TEACHING THE SUBJECT THROUGH ENGLISH: REFRAMING LSP AND THE ROLE OF PROFESSORS IN ENGLISH-MEDIUM INSTRUCTION
TEACHING THE SUBJECT THROUGH ENGLISH: REFRAMING LSP AND THE ROLE OF PROFESSORS IN ENGLISH-MEDIUM INSTRUCTION

Summary/Abstract: This article examines the evolving role of subject professors in higher education who are increasingly required to deliver courses through English in non-English-speaking contexts. Drawing on an English-Medium Instruction (EMI) Refresher Course implemented with 110 Romanian university professors, the study explores the intersection between EMI and Languages for Specific Purposes (LSP). It highlights the linguistic, pedagogical, and intercultural challenges faced by educators when adapting disciplinary discourse for diverse student audiences. Particular attention is given to strategies including layered explanation of specialised vocabulary, explicit signposting in lectures, and the prioritisation of intelligibility over native-like fluency in spoken delivery. The findings suggest that effective EMI requires professors to balance disciplinary rigour with communicative clarity while also acting as intercultural mediators in multilingual classrooms. The Romanian case indicates that EMI training programmes can strengthen professors’ confidence, refine pedagogical strategies, and foster more inclusive teaching practices. The article argues that LSP must be reconceptualised to address the needs of subject professors as well as students, and that universities should provide systematic institutional support for EMI. By reframing LSP and integrating targeted professional development, institutions can enhance the quality and accessibility of EMI in higher education.

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