Current English for Specific Purposes & English for Academic Purposes: Mainstream Current or Peripheral Flow?
Implications for Tertiary Institutions in South Africa
University of Limpopo
April 2014
Mark Krzanowski
Dept of English and Linguistics
University of Westminster London
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Organisation of the talk • Introduction
Developments and Innovations in General English
ESP and the world of ESP acronyms and abbreviations
Developments and Innovations in English for Academic and Specific
Purposes (EAP and ESP)
EAP and ESP challenges and response of publishers
CPD: Into ESP and EAP: ‘adding value’
Words of advice from international ESP or/and EAP practitioners
ESP & EAP – challenges of different genres
• Conclusions
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Developments and Innovations
in General English
• clearer identification of a language learner (learner type and where they study)
• EFL student (characteristics) – cf classic EFL books (often considered Euro/Western-centric)
• ESOL student (characteristics) – cf classic ESOL books
• student studying general English in their home country (characteristics) [e.g. in a developing country or an emerging-economy country] – cf books adapted to suit local / geographical / cultural needs
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Developments and Innovations
in General English- cntnd
• concept of a ‘spiky profile’: challenge to
teachers and exam providers
• ability of language teachers to handle
different learner types (qualifications, level of
training and experience)
• Changes in the demography of an English
learner: relatively few beginners to cater for
• current teaching methodologies:
‘enlightened eclecticism’ 5
Types of GE (UK ‘terminology’)
• EFL vs ESOL
• Types of ESP
“Decipher” the following ESP acronyms and
abbreviations ESP EAP ESAP EOP EPP
ESL EAL E3L ELF EIC
E4W ALOS E4D EAS EMI
MLE TT (ESP) TT (ESP) TE (ESP) SS
Acronyms and abbreviations
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Q: ELT, ESP & EAP in RSA
• Which ELT learner type is a SA student in
Higher Education or in the private sector?
Who teaches English in RSA? What quals do
they hold? Which methods do they use? Are
all English language students homogenous
or heterogeneous? Do they all have
reasonably high academic literacy skills
when they enter university or are they any
divides (e.g. urban-rural; rich-poor) Any need
for change?
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Developments and Innovations in English for
Academic and Specific Purposes (EAP and ESP)
Clarification of concepts with some examples
• traditionally EAP and ESP - separated
• new trend: ESAP – English for Specific
Academic Purposes (examples)
• traditional debates:
(a) how to teach EAP / ESAP: combined-skills
or separated-skills approach?
(b) ‘Paradigm wars’ and their impact on
ELT/ESP/EAP in the 21st century
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Developments and Innovations in English for
Academic and Specific Purposes (EAP and ESP) -
cntnd
(c) looking for the best model for EAP courses – Foundation, Bridging, presessional or insessional models?
(d) EAP in the university sector – a mainstream current or peripheral flow? Terms and conditions in HE (classic academic departments vs language centres: compare UK and RSA)
(e) who teaches EAP & what are their qualifications and background?
(f) promotion of learner autonomy, learner independence and self-directed learning
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Developments and Innovations in English for
Academic and Specific Purposes (EAP and ESP) -
continued
(g) materials design – EAP practitioner expected to go beyond commercially available mats and resources? what is generally the availability of commercially produced ESP and EAP mats in RSA? Are there many locally conceived books / resources
(g) curriculum/syllabus design – concept of process syllabus
(h) lack of EAP materials for students representing non-text based disciplines (esp. Art and Design)
(i) lack of EAP resources in poor low-tech countries (teaching ‘on a shoe-string’)
(j) difficulty in promoting or teaching certain concepts in certain cultures, e.g. critical thinking or avoiding plagiarism
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Developments and Innovations in English for
Academic and Specific Purposes (EAP and
ESP) - continued
• implications for RSA: where does RSA Higher
Education, as well as its ELT teachers, stand in
relation to these points? [what is taught: GE or
EAP? Or both?] Do SA English language teachers
have enough experience or expertise to teach EAP
or ESAP? Are there specialist quals or do teachers
gain the skills on the job?
• How well do they manage to cope with the
demands of syllabus design, materials design and
preparation of schemes of work for diverse learner
types?
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ALOS (Academic Literacy and Oracy
Skills)
• Teaching academic language and relevant skills to
students for whom English is the first or second
language or who use English as a lingua franca
• UK/’home’ students vs Indian students and Nigerian
students
• No need to teach listening skills
• UK students: relatively low level of awareness of the high
academic register
• Nigerian students: no problems with grammar (Igbo,
Hausa and Yoruba – SVO languages); accent – an issue
• Indian students – grammar can be a problem (Indian
languages – diverse, not always SVO)
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ALOS (Academic Literacy and Oracy
Skills) - continued
• “Language typologists classify English as an SVO
language and Hindi as an SOV language. [….] On the
other hand, Hindi is a relatively free word order
language”: http://ltrc.iiit.ac.in/~anusaaraka/PUBLICATIONS/lsi1.pdf
• What is the influence of key RSA languages (e.g. isi-
Zulu, Xhosa or Tshivenda) on English (grammar &
vocabulary) – which aspects of (academic) English need
to be taught or dealt with at university level?
