Teacher Creativity under Institutional Constraints: Teaching Public Speaking in Moroccan EMI University Classrooms

Abstract

Public speaking has become an important part of instruction in contexts where English is used as a Medium of Instruction (EMI). However, Moroccan higher education does not always offer speaking as a separate course, and its integration is often subjected to institutional constraints such as large class sizes, mixed levels of English proficiency, limited instructional time, and limited EMI-specific pedagogical support. This conceptual paper discusses these challenges and argues that teacher creativity can significantly create meaningful speaking opportunities even under existing constraints. Based on the literature on EMI, public speaking, and teacher creativity, it proposes a framework of adaptive pedagogical strategies organized around three main dimensions: managing institutional constraints, supporting students, and enhancing learning. It contributes to the discussion about public speaking instruction in Moroccan EMI classrooms and offers directions for future research and classroom practice.