ESP is defined as teaching English to learners with specific goals or purposes like professional or academic goals. It is designed to meet the specific needs of learners, focus on language relevant to their activities, and can target specific skills. ESP is opposite to general English and depends on the learner's needs rather than being confined to a single field. It has various types depending on the scope and teachers play a role in meeting the specific language needs of their students.
2. DEFINITION
Robinson (1980) has defined it as ‘The teaching of English to learners
who have specific goals and purposes’. These goals might be
professional, academic, scientific, etc.
ESP cannot be confined to any specific field, discipline or profession. It
has a broader area of action that depends exclusively on students’
needs.
3. CHARACTERISTICS (Strevens’ 1988)
• It is designed to meet specified needs of the learner.
• It is related in content (themes and topics) to particular disciplines,
occupations and activities.
• It is centred on the language appropriate to those activities in syntax,
lexis, discourse, semantics, etc., and analysis of this discourse.
• It is opposite to General English.
• It can be restricted to the language skills to be learned (for example,
reading)
