The Roles of English for Specific Purposes Practitioner
The ESP Practitioner
'What is the difference between the ESP and 'General English' approach?' Hutchinson et al.
(1987:53) answer this quite simply, "in theory nothing, in practise a great deal". In 1987, of course,
the last statement was quite true. At the time, teachers of 'General English' courses, while
acknowledging that students had a specific purpose for studying English, would rarely conduct a
needs analysis to find out what was necessary to actually achieve it. Teachers nowadays, however,
are much more aware of the importance of needs analysis, and published textbooks have improved
dramatically allowing the teacher to select materials which closely match the goals of the learner.
Perhaps this demonstrates the influence that the ESP approach has had on English teaching in
general. Nevertheless, the line between where 'General English' courses stop and ESP courses start
has become very vague indeed.
Ironically, although many 'General English' teachers can be described as using an ESP approach,
basing their syllabi on a learner needs analysis and their own specialist knowledge of using English
for real communication, many so-called ESP teachers are using an approach furthest from that
described above. Coming from a background unrelated to the discipline in which they are asked to
teach, ESP teachers are usually unable to rely on personal experiences when evaluating materials
and considering course goals. At the university level in particular, they are also unable to rely on
the views of the learners, who tend not to know what English abilities are required by the
profession they hope to enter. The result is that many ESP teachers become slaves to the published
textbooks available, and worse, when there are no textbooks available for a particular discipline,
resolve to teaching from textbooks which may be quite unsuitable.
Dudley Evans describes the true ESP teacher or ESP Practitioner (Swales, 1988) as needing to
perform five different roles. These are 1) Teacher, 2) Collaborator, 3) Course designer and materials
provider, 4) Researcher and 5) Evaluator. The 'first role as 'teacher' is synonymous with that of the
'General English' teacher. It is in the performing of the other four roles that differences between the
two emerge. In order to meet the specific needs of the learners and adopt the methodology and
activities of the target discipline, the ESP Practitioner (collaborator) must first work closely with field specialists.
One example of the important results that can emerge from such a collaboration is reported by Orr
(1995). This collaboration, however, does not have to end at the development stage and can extend
as far as teach teaching, a possibility discussed by Johns et al. (1988). When team teaching is not a
possibility, the ESP Practitioner must collaborate more closely with the learners, who will generally
be more familiar with the specialized content of materials than the teacher him or herself.
Both 'General English' teachers and ESP practitioners are often required to design courses and
provide materials. One of the main controversies in the field of ESP is how specific those materials
should be (Course Designer and Materials Provider). Hutchinson et al. (1987:165) support materials that cover a wide range of fields, arguing
that the grammatical structures, functions, discourse structures, skills, and strategies of different disciplines are identical. More recent research, however, has shown this not to be the case. Hansen
(1988), for example, describes clear differences between anthropology and sociology texts, and
Anthony (1998) shows unique features of writing in the field of engineering. Unfortunately, with
the exception of textbooks designed for major fields such as computer science and business studies,
most tend to use topics from multiple disciplines, making much of the material redundant and
perhaps even confusing the learner as to what is appropriate in the target field. Many ESP
practitioners are therefore left with no alternative than to develop original materials. It is here that
the ESP practitioner's role as 'researcher' is especially important, with results leading directly to
appropriate materials for the classroom.
The final role as 'evaluator' is perhaps the role that ESP practitioners have neglected most to date.
As Johns et al. (1991) describe, there have been few empirical studies that test the effectiveness of
ESP courses. For example, the only evaluation of the non compulsory course reported by Hall et al.
(1986:158) is that despite carrying no credits, "students continue to attend despite rival pressures of
a heavy programme of credit courses". On the other hand, recent work such as that of Jenkins et al.
(1993) suggests an increasing interest in this area of research.
Other Information
The responsibility of the teacher
A teacher that already has experience in teaching English as a Second Language (ESL), can exploit her background in language teaching. She should recognize the ways in which her teaching skills can be adapted for the teaching of English for Specific Purposes. Moreover, she will need to look for content specialists for help in designing appropriate lessons in the subject matter field she is teaching.
As an ESP teacher, you must play many roles. You may be asked to organize courses, to set learning objectives, to establish a positive learning environment in the classroom, and to evaluate student s progress.
Organizing Courses You have to set learning goals and then transform them into an instructional program with the timing of activities. One of your main tasks will be selecting, designing and organizing course materials, supporting the students in their efforts, and providing them with feedback on their progress.
Setting Goals and Objectives You arrange the conditions for learning in the classroom and set long-term goals and short-term objectives for students achievement. Your knowledge of students' potential is central in designing a syllabus with realistic goals that takes into account the students' concern in the learning situation.
