English for specific purposes ESP has for about 30 years been a separate branch of English language teaching. ESP has always seen itself as materials-driven & as a classroom-based activity concerned with practical outcomes. It deals with teaching, material production & text analysis.
Background:-
Key defining features of ESP
Its teaching & materials are founded on the results of needs analysis
In EAP one can be more precise about learner's needs where it defined by a learning or occupational situation
Robinson in her first overview of ESP suggested that limited duration & adult learners are defining features of ESP courses
It target to intermediate or advanced students of English but for beginners only
It may be designed for specific disciplines or profession
The ESP teacher needs to bear in mind & exploit possible specific knowledge that leads to classroom interaction & teaching methodology
ESP materials will always draw on the topics & activities of specific purposes
Classification:-
ESP is usually classified into two main categories:-
EAP academic (eeducational context)
EOP occupational (professional purposes)
The biggest branch of EOP is Business English
Dudley-Evans & St John (1998) drawing on an idea from George Blue to make a distinction between English for general academic purposes ( EGAP) & English for specific academic purposes (ESAP) & similar distinction can be made between English for general business purposes ( EGBP) & English for specific business purposes ( ESBP)
In the USA it called Content based instruction (CBI)
(Separate from ESP)
EST is a branch of EAP that used when most EAP teaching was for students of engineering & science.
In USA,EVP(English for vocational purposes) is frequently used for teaching English for specific tredes or vocations.it sub divided into vocational English & pre- vocational English
Research:-
Beyond needs analysis
The initial needs analysis provides information about the target situation, what learners will have to do in English & the skills & language needed.this is generally called Target situation analysis.(Chambers 1980)
Needs analysis will always be the first step for ESP,it involves the most detailed analysis
It has been increasing emphasis on investigating some additional factors.
Information about the learners
Particular level in English language
Awareness in language
Skills needed
Learner's perception of needs
Learning situation analysis:-
The investigation of subjectivity felt needs,as opposed to the objective needs established by target situation analysis.
Present situation analysis:-
The investigation of learner's weaknesses or lacks.
Means analysis:-
Analysis of the learning situation within the teaching institution or company.
The need for text analysis:-
What the learner has to produce & understand is considers to identify the text's key features & devices teaching materials that will enable them to use the text effectively.
Analysis of scientific & technical text leads to material production(Lackstrom 1973)
Category of learner's is quite important here.
ESP school is considering higher level issues where research using corpora & concordancing techniques that linked genre analysis with phraseological studies.
Concern with the discourse community's work is also characteristics of the teaching of business english that is the current growth area in ESP.
Practice:-
Hamp-Lynos discusses a number of coursebooks in EAP
In EOP,St.John discusses various types of material that has brief description of key coursebooks
Research work in gener analysis is beginning to generate textbooks applying its findings to the teaching of academic writing.
Current & future trends & directions:-
Learner's background & the effort of the environment in which they use English.
This leads to an increased awareness of the importance of cross cultural issues & a shift towards further research in this area.
Future analysis has two directions:-
Concern with the broader picture of how discourse communities work & the role that the text plays within them
Specific concern will be used to investigate the phreseology of particulat specialist genres in specialist disciplines & professions.
ESP should develop an awareness in ESP students of how they can assert their rights.
Thank You.
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