1. An Approach to ESP courses at
the National University of Salta
Mg. Lic. Gustavo Zaplana

2. Agenda
I- Aims of the presentation
II- ESP at the University: Reading-
comprehension courses.
III- Theoretical Framework
IV-Different Levels of Reading-
comprehension courses
V- Conclusions

3.  to provide a brief description of the approach
towards ESP courses at the National
University of Salta
 to analyze the rationale for the design of the
materials for such courses
 to exemplify how those courses are taught
I- Aim of this presentation

4. Approach towards ESP at UNSa
1- Students’ exposition to L2  from 32 to 64 hs.
a semester (depending on the Study Program)
2- Students usually required to study form texts
published in English  e.g. monetary theory
(Economy), new trends in thermodynamics
(Engineering), soil renovation (Agriculture)…
3- Students’ L2 specific need  understanding
information in English
READING-COMPREHENSION

5. Reading-comprehension
 The act of understanding what is being read
 An intentional, active, interactive process that
occurs before, during and after a person reads
a particular piece of writing
 When a person reads a text s/he engages in a
complex array of cognitive processes  ability
to comprehend or construct meaning from the
text

6. The reading skill and learning
 Reading is a means to gain access to
information and to learn content
 Learning and memory depend on the person’s
ability to process new data
“good readers know a variety of ways to
organize information for learning” (Santa,1996:1),
 organizational strategies 
“goal directed and know how to attack print to
create meaning” (Ibid)

7. III- Theoretical Framework:
Some principles for these reading-
comprehension courses
 Principles of CALLA (Cognitive Academic
Language Learning Approach)
 Principles of the Content-based approach
 Principles of the Task-based approach

8. Cognitive Academic Language
Learning Approach (CALLA)
 instructional model for second and foreign
language learning,
 Chamot and O'Malley, 1990’s,
 to learn content and information in the target
language,
achieved through the development
of learning strategies

9. Major Components of CALLA
1. lessons focusing on high-priority topics from content
areas;
2. development of the language needed to handle the
content topics; and
3. application of learning strategies for the acquisition of
content and language in L2.
These target learners (students at UNSa) are given the input
(reading texts) in L2, while the rubrics of the facilitating tasks and
the final output is given/retrieved in L1

10. The Content-based and the Task-based
Approaches
Content-based instruction:
“…‘content’ in content-based programs represents material that is
cognitively engaging and demanding for the learner” (Met, 1999:150)
topics: vary according to the students’ area of study (e.g. General
Physics, Thermodynamics, Chemistry and Mathematics, as areas of
study in the field of Engineering)
Task-based approach:
learning a foreign language involves the completion of tasks
activities  prove understanding of a text

11. IV-Different Levels of Reading-
comprehension courses
There are generally 2 levels
The first level course  English I:
- students are provided with tools:
 to learn main grammar topics & discoursal features  understanding of
the structure of L2
 to acquire basic reading comprehension techniques
The second level course  English II:
- students are provided with tools:
 to develop reading strategies to handle texts related to the fields of their
academic instruction and,
 to learn content in L2.

12. The reading materials
Texts selected
original and authentic
related to the specific study areas of target
learners
follow a specific type & contain the grammar
topics to be taught (especially for the 1st
level course)
Reading-comprehension activities
Created by the teacher
Of different types that reflect real
comprehension /not only extraction of literal
information.

13. Text Types
Classification of texts provided by Hatim (2001)

14. Course Syllabus Design based on Hatim’s text
typology
Course contents for “Seminar of Technical English” (Seminario de
Inglés Técnico) . School of Economics- UNSa
Unidad 1- Lectura de textos expositivos con predominio de estructura
descriptiva. Ejemplo: índice de un libro.
Problemática gramatical y discursiva: la frase nominal: su estructura (núcleo y
modificadores).El sustantivo y sus plurales. El adjetivo y palabras en función de adjetivo.
Afijos. Importancia de la jerarquización de la información en el texto (tipografía,
enumeración y organización del texto)
Unidad 2- Lectura de textos expositivos con predominio de estructura
descriptiva (clasificación, definición; descripción)
Problemática gramatical y discursiva: la oración (frase nominal + frase verbal). Oración
simple. Oraciones compuestas (por coordinación y subordinación). Formas verbales:
tiempos presente. Voz activa y voz pasiva. Pronombres. Participio “pasado”. Formas –
ing. Relaciones lógico-semánticas: orden espacial, comparación, ejemplificación,
adición. Conectores lógicos. Referentes.

15. Unidad 3- Lectura de textos expositivos con predominio de estructura
narrativa. Ejemplo: biografías, historia de investigaciones hechas en el
pasado, etc.
Problemática gramatical y discursiva: Formas verbales: tiempos pasados: Simple Past
Tense, Present Perfect Tense y Past Perfect Tense (voz activa y pasiva). Relaciones
lógico-semánticas temporales y causales. Marcadores de tiempo. Conectores lógicos.
Unidad 4- Lectura de textos instructivos. Ejemplo: instructivos para llenar
formularios.
Problemática gramatical y discursiva: Modo Imperativo. El infinitivo. El infinitivo de
propósito. Verbos auxiliares modales. Relaciones lógico-semánticas: orden espacial,
secuencia cronológica, causa-efecto, adición. Conectores lógicos. Marcadores de
espacio y de secuencia.
Unidad 5- Lectura de textos expositivos con predominio de estructura/
trama conceptual (argumentativa).
Problemática gramatical y discursiva: Relaciones lógico-semánticas de causa-efecto,
contraste, ejemplificación, adición. Conectores lógicos. Oraciones condicionales.

16. V- Conclusions:
- ESP at UNSa  target students’ specific L2
needs  reading-comprehension
- Appropriate approaches  relate learning of
content , the L2, and development of reading-
comprehension skills
- Material design  appropriate theory and
practice reading materials in agreement with the
learner’s specific areas of studies.
-

17. The acquisition of knowledge (published in
L2) and its application take place when
learners are able to incorporate new
information into their conceptual framework
of a subject matter. In order to achieve this
goal, the students need to become
competent readers.

18. THANKS FOR YOURTHANKS FOR YOUR
ATTENTION!ATTENTION!
Gustavo ZaplanaGustavo Zaplana