le els o sa is ac ion, wi h
pa icipan s no ing ad ancemen s in hei linguis ic skills, mas e y o con en , and cul u al
unde s anding.
Conclusion: In eg a ing language suppo in o subjec -speci ic eaching e ec i ely add esses
challenges in in e na ional TCM educa ion, o e ing a eplicable model o simila con ex s.
Keywo ds: adi ional Chinese medicine, highe educa ion, medical educa ion, CLIL, TMI
*Co esponding au ho :
Ha wa i Hashim, Facul y o
Educa ion, Uni e si i Kebangsaan
Malaysia, Bangi, Malaysia .Uni e si y
Resea ch G oup on Eduxcellence:
De elopmen o Inno a i e
Cu iculum & Pedagogy, Uni e si i
Kebangsaan Malaysia, Bangi,
Malaysia.
Email: ha wa [email protected]
Sho Communica ion
How o ci e his a icle:
Hu H, Hashim H, Li X. B idging
language and lea ning: A CLIL-ized
TMI model o in e na ional s uden s
in adi ional Chinese medicine. J Med
Edu De . 2025; 18(1): 140-146.
[ DOI: 10.61186/edcj.18.1.140 ] [ Downloaded om edujou nal.zums.ac.i on 2025-10-03 ]
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Hu e al
.
: B idging language and lea ning: A CLIL-ized TMI model o in e na ional s uden s in adi ional Chinese
medicine
Jou nal o Medical Educa ion De elopmen ¦ Volume 18 ¦ Issue 1¦ 2025 141
cogni i e de elopmen . TMI, o Ta ge Language
Ins uc ion, e e s o using a a ge language (usually he
s uden s’ L2) o each academic subjec s o he han he
language i sel [5]. In his con ex , we adop ed a CLIL-
ized TMI app oach o en ich adi ional TMI—which
ypically ocuses exclusi ely on con en lea ning in he
s uden s’ L2—by inco po a ing in en ional language
ins uc ion. The CLIL-ized TMI model (Figu e 1) is buil
upon i e co e p inciples in TCM lea ning:
Figu e 1. CLIL-ized EMI model o TCM eaching
Con en
Con en p inciple emphasizes deli e ing accu a e and
comp ehensi e subjec knowledge in TCM, ensu ing ha
s uden s unde s and key medical concep s and p ac ices.
I e lec s he subjec -knowledge-o ien ed na u e o
CLIL-ized TMI, wi h con en mas e y emaining he
p ima y ocus [6]. Lessons a e designed o sys ema ically
in oduce ounda ional heo ies o TCM while g adually
inco po a ing complex concep s, allowing s uden s o
de elop a obus unde s anding o adi ional medical
p ac ices
Communica ion
Communica ion sugges s p o iding in en ional L2
language suppo du ing TCM ins uc ion o acili a e
con en lea ning. The “language o lea ning” e e s o he
specialized medical ocabula y and s uc u es necessa y
o comp ehend TCM con en , while he “language o
lea ning” encompasses he unc ional language needed
o discussions, epo w i ing, and explaining medical
concep s. Bo h aspec s a e explici ly add essed in he
cu iculum. By implemen ing ocabula y p e- eaching,
sca olding complex e minology, and modeling key
Ta ge Language (TL) s uc u es, s uden s enhance hei
linguis ic accu acy and luency in medical discou se. As
a esul , language h ough lea ning is os e ed [7],
meaning s uden s na u ally acqui e linguis ic
compe ence as hey in e ac wi h au hen ic TCM
ma e ials and apply medical concep s in eal-wo ld
scena ios.
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142 Jou nal o Medical Educa ion De elopmen ¦ Volume 18 ¦ Issue 1 ¦ 2025
Collabo a ion
Collabo a ion emphasizes he pa ne ship be ween TCM
eache s and language ins uc o s o add ess he
linguis ic needs o in e na ional s uden s e ec i ely.
While TCM ins uc o s a e expe s in hei ield, hey
may no always be p epa ed o each language explici ly.
