Adapting EAP pedagogy for online learning: Lessons from emergency remote teaching

This study examines how English for Academic Purposes (EAP) practitioners adapted their teaching during Emergency Remote Teaching in a UK university’s online pre-sessional programme. Using qualitative methods, including discussion forum reflections and interviews with 25 practitioners, this research explores how these practitioners restructured their online practices and integrated digital tools to improve learning outcomes. Findings reveal that most initially tried to replicate in-person instruction but soon recognised the unique affordances and constraints of online teaching. Adjustments included more structured lesson plans, integration of asynchronous learning to complement synchronous sessions, and adoption of flipped-learning methodologies. Practitioners also developed multimodal engagement strategies, using collaborative tools to boost student participation, and adapted concept-checking methods by using chat-based responses, emoji reactions, and structured questioning techniques to foster interaction. The study offers insights into how teaching methodologies were continually evaluated and re-evaluated in digital EAP contexts and highlights the role of digital tools in supporting both second language and academic skills development, as well as enhancing engagement in synchronous and asynchronous settings. It concludes by underscoring the importance of CALL-informed professional development to advance digital EAP pedagogies.