The evolution or development of ESP

The evolution or development of ESP

1. The Origen ESP

   • ESP was not a planned and coherent movement, but rather a phenomenon that grew out of a number of converging trends. These trends have operated in a variety of ways around the world.
     • We can identify three main reasons
       • 1. The demands of a Brave New World
         • The effect was to create a whole new mass of people wanting to learn English, not for the pleasure or prestige of knowing the language, but because English was the key to the international currencies of technology and commerce. English suddenly became big business and commercial pressures began to exert an influence.
       • 2. A revolution in linguistics
         • The view gained ground that the English needed by a particular group of learners could be identified by analysing the linguistic characteristics of their specialist area of work or study. 'Tell me what you need English for and I will tell you the English that you need' became the guiding principle of ESP.
       • 3. Focus on the learner
         • The growth of ESP, then, was brought about by a combination of three important factors: the expansion of demand for English to suit particular needs and developments in the fields of linguistics and educational psychology. All three factors seemed to point towards the need for increased specialisation in language learning.

2. The development of ESP

   • Register analysis
     • EST in the ESP story: They found that the school textbooks neglected some of the language forms commonly found in Science texts, for example, compound nouns, passives, conditionals, anomalous finites (i.e. modal verbs). Their conclusion was that the ESP course should, therefore, give precedence to these forms.
       • we can identify some phases
         • Register analysis as a research procedure was rapidly overtaken by developments in the world of linguistics.
         • The first stage of its development, ESP had focussed on language at the sentence level
         • The second phase of development shifted attention to the level above the sentence, as ESP became closely involved with the emerging field of discourse or rhetorical analysis.
         • The stage that we come to consider now did not really add anything new to the range of knowledge about ESP. What it aimed to do was to take the existing knowledge and set it on a more scientific basis, by establishing procedures for relating language analysis more closely to learners' reasons for learning.
         • The fourth stage of ESP has seen an attempt to look below the surface and to consider not the language itself but the thinking processes that underlie language use.
         • The fifth stage of ESP development - the learning centred approach. A truly valid approach to ESP must be based on an understanding of the processes of language learning. The implications of the distinction that we have made between language use and language learning.

3. Meaning of ESP

   • ESP was a phenomenon that emerged from a series of converging trends
     • 1) the expansion of the demand for English to meet the specific needs of a profession
     • 2) developments in the field of linguistics (attention shifted from defining the formal features of language to discovering the ways language is used in actual communication, prompting the need to develop of English courses for a specific group of students)
     • 3) educational psychology (students' needs and interests influence their motivation and the effectiveness of their learning).
   • Hutchinson and Waters (1987) define ESP as an approach rather than a product, which means that ESP does not involve a particular type of language, didactic material or methodology.

4. Characteristics

   • 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 centred on the language (grammar, lexis, register), skills, discourse and genres appropriate to these activities.
   • Variable characteristics
     • 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, either at a tertiary-level institution or in a professional work situation. It could, however, be used for learners at secondary school level.
     • 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
   • Distinguishing characteristic of ESP
     • It is believed that for some of its teaching ESP has developed its own methodology and its research draws on research from various disciplines in addition to applied linguistics
     • Teaching: The teaching of English for Specific Purposes (ESP) has been seen as a separate activity within English language teaching (ELT).
     • The emphasis of ELT is always on practical outcomes.
     • The theory of ESP could be outlined based on specific nature of the texts that learners need knowledge of or need-related nature of teaching.

5. Types of ESP

   • English for Academic Purposes (EAP)
   • English for Occupational Purposes (EOP)
   • Another division of ESP
     • EAP involves English for (Academic) Science and Technology (EST), English for (Academic) Medical Purposes (EMP), English for (Academic) Legal Purposes (ELP), and English for Management, Finance and Economics
     • EOP includes English for Professional Purposes (English for Medical Purposes, English for Business Purposes – EBP) and English for Vocational Purposes (Pre-vocational English and Vocational English); in EAP, EST has been the main area, but EMP and ELP have always had their place. Recently the academic study of business, finance, banking, economics has become increasingly important especially Masters in Business Administration (MBA) courses
     • EOP refers to English for professional purposes in administration, medicine, law and st annual atee Association of Teacher Education in Europe conference business, and vocational purposes for non-professionals in work (language of training for specific trades or occupations) or pre-work situations (concerned with finding a job and interview skills).

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