As a esul , language eache s play a c ucial ole in
iden i ying he speci ic linguis ic challenges ha s uden s
encoun e and in in eg a ing app op ia e language
suppo wi hin specialized cou ses [8]. This
in e disciplina y collabo a ion s eng hens ins uc ional
quali y and ensu es ha bo h con en and language
objec i es a e me .
Cul u e
Cul u e highligh s he impo ance o os e ing s uden s’
app ecia ion o he his o ical, philosophical, and cul u al
unde pinnings o TCM. Gi en ha TCM is deeply oo ed
in Chinese his o y and philosophy, unde s anding he
cul u al con ex is essen ial o g asping i s p inciples [2].
This p inciple is ope a ionalized by inco po a ing
discussions abou cul u al adi ions, his o ical e olu ion,
and he philosophical ounda ions o TCM in o he
cu iculum. By connec ing TCM con en wi h L2
communica ion, s uden s no only enhance hei
linguis ic compe ence bu also cul i a e a deepe
app ecia ion o he sociocul u al dimensions o
adi ional medicine.
Cogni ion
Cogni ion unde lines he p omo ion o highe -o de
hinking skills while suppo ing s uden s in managing he
cogni i e demands o lea ning bo h TCM con en and
L2(s). CLIL-ized TMI os e s c i ical hinking by
encou aging s uden s o analyze medical ex s, compa e
di e en ea men philosophies, and engage in p oblem-
sol ing ac i i ies. Gi en he dual challenge o acqui ing
medical knowledge while mas e ing an addi ional
language, ins uc ional sca olding is implemen ed o
help s uden s manage cogni i e load e ec i ely [9, 10].
Lessons include s uc u ed discussions, case analyses,
and inqui y-based lea ning asks o enhance s uden s'
abili y o apply heo e ical knowledge o p ac ical
medical scena ios. By syn hesizing hese i e p inciples,
CLIL-ized TMI c ea es a comp ehensi e, in e ac i e,
and s uden -cen e ed lea ning en i onmen ha enhances
bo h subjec -speci ic knowledge and language
p o iciency. This in eg a ed app oach equips s uden s
wi h linguis ic and cogni i e skills necessa y o
academic success, p o essional communica ion, and
clinical p ac ice in mul icul u al heal hca e se ings.
Implemen a ion
We implemen ed CLIL-ized TMI a a Chinese uni e si y
wi h 128 eshmen, aged 20–22, om di e se
backg ounds, including Pakis an (n = 35), Kazakhs an (n
= 22), Nige ia (n = 30), Ghana (n = 20), and Kenya (n =
21). They we e en olled in ou TCM classes selec ed
based on he ollowing c i e ia: (1) en ollmen in he
uni e si y’s English-medium TCM p og am, (2)
willingness o pa icipa e in he s udy wi h in o med
consen , (3) comple ion o a p e-assessmen on language
p o iciency and p io knowledge o TCM, and (4)
ep esen a ion o di e se linguis ic and cul u al
backg ounds o ensu e a comp ehensi e unde s anding
o a ied lea ning needs. The implemen a ion las ed one
academic semes e and ocused on ounda ional
knowledge o TCM. The lea ne s’ English p o iciency
was assessed a he B1-B2 le el acco ding o he
Common Eu opean F amewo k o Re e ence o
Languages scale, an in e na ional s anda d o desc ibing
L2 abili y. Thei Chinese p o iciency co esponded o
Le el 4 on he Chinese P o iciency Tes (Hanyu
Shuiping Kaoshi, HSK), China’s s anda dized
assessmen o non-na i e speake s o S anda d Chinese,
indica ing a mode a e le el o TL p o iciency.
Addi ionally, we in ol ed ano he coho wi h a simila
composi ion and compa able le els o TL and TCM
con en p o iciency, which ecei ed egula TMI. The
con ol g oup consis ed o 123 eshmen om Pakis an
(n = 30), Kazakhs an (n = 25), Nige ia (n = 25), Ghana
(n = 24), and Kenya (n = 19), all o whom had he same
le el o English and Chinese p o iciency and TCM
con en knowledge as he CLIL-ized TMI g oup.