Creating a Learning EnvironmentYour skills for communication and mediation create the classroom atmosphere. Students acquire language when they have opportunities to use the language in interaction with other speakers. Being their teacher, you may be the only English speaking person available to students, and although your time with any of them is limited, you can structure effective communication skills in the classroom. In order to do so, in your interactions with students try to listen carefully to what they are saying and give your understanding or misunderstanding back at them through your replies. Good language learners are also great risk-takers , since they must make many errors in order to succeed: however, in ESP classes, they are handicapped because they are unable to use their native language competence to present themselves as well-informed adults. That s why the teacher should create an atmosphere in the language classroom which supports the students. Learners must be self-confident in order to communicate, and you have the responsibility to help build the learner's confidence.
Evaluating Students The teacher is a resource that helps students identify their language learning problems and find solutions to them, find out the skills they need to focus on, and take responsibility for making choices which determine what and how to learn. You will serve as a source of information to the students about how they are progressing in their language learning.
The responsibility of the student
What is the role of the learner and what is the task he/she faces? The learners come to the ESP class with a specific interest for learning, subject matter knowledge, and well-built adult learning strategies. They are in charge of developing English language skills to reflect their native-language knowledge and skills.
Interest for Learning People learn languages when they have opportunities to understand and work with language in a context that they comprehend and find interesting. In this view, ESP is a powerful means for such opportunities. Students will acquire English as they work with materials which they find interesting and relevant and which they can use in their professional work or further studies. The more learners pay attention to the meaning of the language they hear or read, the more they are successful; the more they have to focus on the linguistic input or isolated language structures, the less they are motivated to attend their classes.
The ESP student is particularly well disposed to focus on meaning in the subject-matter field. In ESP, English should be presented not as a subject to be learned in isolation from real use, nor as a mechanical skill or habit to be developed. On the contrary, English should be presented in authentic contexts to make the learners acquainted with the particular ways in which the language is used in functions that they will need to perform in their fields of specialty or jobs.
Subject-Content KnowledgeLearners in the ESP classes are generally aware of the purposes for which they will need to use English. Having already oriented their education toward a specific field, they see their English training as complementing this orientation. Knowledge of the subject area enables the students to identify a real context for the vocabulary and structures of the ESP classroom. In such way, the learners can take advantage of what they already know about the subject matter to learn English.
Learning Strategies Adults must work harder than children in order to learn a new language, but the learning skills they bring to the task permit them to learn faster and more efficiently. The skills they have already developed in using their native languages will make learning English easier. Although you will be working with students whose English will probably be quite limited, the language learning abilities of the adult in the ESP classroom are potentially immense. Educated adults are continually learning new language behaviour in their native languages, since language learning continues naturally throughout our lives. They are constantly expanding vocabulary, becoming more fluent in their fields, and adjusting their linguistic behaviour to new situations or new roles. ESP students can exploit these innate competencies in learning English.
http://www.usingenglish.com/articles/teaching-english-for-specific-purposes-esp.html#xoFl1pOwxOH0uUFB.99
The ESP Practitioner
'What is the difference between the ESP and 'General English' approach?' Hutchinson et al.
(1987:53) answer this quite simply, "in theory nothing, in practise a great deal". In 1987, of course,
the last statement was quite true. At the time, teachers of 'General English' courses, while
acknowledging that students had a specific purpose for studying English, would rarely conduct a
needs analysis to find out what was necessary to actually achieve it. Teachers nowadays, however,
are much more aware of the importance of needs analysis, and published textbooks have improved
dramatically allowing the teacher to select materials which closely match the goals of the learner.
Perhaps this demonstrates the influence that the ESP approach has had on English teaching in
general. Nevertheless, the line between where 'General English' courses stop and ESP courses start
has become very vague indeed.
Ironically, although many 'General English' teachers can be described as using an ESP approach,
basing their syllabi on a learner needs analysis and their own specialist knowledge of using English
for real communication, many so-called ESP teachers are using an approach furthest from that
described above. Coming from a background unrelated to the discipline in which they are asked to
teach, ESP teachers are usually unable to rely on personal experiences when evaluating materials
and considering course goals. At the university level in particular, they are also unable to rely on
the views of the learners, who tend not to know what English abilities are required by the
profession they hope to enter. The result is that many ESP teachers become slaves to the published
textbooks available, and worse, when there are no textbooks available for a particular discipline,
resolve to teaching from textbooks which may be quite unsuitable.
Dudley Evans describes the true ESP teacher or ESP Practitioner (Swales, 1988) as needing to
perform five different roles. These are 1) Teacher, 2) Collaborator, 3) Course designer and materials
provider, 4) Researcher and 5) Evaluator. The 'first role as 'teacher' is synonymous with that of the
'General English' teacher. It is in the performing of the other four roles that differences between the
two emerge. In order to meet the specific needs of the learners and adopt the methodology and
activities of the target discipline, the ESP Practitioner (collaborator) must first work closely with field specialists.
