ENGLISH FOR SPECIFIC PURPOSES (ESP)

1. ENGLISH FOR SPECIFIC
PURPOSES (ESP)

2. PRESENTATION BY:
Charles Katey Adabah
Michael Sekyere
Emelia Fianu
Shadrack Opoku

3. OUTLINE OF PRESENTATION
Introduction
History and Development of
ESP
Definitions/Characteristics of
ESP
Classification of ESP
 Practices in ESP

4. INTRODUCTION
Questions
 Ghanaian business managers learning
English to communicate with multinational
companies based in Libya. EAP or EOP?
 Hotel desk clerks in Cape Coast learning
English to communicate with foreign guests
who are visiting for the African Cup. EAP or
EOP?
 UCC medical students learning English to
succeed in their science classes. EAP or

5. HISTORY AND DEVELOPMENT OF
ENGLISH FOR SPECIFIC PURPOSES
(ESP)
ESP has emerged as a single field in the
1960’s. The emergence of ESP has resulted
from many occurrences:
 the second world war in 1945;
 the rapid growth of science and technology;
 the increased use of English as the
international language of science, technology
and business; and
 increased numbers of international students
studying in UK, USA, and Australia.

6. HISTORY AND DEVELOPMENT OF
ENGLISH FOR SPECIFIC PURPOSES
(ESP)- (CONT’D)
 In ESP context, the outcomes of the historical
occurrences resulted from a number of people
across the globe who wanted to learn English
language due to the key language for the fields
of science, technology and commerce.
(Hutchinson T., & Waters, A., 1987)
 The emergence of ESP teaching movement
resulted from the English language needs of the
learners for specific purposes in accordance
with their professions or job description.

7. HISTORY AND DEVELOPMENT OF
ENGLISH FOR SPECIFIC PURPOSES
(ESP)- (CONT’D)
 There are notable reasons common
to the development/emergence of
ESP programme:
a. the demand of a Brave New World;
b. a revolution in linguistics; and
c. focus on the learners.
(Hutchinson and Waters,
1987).

8. DEFINTIONS OF ENGLISH FOR
SPECIFIC PURPOSES
Definition1: focuses on communicative
orientation
 ESP is that area of English Language
teaching which focuses on preparing
learners “for chosen communicative
environments.” ( Mohan, 1986)
Definition 2: focuses on characteristics:
a. Absolute ( the course must have them)
b. Variable ( the course can have them, but
they can vary in different situations)

9. DEFINITIONS OF ENGLISH FOR
SPECIFIC PURPOSES (CONT’D)
Absolute Characteristics:
1. ESP is designed to meet specific
needs of the learner.
2. ESP makes use of the underlying
methodology and activities of the
disciplines that it serves.
3. ESP is centered on the language
appropriate to these activities in terms of
grammar, lexis, register, study skills,
discourse and genre. (Dudley-
Evans & St. John, 1998)

10. DEFINITIONS OF ENGLISH FOR
SPECIFIC PURPOSES (CONT’D)
Variable Characteristics:
1. ESP is related to or designed for
specific disciplines;
2. ESP designed for adult learners,
either at a tertiary level institution or
in a professional work situation; and
3. ESP is generally designed for
intermediate or advanced students.
(Dudley-Evans & St. John,
1998)

11. CLASSIFICATION/
CATEGORIZATION OF ENGLISH
FOR SPECIFIC PURPOSES
ESP has traditionally been divided into
two classified main branches:
1. English for Academic Purposes
(EAP): Any English teaching that
relates to academic study needs.
2. English for Occupational
Purposes (EOP): Involves work-
related needs and training.

12. CLASSIFICATION/ CATEGORIZATION OF
ENGLISH FOR SPECIFIC PURPOSES
(CONT’D)

13. CLASSIFICATION/ CATEGORIZATION OF
ENGLISH FOR SPECIFIC PURPOSES
(CONTD.)

14. PRACTICES IN ENGLISH FOR
SPECIFIC PURPOSES (ESP)
1. CONDUCT NEEDS ASSESSMENT
Consult with all stakeholders for the…
a. Target Situation Analysis = what the
learners need to be able to do in the target
language
b. Present Situation Analysis = what the
learners can do now & what they desire from
the course
c. Context Analysis = physical learning
environment, including time & place, available
resources, and testing requirements.

15. PRACTICES IN ENGLISH FOR
SPECIFIC PURPOSES (ESP) –
(CONT’D)
2. SET REASONABLE GOALS
a. Focus on what learners need to be able to
do by the end of the course
3. CREATE CLEAR, MEASURABLE
OBJECTIVES FOR EACH GOAL
Objectives should be:
a. clearly focused on what learners will do
b. measurable
c. cover all 4 aspects of communicative
competence (Graves, 2000)

16. PRACTICES IN ENGLISH FOR
SPECIFIC PURPOSES (ESP) -
(CONT’D)
4. GATHER MATERIALS THAT WILL
HELP LEARNERS REACH SET
OBJECTIVES
a. should be realistic & current and
authentic
5. CREATE LESSONS THAT ACTIVELY
INVOLVE LEARNERS
a. Clear purpose tied to objectives
b. More learner-focused than teacher-
focused

17. PRACTICES IN ENGLISH FOR
SPECIFIC
PURPOSES (ESP)-(CONT’D)
6. EVALUATE THE COURSE
a. Formative assessment
b. Summative assessment

18. CONCLUSION
SMART objective
Qualities

19. REFERENCES
 Dudley-Evans, T., & St. John, M. J. (1998).
Developments in English for specific purposes.
Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Howatt A. P. R. (1984). A history of English
language teaching. Oxford: Oxford University
Press.
 Hutchinson T., & Waters, A. (1987) English for
specific purposes. New York: Cambridge
University Press
 Robinson P. (1991). ESP today: A practitioner’s
guide. New York: Prentice Hall.
 Strevens, P. (1980). Teaching English as an

20. THANK YOU