Howe e , he ins uc ion o his g oup ollowed a
con en ional TMI app oach, in which con en deli e y
p io i ized subjec ma e wi hou explici language
suppo . Unlike he CLIL-ized TMI g oup, s uden s in
his con ol g oup elied solely on adi ional lec u es and
di ec ins uc ion and we e expec ed o independen ly
na iga e he linguis ic challenges associa ed wi h
lea ning TCM in English o Chinese, wi hou he bene i
o s uc u ed sca olding o language- ocused
in e en ions. Bo h g oups we e augh by he same
ins uc o , who had ex ensi e expe ience eaching TCM
o in e na ional s uden s. They ollowed he same
cu iculum and used iden ical eaching ma e ials,
including p esc ibed bilingual ex books, eache -
p epa ed handou s, and supplemen a y mul imedia
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Hu e al
.
: B idging language and lea ning: A CLIL-ized TMI model o in e na ional s uden s in adi ional Chinese
medicine
Jou nal o Medical Educa ion De elopmen ¦ Volume 18 ¦ Issue 1¦ 2025 143
esou ces. We adminis e ed he TCM-English
P o iciency Tes , he TCM-Chinese Tes , and he TCM
Basics Tes a e he implemen a ion o bo h he a ge
s uden coho ( ea men g oup) and he con ol g oup.
These es s we e adap ed om au hen ic s anda dized
es ba e ies in China [11-13], wi h modi ica ions made
o align hem wi h he Teaching objec i es. No ably, he
TCM Basics Tes was adminis e ed in ei he Chinese o
English, based on he s uden s’ p e e ed language o
compe ence, o ensu e an accu a e assessmen o hei
con en lea ning ou comes. Addi ionally, we dis ibu ed
a ques ionnai e adap ed om Sinaga and Maisa ah [14]
o assess s uden s’ pe cep ions o CLIL-ized TMI. All
ins umen s we e e iewed by expe s o ensu e ace
alidi y, and a pilo s udy was conduc ed o con i m he
es - e es eliabili y o he assessmen s and he in e nal
consis ency o he ques ionnai e.
Resul s
The collec ed da a we e analyzed using he S a is ical
Package o he Social Sciences o bo h desc ip i e and
in e en ial analyses, wi h pa icula emphasis on
be ween-g oup compa isons. An independen samples -
es was conduc ed o de e mine whe he CLIL-ized TMI
demons a ed supe io e ec i eness compa ed o egula
TMI. The esul s (Table 1) indica e ha he CLIL-ized
TMI model was signi ican ly mo e e ec i e in
imp o ing s uden lea ning ou comes han egula TMI.
Speci ically, s uden s in he CLIL-ized TMI g oup
ou pe o med hose in he egula TMI g oup in English
lis ening (p < 0.001), ocabula y (p < 0.001), eading (p
< 0.001), ansla ion (p < 0.001), w i ing (p < 0.001), and
o e all p o iciency (p < 0.001), demons a ing
s a is ically signi ican di e ences ac oss hese language
domains. Simila ly, s uden s ecei ing CLIL-ized TMI
achie ed highe sco es in Chinese lis ening (p < 0.001),
eading (p < 0.001), w i ing (p = 0.011), and o e all
p o iciency (p < 0.001), indica ing ha he model had a
subs an ial impac on imp o ing s uden s’ TL
p o iciency in bo h English and Chinese. In addi ion o
linguis ic gains, he CLIL-ized TMI g oup also exhibi ed
supe io con en lea ning ou comes. They no only
achie ed highe o e all sco es in TCM undamen als (p
ac oss mul iple dimensions, including basic TCM
concep s and heo ies (p < 0.001), TCM o ma ion and <
0.001) bu also demons a ed deepe comp ehension
de elopmen (p < 0.001), TCM cha ac e is ics (p <
0.001), essence and Qi, Yin-Yang and he i e elemen s
(p < 0.001), and he heo y o isce al mani es a ions (p
< 0.001). These indings highligh he dual bene i s o
CLIL-ized TMI and ein o ce i s po en ial o imp o e
bo h language p o iciency and subjec knowledge
acquisi ion in in e na ional TCM educa ion.
