This document discusses the nature and research content and methods of English for Specific Purposes (ESP). It defines ESP based on different scholars' definitions and discusses its key characteristics. The document also covers classifications of ESP, comparisons between ESP and TESOL practices, the core areas of ESP research including needs analysis and discourse analysis, and developments in the field such as the historical focus areas in English for Academic Purposes research.

1. 從 ESP 的學科本質
看 ESP 的研究內容與方法
Yu-Ying Chang
張玉櫻
元智大學應外系
yymeichu@gmail.com
北區英語教學資源中心
「職場英文的專業英文師資培訓─研究法 」專題
2011.10.21

2. Why is ESP needed?
1. The trend of English as lingua frança (ELF) (science,
technology, academia, business, …)
2. More various purposes of using English in the real-
world  more varieties of English used
3. English-medium education in non-native English-
speaking countries (EAP)
4. Students’ complaints about their required English
language courses at tertiary level
(Swales, 1988; Dudley-Evans and St John, 1998)

3. 5. Changing perspectives in language teaching (Bhatia,
2007)
Traditional Recent
Context general specific
Target classroom real world
Discourse idealized complex and
dynamic
Inspiration text linguistics socio-cognitive
Outcome single literacy multiple literacies

4. Major issues in language teaching
1. Teaching language for a purpose
2. Text vs. Context
-realities of the world of work
-language competence v. professional expertise
*understanding of cultures
*ethnic culture, professional culture, institutional culture
3. Teaching vs. Analysis
“Discourse awareness always precedes discourse
acquisition.” (John Swales)
*training students as ethnographers and analyzers (Ann
Johns)

5. Classification of ESP 1

6. Definitions of ESP

7. ESP Definition 1
Hutchinson and Waters (1987)
ESP must be seen as an approach rather than a
●
product.
● The foundation of ESP “needs”
- “ Why does this learner need to learn a foreign
language?”
-important issues: learners, language required,
the learning context

8. ESP Definition 1
Hutchinson and Waters (1987)
ESP is not only a matter of teaching “specialized
●
varieties” of English.
-characteristics of special English should not
obscure the far larger area of common ground
that underlies all English use.
ESP is not only a matter of special words and
●
grammar.
 There is much more to communication than just
the surface features.

9. ESP Definition 1
● ESP is an approach to language teaching in
which all decisions as to content and method are
based on the learner’s reason for learning.
● ESP is an approach to language learning which is
based on learner need.

10. ESP Definition 2
Streven (1988)
● absolute characteristics of ESP
● variable characteristics of ESP

11. ESP Definition 2
● Absolute characteristics of ESP
-designed to meet specified needs of the learner
-related in content (that is, in its themes and
topics) to particular disciplines, occupations and
activities
-centered on language appropriate to those
activities in syntax, lexis, discourse, semantics,
and son on, and analysis of the discourse
-in contrast with ‘General English”

12. ESP Definition 2
● Variable characteristics of ESP
-may be restricted as to the learning skills to be
learned (for example, reading only)
-may not be taught according to any pre-ordained
methodology

13. ESP Definition 3
Robinson (1991)
● Criterial features
-ESP is normally goal-directed.
-ESP courses develop from a needs analysis,
which ‘aims to specify as closely as possible what
exactly it is that students have to do through the
medium of English (Robinson 1991:3)’.
● ESP courses are often taught to adults in
homogeneous classes in terms of the work or
specialist studies that the students are involved in.

14. ESP Definition 3
Robinson (1991)
● Variable features
-ESP courses are generally constrained by limited
time period (with clearly specified time period
for the course)
*This means objectives and their realization
related to the time available should be closely
specified.
*Collaboration and negotiation among all those
involved with the course are important
(organizers, teachers, sponsors, and students)

15. ESP Definition 4
Dudley-Evans and St John (1998: 4-5)
●Absolute characteristics of ESP
-ESP is designed to meet specific needs of the
learner;
-ESP makes use of the underlying methodology
and activities of the disciplines it serves;
-ESP is centered on the language (grammar, lexis,
register), skills, discourse and genres appropriate
to these activities.