• Do Afrikaans speakers have problems with (academic)
English, and using it?
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http://www.baleap.org.uk/teap/teap-competency-
framework.pdf
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Developments in English for
Work (E4W) • explosion of interest in E4W
• curricula/syllabi at English-speaking and international universities: how well are graduates prepared for the World of Work on exit?
• concept of ‘soft’ skills
• mission of higher education: idealistic – pursuit of knowledge? or: strongly embedded employability agenda and employability skills?
• importance of language competence for professional career (esp. in international contexts)
• existence (or absence) of English language or communication skills modules in undergraduate or postgraduate modules
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Developments in English for
Work (E4W) - continued
• implications for RSA:
Do ALL young SA university graduates possess a high level of English competence suitable for their professional careers?
Do such employees get better jobs or earn more money?
Is English for Professional Purposes an issue at RSA universities? If so, it is taught appropriately?
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EAP and ESP challenges and response of
publishers (e.g. Garnet Education)
a. Brief discussion of major developments as
exemplified by recent publications
- Teaching EAP – the semi-discrete approach
still very much the case, but the level of
integration – higher than in the past
- Teaching ESP and ESAP: a surprising U-
turn – the integrated skills approach returns
- Even ESP & EAP: learning a language
seems both holistic and atomistic, not just
one of the two
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EAP and ESP challenges and response of publishers -
continued
• Interesting feature: Teachers’ Books twice as ‘thick’
as Students’ Books (a high level of methodological
guidance)
• Emergence of teacher training and teacher
education books, e.g.:
• EAP Essentials: A teacher's guide to principles and
practice by Olwyn Alexander, Sue Argent and Jenifer
Spencer:
• http://www.garneteducation.com/en/Book/61/EAP_Es
sentials:_A_teacher's_guide_to_principles_and_prac
tice.html
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• Emergence of teacher training and teacher
education books [continued], e.g.:
• Current Developments in English for Academic and
Specific Purposes in Developing, Emerging and Least-
Developed Countries Edited by Mark Krzanowski • http://www.garneteducation.com/en/Book/227/Current_Developments_in_Engli
sh_for_Academic_and_Specific_Purposes_in_Developing,_Emerging_and_Lea
st-Developed_Countries.html
• Current Developments in English for Academic, Specific
and Occupational Purposes Edited by Mark Krzanowski • http://www.garneteducation.com/en/Book/224/Current_Developments_in_Engli
sh_for_Academic,_Specific_and_Occupational_Purposes.html
• Ongoing development of specialist periodicals, e.g. the IATEFL ESP
SIG Journal (sponsored by Garnet Education):
• http://espsig.iatefl.org/resources/espsigJournalIssue34summer
_autumn09.pdf
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CPD: Into ESP and EAP: ‘adding value’
• Examining ESP or EAP resources and writing book reviews (see a
separate sample) √
• Joining relevant ESP or EAP online discussion groups √
• Networking with fellow professionals in one’s job locally, e.g. with
other ESP and EAP lecturers in your own country √
• (in not in existence) setting up a national teaching association; if
there is one, setting up a national ESP/EAP SIG √
• Acting as external examiner in ESP or EAP to calibrate good
practice √
• Acting as consultant to ELT publishers √
• Successful completion of terminal ELT qualification (PhD or EdD)
√
• Writing one’s own ESP or EAP book (opus magnum) √
• International travel for benchmarking √
• Quality circle meetings with colleagues √
• Involvement in Learning and Teaching initiatives √ 20
Words of advice from international ESP or/and
EAP practitioners • Juan Carlos, Medical School, University of Santiago de Cuba:
• Quote “Teaching ESP; to any specialty is a very difficult task for teachers of English
and teaching it to doctors and nurses I think is a bit more demanding because you
need to be very careful in preparing your lessons which brings about looking for
specific medical information and studying and understanding in your native language
first what you going to teach which does not only mean the teaching of medical terms
but, medical procedures; the specific piece of language to be used in the different
steps such as the Medical Interview, the language needed for the Physical
Examination, Laboratory Exams, Studies or Investigations, for the Case
Discussions and Case Presentations in order to establish the correct Diagnosis which
will be later express in Medical Case Reports as they do in their daily life but in their
native language. Language for medical research is also part of that content which will
prepare them to be independent in understanding more complicated texts on the
specific subjects. It is said that in ESP, the teacher teaches English and the learners
know the subjects and because of this, we are not obliged of course to learn medicine
as such but with a wide background on the field, the lessons turn more interesting
and motivating since the students know what you can do with the science and then
they feel compromised with what they can do with the Language because my
principle is that Science development is not possible without the language use since
everything is developed and expressed through language. ”
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Words of advice from international ESP or/and
EAP practitioners • Ana Margarita Fuertez (Havana Medical School, Cuba):
“It has become increasingly important for any country to graduate professionals that really give an answer to the needs of the country, Cuba is not an exception.