The ques ionnai e esul s indica e s ongly posi i e
s uden pe cep ions o he CLIL-ized TMI model. A
majo i y o s uden s ag eed o s ongly ag eed ha he
cou se deepened hei TCM knowledge (84%), wi h 81%
epo ing an imp o ed unde s anding o he cu iculum
con en . These indings sugges ha in eg a ing language
suppo wi h subjec -speci ic ins uc ion enhances
s uden s' abili y o g asp complex medical concep s.
Simila ly, he CLIL-ized TMI model was seen as
ad an ageous o language de elopmen , wi h 73% o
s uden s acknowledging imp o emen s in hei English
p o iciency and 69% epo ing gains in hei English
knowledge ela ed o hei majo . Addi ionally, 77% o
s uden s indica ed enhanced p o iciency in Chinese,
unde sco ing he dual-language bene i s o he model.
Beyond linguis ic and con en knowledge, s uden s also
no ed imp o emen s in cul u al awa eness and cogni i e
skills. App oxima ely 82% o esponden s el he cou se
en iched hei cul u al unde s anding o TCM, while
84% exp essed a deepe app ecia ion o TCM cul u e.
These indings unde sco e he model’s e ec i eness in
os e ing no only linguis ic and disciplina y lea ning bu
also cul u al compe ence, a c ucial aspec o s udying
adi ional medicine. Fu he mo e, 84% o s uden s
ag eed ha he cou se enhanced hei p oblem-sol ing
and c i ical easoning abili ies, and 81% epo ed an
imp o ed abili y o e alua e and analyze TCM cases.
Finally, he high pe cen age o s uden s (80%) who
epo ed inc eased in e es in TCM, along wi h he
o e all e ec i eness o he cu iculum (88%), sugges s
ha he CLIL-ized TMI model plays a c ucial ole in
enhancing lea ning mo i a ion. Toge he , hese esul s
con i m ha he model success ully in eg a es con en
mas e y, language de elopmen , cul u al awa eness, and
cogni i e skills, making i a highly e ec i e app oach o
in e na ional TCM educa ion.
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Hu e al.: B idging language and lea ning: A CLIL-ized TMI model o in e na ional s uden s in adi ional Chinese
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144 Jou nal o Medical Educa ion De elopmen ¦ Volume 18 ¦ Issue 1 ¦ 2025
Table 1. Resul s o CLIL-ized TMI implemen a ion
S a is ics
Tes
Sec ion
Regula TMI
CLIL-ized TMI
p- alue
M
SD
M
SD
TCM-English p o iciency es
Lis ening (ou o 15)
8.73
1.27
11.09
1.30
0.000
Vocabula y (ou o 15)
8.46
1.04
11.46
1.29
0.000
Reading (ou o 30)
20.36
1.63
24.00
0.63
0.000
T ansla ion (ou o 25)
15.82
0.60
19.82
1.17
0.000
W i ing (ou o 15)
8.55
0.93
11.36
1.36
0.000
To al
61.91
3.65
77.73
4.56
0.000
TCM-Chinese es
Lis ening (ou o 50)
29.09
3.73
33.64
2.20
0.000
Reading (ou o 50)
31.55
1.29
35.50
1.30
0.000
W i ing (ou o 100)
76.73
2.02
79.23
2.14
0.011
To al
137.36
3.02
148.36
3.59
0.000
TCM Basics Tes
(each sec ion is alloca ed 20
ma ks)
Basic TCM Concep s/Theo ies
14.27
0.47
17.00
0.45
0.000
TCM Fo ma ion and
De elopmen
13.09
1.87
15.55
1.64
0.000
TCM Cha ac e is ics
11.82
0.98
13.91
1.38
0.000
Essence and Qi, Yin-Yang, and
he Fi e Elemen s
13.18
0.41
15.91
.83
0.000
Theo y o Visce al Mani es a ions
12.36
0.92
14.64
1.21
0.000
To al
64.73
1.85
77.00
2.90
0.000
Ques ionnai e
S a is ics
I em
S ongly disag ee
Disag ee
Neu al
Ag ee
S ongly ag ee
This cou se deepens my TCM
knowledge.
