ESP: Approach Not Product

By : M. Aziz Nur Firdaus Farida Nur Wulandari Tutut Indah Widyawati

- ESP is an area of English language teaching which focuses on preparing learners “for chosen communicative environment”.

- Communication is the main of ESP

What is ESP?

English for Specific Purposes is an approach not product

•ESP is not a matter of teaching “specialized varieties” of English. •ESP is not just a matter of science words and grammar for scientists, hotel words and grammar for hotel staff and soon. •ESP is not different in kind from any other form of language teaching, in that it should be based in the first instance on principles of effective and efficient learning.

ESP is not a particular kind of language or methodology, nor does it consist of a particular type of teaching material.

Examples :

1. A remedial grammar for business people, with each unit based on a particular grammatical weakness identified by tests.

Is it ESP??

- No, it is not ESP. Because the course is in grammar which is not related to their profession. There is a need analysis, but on tests and not on students’ needs.

Examples :

2. A course that teaches undergraduate engineering students from various branches (civil, electrical, mechanical, etc.) to write reports on design project.

Is it ESP??

- Yes, it is ESP. Specific discipline, specific needs, specific text from the field

Course Design

Design of course -> much of the work done by ESP teachers is concerned with designing appropriate courses for various groups of learners

Factors affecting ESP course design

WHAT?

Languagedescriptions

WHO? WHY? WHERE? WHEN?

Needs analysis

HOW?

Learning theories

ESPcoursesyllabus

Nature of particular language

and learning situation