How can we support lecturers in English-medium instruction?

English-medium instruction (EMI) is a worldwide phenomenon. EMI language and communication issues (e.g. Hu et al., 2014; Murray, 2015; Werther et al., 2014) have led to calls for EAP practitioners to collaborate with lecturers and other HE stakeholders to explore ways in which these lecturers can be supported and teaching standards ensured (Coleman, 2006; Doiz et al., 2013; Dubow & Gundermann, 2017).
The design and implementation of EMI training and support programmes can be an especially challenging task for EAP practitioners. First, lecturers may not recognize the need for support and may be reluctant to be assessed. Second, we need to factor in practical considerations such as their limited availability and possible reluctance to attend ‘classes’ with colleagues. Third, we have limited resources in terms of specialized standardized tests, training materials and research literature that could inform our 'course' design. Innovative approaches are therefore needed to factor in all these circumstances.
This paper has two main parts. First I summarize research on the challenges EMI lecturers face, including the results of a needs analysis among lecturers at the University of Luxembourg and my work on lecture discourse organization (Deroey, 2015). From the relatively few studies that exist, we will see that lecturers tend to believe they have sufficient English language skills and that reduced interactivity is a particularly common issue. Second, I survey different support and training schemes at HE institutions across the world. Here, it will become clear that work on relevant pedagogical skills needs to be included and an apparently ‘remedial’ approach should be avoided if we want to get lecturers on board.