3% (n = 4)
5% (n = 7)
8% (n = 10)
38% (n = 48)
46% (n = 59)
I can unde s and he TCM
con en s o he cu iculum.
5% (n = 6)
6% (n = 8)
8% (n = 10)
41% (n = 53)
40% (n = 51)
This cou se imp o es my
English p o iciency.
5% (n = 7)
9% (n = 11)
13% (n = 17)
40% (n = 51)
33% (n = 42)
This cou se imp o es my
knowledge o English in my
majo .
7% (n = 9)
10% (n = 13)
14% (n = 18)
41% (n = 52)
28% (n = 36)
This cou se imp o es my
Chinese p o iciency.
5% (n = 7)
6% (n = 8)
12% (n = 15)
41% (n = 52)
36% (n = 46)
This cou se imp o es my
knowledge o Chinese in my
majo .
8% (n = 10)
13% (n = 17)
16% (n = 21)
33% (n = 42)
30% (n = 38)
This cou se enhances my
cul u al unde s anding o
TCM.
3% (n = 4)
6% (n = 8)
9% (n = 11)
38% (n = 49)
44% (n = 56)
This cou se deepens my
app ecia ion o TCM cul u e.
1% (n = 2)
4% (n = 5)
11% (n = 14)
48% (n = 61)
36% (n = 46)
This cou se enhances my
p oblem-sol ing and c i ical
easoning in TCM.
2% (n = 3)
4% (n = 5)
10% (n = 13)
45% (n = 57)
39% (n = 50)
This cou se enhances my
abili y o e alua e and analyze
TCM cases.
4% (n = 5)
6% (n = 8)
9% (n = 12)
36% (n = 46)
45% (n = 57)
This cou se inc eases my
in e es in TCM.
3% (n = 4)
5% (n = 6)
12% (n = 15)
38% (n = 49)
42% (n = 54)
I hink he cu iculum is
e ec i e.
1% (n = 2)
3% (n = 4)
8% (n = 10)
48% (n = 61)
40% (n = 51)
No e: Independen samples - es was used o compa e he e ec i eness o CLIL-ized TMI and egula TMI ac oss di e en es componen s.
Abb e ia ions: M, mean; SD, s anda d de ia ion; CLIL, con en and language in eg a ed lea ning; TMI, a ge -language-medium ins uc ion; TCM, adi ional Chinese
medicine; p- alue, P obabili y alue; n, numbe o pa icipan s.
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Hu e al
.
: B idging language and lea ning: A CLIL-ized TMI model o in e na ional s uden s in adi ional Chinese
medicine
Jou nal o Medical Educa ion De elopmen ¦ Volume 18 ¦ Issue 1¦ 2025 145
Conclusion
CLIL-ized TMI p o ides a p ac ical solu ion o
imp o ing medical educa ion o in e na ional s uden s
by add essing he dual challenge o mas e ing complex
medical con en while de eloping p o iciency in he
language o ins uc ion. This app oach acili a es
s uden s’ acquisi ion o specialized medical knowledge
while imp o ing hei language skills, cul u al
unde s anding, and c i ical hinking—skills essen ial o
e ec i e global medical p ac ice. Howe e , scaling up
he CLIL-ized TMI model necessi a es ca e ul planning
and execu ion. Ins i u ions mus go beyond adding
language suppo o con en eaching and unde ake a
sys ema ic edesign o hei educa ional amewo ks.
Medical educa o s need specialized aining o
seamlessly in eg a e medical con en wi h TL
ins uc ion, suppo ed by ins i u ional in es men s in
esou ces such as bilingual glossa ies and cus omized
ex books. Collabo a ion be ween medical and language
expe s is essen ial o ensu e ha ins uc ion aligns wi h
bo h he linguis ic and p o essional needs o s uden s.