One of the most important aspects to take into consideration to accomplish this task is to teach English in a way that students feel as close as possible to the reality they will face in their upcoming jobs. In Cuba, the syllabus is designed in a way that after 3 years of teaching General English, students are ready to complete 2 years of Medical English. This process includes learning how to make case discussions, doctor-patient interviews, writing medical reports and referral letters, reading and writing leaflets and discussing treatments among other activities.
It has proven favorable to take students to real scenarios, namely clinics or hospitals to perform ward rounds in order to apply what they have learned in class, this activity is supervised by the teacher of English and an expert doctor with evident proficiency in the English language.”
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Gradual mastery of ESP/EAP discipline-
specific genres (what & how)
• Teaching in the disciplines: Engineering [text based discipline]
• Understanding of the subject area and understanding of what Eng. Students will be assessed in.
• Typical/main assessment tools (mostly written):
• Unseen written examinations
• Laboratory or field trip reports
• Analytical calculations
• Project reports
• Dissertations
• Portfolios and personal development plans
• Poster presentations
• Oral presentations
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Gradual mastery of ESP/EAP discipline-
specific genres (what & how)
• Teaching in the disciplines: Nursing [practice-based discipline]
• Understanding of the subject area and understanding of what Nursing Students will be assessed in.
• Typical/main assessment tools (mostly written ‘BUT’):
• Portfolios (some element of reflection)
• Essays, learning journals, project reports, practice-based assessments, OSCEs (objectively structured clinical examinations), posters, presentations
• (a lot of) Emphasis on reflective writing
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Gradual mastery of ESP/EAP discipline-specific genres
(what & how)
• Teaching in the disciplines: Psychology [text-based
discipline]
• Understanding of the subject area and understanding of
what Psych. Students will be assessed in.
• Typical/main assessment tools (mostly written):
• “Assessment begins in the form of multiple choice exams, short
reports and essays, and progresses onto more substantive
pieces of work, such as larger research reports,
examinations, presentations and research protocols.
Students can discuss their grades and overall performance every
semester by meeting with their personal tutor.” (source:
http://www.psyc.leeds.ac.uk/10/ugrads/prospective/)
• Also, UG dissertations
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Gradual mastery of ESP/EAP discipline-
specific genres (what & how)
• Teaching in the disciplines: Law [text- based discipline] (p. 363)
• Understanding of the subject area and understanding of what Law Students will be assessed in.
• Typical/main assessment tools (mostly written):
• ‘porosity’ of the discipline (drawing on ‘philosophy, politics, sociology and economics’); “elitist” or widening access?
• Traditional coursework and examination essay
• “mooting tasks”; oral presentations (group or individual); client interview, negotiation or advocacy skills exercises; reflective journals; portfolios; projects (mostly in written form); dissertations; “reflective narrative”; conventional vs ‘newer’ assessment types;
• The ‘minutiae’ and idiosyncrasies of the written legal register (syntax and vocabulary)
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Gradual mastery of ESP/EAP discipline-
specific genres (what & how)
• Teaching in the disciplines: Art and Design (Visual Arts) [practice-based discipline] Understanding of the subject area and understanding of what A&D Students will be assessed in.
• Typical/main assessment tools (mostly ORAL ‘BUT’):
• Crits (critiques) & presentations
• Many teachers and students have SpLDs (Specific Learning Difficulties/Dyslexia); almost all A&S prefer visual communication
• Efforts to support (academic) literacy in the visual arts (important esp. for employability); reflective writing (learning journals); sketchbooks (combining visual and written communication)
• Marginalisation of written communication
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Writing in higher education – students with
dyslexia (going beyond a genre)
• Dyslexia (definition):
Dyslexia /dɪsˈlɛksɪə/ noun
1.
a general term for disorders that involve difficulty in learning to
read or interpret words, letters, and other symbols, but that do
not affect general intelligence.
• http://www.bdadyslexia.org.uk/about-dyslexia/further-
information/dyslexia-research-information-.html
The Guardian (14 Oct 2013): “Dyslexic students like me need
more support at university. Some universities are better at
supporting dyslexic students than others, writes a student
blogger”:
http://www.theguardian.com/education/mortarboard/2013/oct/14/
more-support-for-dyslexic-students 28
Conclusions • ESP & EAP – no longer a peripheral
flow, but a mainstream current
• CPD in ELT – a condition sine qua non
• ESP & EAP continuum: from initiation
via experience to expertise
• ESP and EAP in RSA - Implications:
need for formulation of national HE
strategy: what, why, who, when?
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Mark Krzanowski
Dept of English and Linguistics
University of Westminster London
Email: [email protected]
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