Developments

in English for specific

purposes: A multi-
disciplinary approach
English for specific and academic purposes

Dragana Jankovic, 435108

UNIVERZITET SINGIDUNUM
DEPARTMAN ZA MASTER STUDIJE
English for specific purposes (ESP) -
Definition
•ESP concentrates on learners communicating a set of professional
skills and performing particular job-related functions.
•ESP combines subject matter and English language teaching.
•Usually applied when the learners are adults with specific needs.
•The aim of the instruction has pragmatic applicability.
Classification of ESP

Developments in English for Specific Purposes: A Multi-Disciplinary Approach

By Tony Dudley-Evans, Maggie Jo St John, Maggie Jo Saint John, Cambridge University Press 1998
The notion of motivation in ESP

• The learners’ main field of study provides a meaningful context for

language use and increases motivation.
• They approach the study of English through a field that is already
known and relevant to them which makes it easier for them to learn
the language.
The role of the teacher in ESP

• The role of the teacher extends beyond the basic teaching.

• Instructor, course designer, material provider, researcher, collaborator,
evaluator, organizer.
• Extensive knowledge is a requirement.
• However, the teacher is not the primary knower of the content.
The multi-disciplinary aspect of ESP

• It is based on the need to engage with other disciplines in teaching

and the reliance on the insights of researches in these disciplines.
• The used material states its arguments in the particular field.
• There is a necessity to understand claims, arguments, ways of
conduct, modi operandi, etc.
• It is not static in its nature.
What directs the need for ESP

• It resulted from the general development of the world economy and

globalization.
• Contributing factors: the development of science and technology, the
use of English as an international business language, the ever-growing
number of international students (and the pivotal role of the
universities from English speaking countries in this exchange).
• The demands of the technical workforce market and the pure
linguistic approach some teachers take in teaching practices don’t
coincide.
Differences between English for Academic
Purposes (EAP) vs. English for Occupational
Purposes (EOP)
• The materials will vary, however they can overlap.
• The assessment is different, EAP has standardized assessment
available, AOP mainly relies on the relationship between the learner
and a the teacher and feedback.
• The methodology is more flexible in EOP.
Business English as the most prominent form
of ESP
• English is the global language and has become a highly sought after
skill for both employees and employers.
• It is taught as an academic curriculum and as a part of corporate
teaching.
• It is multi-disciplinary in teaching and in the output.
Case study – a university student majoring in
Economics
• Course material: official publications (e.g. Business Benchmark),
news articles and reports, statistical charts, podcasts, etc.
• Focus: vocabulary and collocations.
• Combining listening skills, speaking skills, reading skills and writing
skills – presenting arguments, opposing, reporting, stating opinions,
describing, paraphrasing, identifying details.
• Assessment: assignments, discussions, adapted tests, translations.
Case study – the manager of the Science and
Technology Park
• Course material: conference presentations, emails, meeting agendas,
financial analyses, leadership strategies, etc.
• Focus: business communication and employees’ motivation.
• Hands-on approach, spontaneous discussions, extensive note-taking,
creating material to be used directly in the organization, panel
discussion simulation.
• Assessment: feedback and joint evaluation
•.
Sources
• Developments in English for Specific Purposes: A Multi-Disciplinary Approach, Tony Dudley-Evans, Maggie Jo St John, Maggie
Jo Saint John, Cambridge University Press 1998
• www.globaltesol.com (accessed January 7th 2019, private account, password protected)
• English for Specific Purposes, A learner-centered Approach, Tom Hutchinson and Alan Waters, Cambridge University Press, 1987
• https://www.nytimes.com/2007/04/10/world/europe/10iht-engbiz.2.5212499.html (accessed January 15th 2019