Implemen ing CLIL-ized TMI demands a shi in
pedagogy o p epa e s uden s no jus o academic
achie emen bu o meaning ul con ibu ions o he
global heal hca e ield.
Despi e i s p omising ou comes, he implemen a ion o
CLIL-ized TMI p esen s ce ain limi a ions. The s udy
was conduc ed a a single Chinese uni e si y, limi ing
he gene alizabili y o indings o ins i u ions wi h
di e en s uden demog aphics, cu icula s uc u es,
and eaching esou ces. Fu u e esea ch should examine
i s applicabili y ac oss di e se educa ional se ings,
including hose wi h a ying le els o English and
Chinese language suppo . Compa a i e s udies ac oss
disciplines such as Wes e n medicine, pha macy, and
nu sing could u he e ine he model o be e mee he
needs o a ious p o essional ields. Addi ionally, while
his s udy elied on quan i a i e assessmen s and s uden
pe cep ions, i did no include di ec class oom
obse a ions o quali a i e insigh s om ins uc o s.
Fu u e esea ch should in eg a e class oom discou se
analysis, ins uc o e lec ions, and case s udies o
achie e a deepe unde s anding o he eaching and
lea ning dynamics wi hin he CLIL-ized TMI model.
Longi udinal s udies e alua ing he long- e m impac on
s uden s’ p o essional and linguis ic de elopmen would
also yield aluable insigh s. Finally, e ec i e
implemen a ion equi es ins i u ional suppo , including
well- ained educa o s, su icien eaching ma e ials, and
ongoing p o essional de elopmen . Es ablishing
in e disciplina y collabo a ion be ween medical and
language educa o s, de eloping s anda dized bilingual
esou ces, and in eg a ing CLIL me hodologies in o
na ional educa ion policies a e essen ial o sus aining
and scaling his app oach in in e na ional TCM
educa ion.
E hical conside a ions
E hical app o al was ob ained om he Resea ch E hics
Commi ee o Shandong Second Medical Uni e si y
(E hics Code: SS2024REC-014), and in o med consen
was ga he ed om all pa icipan s in he s udy.
A i icial in elligence u iliza ion o a icle
w i ing
No gene a i e a i icial in elligence ools we e u ilized in
he concep ualiza ion, d a ing, o edi ing o his
manusc ip . All con en , including he analysis,
in e p e a ion, and w i ing, was exclusi ely c ea ed by
he au ho s. S anda d p oo eading ools we e used o
g amma and o ma ing checks.
Acknowledgmen
The esea ch was unded by he Facul y o Educa ion,
Uni e si i Kebangsaan Malaysia, wi h he g an code
GG-2024-030.
Con lic o in e es s a emen
The au ho s decla ed no con lic s o in e es .
Au ho con ibu ions
Hu H concep ualized he s udy, designed he
me hodology, collec ed and analyzed he da a, and
d a ed he ini ial manusc ip . Hashim H p o ided c i ical
e isions, supe ised he s udy, and con ibu ed o he
e inemen o he esea ch amewo k. Li X assis ed in
da a in e p e a ion, li e a u e e iew, and manusc ip
edi ing. All au ho s e iewed and app o ed he inal
e sion o he manusc ip .
Funding & Suppo ing esou ces
This s udy ecei ed assis ance om he Facul y o
Educa ion, Uni e si i Kebangsaan Malaysia, and he
School o T adi ional Chinese Medicine, Shandong
Second Medical Uni e si y. The unding body had no
ole in he s udy design, da a collec ion, analysis,
in e p e a ion, o manusc ip w i ing.
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Hu e al.: B idging language and lea ning: A CLIL-ized TMI model o in e na ional s uden s in adi ional Chinese
medicine
146 Jou nal o Medical Educa ion De elopmen ¦ Volume 18 ¦ Issue 1 ¦ 2025
Da a a ailabili y s a emen
The da a used in he s udy a e a ailable om he
co esponding au ho upon easonable eques .
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