ESP

By Shara Pineda

DUDLEY EVANS (1997) CO-EDITOR OF THE ESP JOURNAL SAYS:

A. To meet specific needs of the learners.B. It makes use of underlying methodology and activities of the

discipline it serves. C. Centered on the language appropriate to these activities in terms of

grammar, lexis, register, study skills, discourse and genre.D. Is designed in relation to specific disciplines.E. It is likely to be designed for the adult learners, either at tertiary

level institution or in professional works however it also could be learners of the secondary school level.

ALL in ALL, ESP for Dudley-Evans is, “the ATTITUDE of the mind,”

What is esp or english for specific purposes?

For Hutchinson et. Al (1987)

- An approach to language teaching in which all decision as to content and method are based on the learner’s reason for learning.

“SPECIFIC”- Refers to the specific purpose of

learning English. Students approach the study of English through a field that is already known and relevant to them. This then, ENHANCES the relevance of what the students are learning.

In these, we can say that ESP is a program built on an assessment of purpose and needs and the functions for which English is required.

ESP then;

specific linguistic needs related to their professions

a. ESP promotes the development the spoken skills in English students who wants to be tourist guides.

b. There is also English in Business and Management or Hotel and Catering English (for hotel and tourism professionals).

c. ESP program, might, for example, emphasize the development of reading skills in students who are preparing for graduate work in business administration.

EXAMPLES:

ESP concentrates more on language in context than on teaching grammar and language structures while ESL focuses on the development of English skills in listening, reading, speaking and writing.

ESP VS. ESL

As an ESP teacher, one must play many roles:

A. Organize Courses – you must set learning goals and then transform them into an instructional program with the timing of activities (tasks).

B. Setting goals and objectives – You must arrange the conditions for learning in the classroom and set long term and short term objectives. Your knowledge of students’ potential is central in designing a syllabus and realistic goals.

Responsibility of the TEACHER:

C. Creating a learning environment – Your skills for communications and mediation create the classroom atmosphere. Students’ language skill is more practiced when they have opportunities to use this language in speaking with other speakers.

D. Evaluating students – Teachers are the source that help students identify their language problems. In this; teacher needs to find the solution and the skills needed in order to solve the problem.

a. Interest for Learning – When students find interest in their work with materials and opportunities in understanding and using a language (in a context) the more they pay attention to the meaning of the language they hear and read, the more they are successful. If they focus on the linguistic input or isolated language structures, the less they are motivated to attend their classes.

b. Subject-Content Knowledge – Knowledge of the subject area enables the students to identify a real context for the vocabulary and structures of the ESP classroom. Having already oriented their education toward a specific field, they see their English training as complementing this orientation.

The responsibility of the STUDENT:

c. Learning Strategies – Adults may work harder than children in order to learn a new language, but the learning skills they bring to the task permit them to learn faster and more efficiently. The skills they have already developed in using their native languages will make learning English easier. Adults constantly expand vocabulary because adults continually learn new language since language learning continues naturally throughout their lives.

ACTIVITY