16. ESP Definition 4
Dudley-Evans and St John (1998: 4-5)
● Variable characteristics of ESP
-ESP may be related to or designed for specific
disciplines;
-ESP may use, in specific teaching situations, a
different methodology from that of general
English;
-ESP is likely to be designed for adult learners,
whether at a tertiary level institution or in a
professional work situation. It could however be
used for learners at secondary school level;

17. ESP Definition 4
-ESP is generally designed for intermediate or
advanced students. Most ESP courses assume
basic knowledge of the language system, but it
can be used with beginners.

18. Continuum of ELT course types

19. Classification of ESP 2

20. TESOL vs. ESP practices
1. Teaching goals:
TESOL  Teaching English skills for general
communication purposes
ESP  Teaching English skills for professional,
vocational and other specific purposes;
 very goal-directed (students study
English with very specific goals)
 “Tell me what you need English for and

21. • For example:
-English for Science and Technology (EST)
-English for Academic Purposes (EAP)
-English for Business Purposes (EBP)
-English for Medical Purposes
-English for Legal Purposes
-English for Tourism…

22. 2. Instruction time allowed for the achievement of the
teaching goals:
TESOL Several years of instruction based on a long-term
curriculum.
ESP “to-the-point” teaching, “quick fix” (often intensive
courses)
* objectives should be closely specified
* a very clearly specified time period for the course
* collaboration and negotiation among all those
involved with the course: organizers, teachers,
sponsors, students…

23. 3. Commercial teaching materials available
TESOL Abundant
ESP Relatively scarce (Most of the time, none
exists.)
*Within ESP, the largest sector for
published materials is now that of Business
English.

24. 4. ESP courses are based on need analyses
-Needs analysis aims to specify as closely as possible
what exactly it is that students have to do through the
medium of English (Robinson, 1991: 3)
-The important role of expert informants in both ESP
practices and research
*ESP teaching is flexible and tailored to individual or
group needs as they arise.

25. 5. Different emphases in teacher training
-Both require basic pedagogical training.
-But, ESP emphasizes more on applied linguistic
training, especially different analysis skills of
language
6. Target students
TESOL  from children to adults
ESP adult learners, often in tertiary education
*Threshold debate – learner’s general English
proficiency level before ESP courses

26. ESP research and practices
• 3 cores in ESP research and practices
-Needs analysis
-Analysis of ESP discourse at various levels
-Pedagogical aspects

27. A cyclic procedure of ESP research and practice

28. A cyclic procedure of ESP research and practice

29. A cyclic procedure of ESP research and practice
1. Needs Analysis
2. Construction of special English corpus:
Collecting relevant and useful ESP samples (written
and/or spoken)

30. 3. Analysis of ESP discourse at various levels
ESP as a multi-disciplinary activity
-Lexico-syntactic analysis
-Discourse analysis
including text analysis, register analysis, genre
analysis, narrative analysis, frame analysis
-Sociolinguistics
-Functional grammar
-Pragmatics
-Corpus linguistics
-Rhetoric/contrastive rhetoric

31. • Theories or research methods from other fields
might also be relevant:
• For example, in the case of English for Academic
Purposes:
-Social studies of science/knowledge
-Rhetoric and composition studies
-Information science
-Higher education

32. • For example, in the case of English for Business
Purposes:
-Professional communication
-Workplace English
-Management
-Organizational theories
-Marketing

33. 4. Teaching materials development:
-Pedagogical aspects
-Applied linguistics aspects
*carrier content vs. real content
*authentic materials vs. authentic tasks (activities)
5. Experimenting teaching methods and teaching
materials in ESP classrooms

34. 6. Assessment
-learner performance assessment
-course evaluation
-evaluation of the teaching materials
designed
7. Revision

35. Developments of ESP 1 -- EAP
Trends in English for Academic Purposes
1. Earleir focus (1960s): register analysis
-focus on EAP (starting from English for Science and
Technology) written discourse
2. In the early days, the ESP specialist worked like a linguist
-doing detailed linguistic analyses of
terminology/vocabulary and sentence grammar (e.g the
distribution of different tenses, the use of passive voice)
-then, taught the results to their students
 focus only on language form

36. Developments of ESP Research 1 -- EAP
4. In the 1970s, rhetorical and discourse analysis
-relating language form to language function (use)
-not only what language is used, but also how and why
-making “ use” the main criterion for the selection of ESP
teaching materials
5. In the 1970s, analysis of study skills
-In addition to language work, there is a need to address
the thought processes that underpin language use.
6. In the 1970s, needs analysis
-Questionnaires about students’ present or future needs
were devised.

