WHAT IS ESP?

According to Mackay and Mountford (1978; 2), ESP is generally used to refer
to the teaching of English for a clearly utilitarian purpose. It means that English should
be taught to achieve specific language skills using real situations. ESP is a way to use
English for their future professions.

3 main reasons why ESP emerged:

1. Demands of the brave new world

* The growth of economic, technical and scientific aspects of the world

has been the primary reason of ESP emergence.

2. A revolution in Linguistics

* The grammar became the concern of the linguists. They started to think
of the ways the language is used in real situations.

3. A new focus on the learner

* They became learner-centred in their curriculum.

There are Absolute (constant) and Variable (can be modified) Characteristics

of ESP (Dudley-Evans & St. John):

Absolute Characteristics:

1. meet specific needs of the learners

2. use the underlying methodology and activities of the discipline it serves

3. centred on the language skills, discourse and genre

Variable Characteristics:

1. may be related or designed for specific discipline

2. may use, in specific teaching situation, a different methodology from that of General
English

3. designed for adult learners

4. designed for intermediate/advanced students

DIFFERENCE BETWEEN ESP AND EGP

ESP is designed for adult learners – they are already in their job. Its approach
is learner-centred in which it targets the needs of the learners. Also, it is focused on
developing the English language skills of the learners. EGP, on the other hand, is
general and it is for the preparation of the students to the next level of education. It is
language-centred in which it focuses on how to use the language. It is designed for
pupils and it is compulsory which means a prerequisite to move to the next level.

DIFFERENCE BETWEEN EOP AND EAP

English for Occupational Purposes is focused more of improving the job

performance of the learners. English for Academic Purposes, on the other hand, is
focused more of how to succeed in the learners academic careers.

ESP: APPROACH NOT A PRODUCT

It is not about the grammar and the words in their respective field; it is about
the English language skills they will gain and obtain in ESP.

OBJECTIVES OF ESP:

1. To reveal subject-specific language use

2. To develop target performance competencies

3. To teach underlying knowledge

4. To develop strategic competence

5. To foster critical awareness

FIVE STAGES OF ESP TEACHING AND LEARNING PROCESSES:

1. Needs analysis (who, what, when, where)

2. Syllabus Design

3. Material Production

4. Teaching and Learning

5. Evaluation

COURSE DESIGN

It is the interpretation on learning needs data to produce an integrated series of

teaching-learning experience. Its aim is to lead the learners to a particular state of
knowledge.

Types:

1. Language-Centred Course Design

It draws connection between analysis of target situation and the content

of ESP courses. It is the simplest kind and it seems logical.

2. Skill-Centred Course Design

 It is founded on two principles – theoretical and pragmatic. In theoretical
principle there is this Iceberg theory which states that underlying any language
are skills and strategies used by learners to produce or understand discourse.
The pragmatic principle is based on goal-oriented and process-oriented course
(Widdowson, 1981). This course focuses on the performance and competence
of the learners.

3. Learning-Centred Approach

It is focused on student’s learning. It builds on prior knowledge and skills.

SYLLABUS

It is a document which says what will or at least what should be learned.

Types:

1. Evaluation Syllabus

It states what the successful learner will know by the end of the course.
It puts on record the basis on which success or failure will be evaluated.

2. Organizational Syllabus

It carries assumptions about the nature of learning as well as language,

since, in organizing the items in a syllabus, it is necessary to consider factors
which depend upon a view of how people learn. It is an implicit statement about
the nature of language and of learning.

3. Materials Syllabus

The first person to interpret the syllabus is the materials writer. The
author adds yet more assumptions about the nature of language, language
learning, and language use.

4. Teacher Syllabus

The teacher can influence the clarity, intensity, and frequency of any
item, and thereby affect the image that the learners receive.

5. Classroom Syllabus

The classroom is a dynamic, interactive environment, which affects the

nature both of what is taught and what is learned.

6. Learner Syllabus (Internal Syllabus)

It is the network of knowledge that develops in the learner’s brain and

which enables the learner to comprehend and store the later knowledge.
LANGUAGE DESCRIPTION

It is the way in which the language system is broken down and described
for the purposes of learning.

1. Classical or traditional Grammar

The English language and other languages are based on the grammars
of classical languages – Greek and Latin.

2. Structural Linguistics

The structure of the sentence matters much rather than its meaning.

3. Transformational Generative Grammar

It is focused more of the meaning of the statement whether the structure

is modified.

4. Language Variation and Register Analysis

If we view language as part of a communicative whole, it is clear that

language use shows considerable variety.

5. Functional/Notional Grammar

Functions are concerned with social behavior and represent the intention
of the speaker or writer.

Notions reflect the way in which the human mind thinks.

Structure + context = function

6. Discourse (Rhetorical) Analysis

The emphasis is at how meaning is generated between sentences. The

context of the sentence is also important in creating the meaning.

Two factors that affect Discourse Analysis:

1. Sociological Context

It is the influence of the society to the statement. The relationship

of the speaker to the receiver of the statement also affects the meaning of the
statement.

2. Relative Position of Utterance

The meaning of the statement may vary according to the position

of the statement.
THEORIES OF LEARNING

5 Main Stages of Development:

1. Behaviorism: Learning as habit formation

It is founded by Ivan Pavlov. The focus here is the observable behaviors

or response of a certain individual in a particular situation – learning by
imitation. It states that learning is an acquisition of new behavior based on
environmental conditions.

 Classical Conditioning – natural reflex responds to a stimulus.

 Behavioral or Operant Conditioning – a response to a stimulus is
reinforced.

2. Mentalism: Thinking as a Rule-Governed Activity

Language develops of its own accord and is in no way affected by

external factors.

3. Cognitive Code: Learners as thinking beings

Learners are considered to be active processors of information which

means that we learn the language through the acquisition of it in our brain.

4. Affective Factor

Learning is an emotional experience. Motivation is mostly the concern in

this development because motivation has a great impact in the learning
process.

5. Learning and Acquisition

Learning is seen as a conscious process while acquisition proceeds

unconscious.

MODEL OF LEARNING

Learning is just like travelling or climbing on mountains. You must take the
roads and the rivers if there are. Our prior knowledge will help the new one and it will
only happen if we continue building a connection to it.