37. 7. In the 1990s, genre approach to ESP language study
and teaching
8. In the 2000s, three major developments:
(a) The socio-cultural, real-world contexts of ESP users
have been taken on board:
-different levels of analysis of ESP discourse (in-
depth analysis, thick description)
-multiple perspectives and triangulation in needs
analysis (vs. earlier only questionnaires)
 collabaration with the client is crucial
 important role of expert informants

38. (b) Spoken language has entered ESP
-ESP tradition built around written text:
[Needs of first reading, then writing (especially in
EAP) have taken priority.]
-But in many fields, spoken interaction is central from
the start: aviation, tourism, nursing etc.
-Now in other fields (EAP, business,) speaking has
also become very important.
-Spoken language is not writing converted into
speech.

39. (c) ESP + (Corpus linguistics) + CALL

40. Developments of ESP 2 -- EOP
Trends in English for Occupational Purposes
1. Earleir focus (1960s-early 1970s):
-on written discourse
-Early commercial correspondence courses taught standard letter
formats for busniess transactions.
-underlying construct:
(a) model letters to copy,
(b) specialized vocabulary
(c) the standard, formal cliched phrases
-underlying assumption:
Learners had a good grasp of language forms; what was needed
were words and epressions that occurred in work situations.
-using authentic texts

41. Developments of ESP 2 -- EOP
2. Mid-1970s to the 1980s:
-switched more and more to spoken interactions
-grammatical construct  functional construct
-teaching materials based on language functions (e.g.,
greeting, making arrangements, agreeing and
disagreeing)
3. The Bellcrest File (a video-based course book by Andy
Drummond first published in 1972) marked the
beginning of approaches to the four skills.
4. Early1980s: materials that adopted the business studies
approach of case studies (Agenda by Cotton and Owen,
1980)

42. 5. Mid-1980s: materials based on business communication
situations (e.g., meetings, telephone conversations,
presentations)
--Longman Business English Skills Series
Up to the mid-1980s, attention was primarily on
language and the teaching of language.

43. 6. Starting from late 1980s, the focus began to shift to adopt
tenets of business world
-interface between language and behavioral skills
-language teaching needs to take on board the
business context within which communication
takes place.
-technology development

44. ESBP research in the last two decades
1. Two trends have become increasingly important in the area of
English for Specific Business Purposes (ESBP):
(a) from the de-contextualized analysis of the language
used in isolated written texts or speech events
 to contextualized analysis of communicative genres
(b) a shift in focus from language skills as the driving force
behind ESBP research to an increasing concern with
identifying communication strategies that can be associated
with effective communication in business, regardless of
whether the speaker/writer is a native or non-native speaker
( English as a lingua franca, ELF)

45. ESBP research in the last two decades
2. Four major communicative genres investigated
-negotiations
-meetings
-e-mails
-business letters
3. Mismatch between research and materials development in
business discourse

46. ESP teachers
● What kind of person?
● There is no single model for ESP teacher.
● Conflicting viewpoints about the qualifications
and capabilities needed by the ESP teacher
and the tasks which the teacher is expected to
perform:
- How much should the ESP teacher know of
the students’ specialism?

47. The roles of ESP teachers
1. The ESP practitioner as teacher
a. Mediator
b. classroom organizer
c. Consultant
d. facilitator – guiding observation
2. The ESP practitioner as course designer and
materials provider
3. The ESP practitioner as researcher
4. The ESP practitioner as collaborator
--cooperation, collaboration, team teaching
5. The ESP practitioner as evaluator

48. Major Teaching Methods for ESP
1. Skill-based approach
2. Task-based approach
3. Content-based approach
4. Project-based approach
5. Case studies
6. Genre approach