One example of the important results that can emerge from such a collaboration is reported by Orr
(1995). This collaboration, however, does not have to end at the development stage and can extend
as far as teach teaching, a possibility discussed by Johns et al. (1988). When team teaching is not a
possibility, the ESP Practitioner must collaborate more closely with the learners, who will generally
be more familiar with the specialized content of materials than the teacher him or herself.
Both 'General English' teachers and ESP practitioners are often required to design courses and
provide materials. One of the main controversies in the field of ESP is how specific those materials
should be (Course Designer and Materials Provider). Hutchinson et al. (1987:165) support materials that cover a wide range of fields, arguing
that the grammatical structures, functions, discourse structures, skills, and strategies of different disciplines are identical. More recent research, however, has shown this not to be the case. Hansen
(1988), for example, describes clear differences between anthropology and sociology texts, and
Anthony (1998) shows unique features of writing in the field of engineering. Unfortunately, with
the exception of textbooks designed for major fields such as computer science and business studies,
most tend to use topics from multiple disciplines, making much of the material redundant and
perhaps even confusing the learner as to what is appropriate in the target field. Many ESP
practitioners are therefore left with no alternative than to develop original materials. It is here that
the ESP practitioner's role as 'researcher' is especially important, with results leading directly to
appropriate materials for the classroom.
The final role as 'evaluator' is perhaps the role that ESP practitioners have neglected most to date.
As Johns et al. (1991) describe, there have been few empirical studies that test the effectiveness of
ESP courses. For example, the only evaluation of the non compulsory course reported by Hall et al.
(1986:158) is that despite carrying no credits, "students continue to attend despite rival pressures of
a heavy programme of credit courses". On the other hand, recent work such as that of Jenkins et al.
(1993) suggests an increasing interest in this area of research.
Other Information
The responsibility of the teacher
A teacher that already has experience in teaching English as a Second Language (ESL), can exploit her background in language teaching. She should recognize the ways in which her teaching skills can be adapted for the teaching of English for Specific Purposes. Moreover, she will need to look for content specialists for help in designing appropriate lessons in the subject matter field she is teaching.
As an ESP teacher, you must play many roles. You may be asked to organize courses, to set learning objectives, to establish a positive learning environment in the classroom, and to evaluate student s progress.
Organizing Courses You have to set learning goals and then transform them into an instructional program with the timing of activities. One of your main tasks will be selecting, designing and organizing course materials, supporting the students in their efforts, and providing them with feedback on their progress.
Setting Goals and Objectives You arrange the conditions for learning in the classroom and set long-term goals and short-term objectives for students achievement. Your knowledge of students' potential is central in designing a syllabus with realistic goals that takes into account the students' concern in the learning situation.
Creating a Learning EnvironmentYour skills for communication and mediation create the classroom atmosphere. Students acquire language when they have opportunities to use the language in interaction with other speakers. Being their teacher, you may be the only English speaking person available to students, and although your time with any of them is limited, you can structure effective communication skills in the classroom. In order to do so, in your interactions with students try to listen carefully to what they are saying and give your understanding or misunderstanding back at them through your replies. Good language learners are also great risk-takers , since they must make many errors in order to succeed: however, in ESP classes, they are handicapped because they are unable to use their native language competence to present themselves as well-informed adults. That s why the teacher should create an atmosphere in the language classroom which supports the students. Learners must be self-confident in order to communicate, and you have the responsibility to help build the learner's confidence.
Evaluating Students The teacher is a resource that helps students identify their language learning problems and find solutions to them, find out the skills they need to focus on, and take responsibility for making choices which determine what and how to learn. You will serve as a source of information to the students about how they are progressing in their language learning.
The responsibility of the student
What is the role of the learner and what is the task he/she faces? The learners come to the ESP class with a specific interest for learning, subject matter knowledge, and well-built adult learning strategies. They are in charge of developing English language skills to reflect their native-language knowledge and skills.
Interest for Learning People learn languages when they have opportunities to understand and work with language in a context that they comprehend and find interesting. In this view, ESP is a powerful means for such opportunities. Students will acquire English as they work with materials which they find interesting and relevant and which they can use in their professional work or further studies. The more learners pay attention to the meaning of the language they hear or read, the more they are successful; the more they have to focus on the linguistic input or isolated language structures, the less they are motivated to attend their classes.
The ESP student is particularly well disposed to focus on meaning in the subject-matter field. In ESP, English should be presented not as a subject to be learned in isolation from real use, nor as a mechanical skill or habit to be developed. On the contrary, English should be presented in authentic contexts to make the learners acquainted with the particular ways in which the language is used in functions that they will need to perform in their fields of specialty or jobs.
Subject-Content KnowledgeLearners in the ESP classes are generally aware of the purposes for which they will need to use English. Having already oriented their education toward a specific field, they see their English training as complementing this orientation. Knowledge of the subject area enables the students to identify a real context for the vocabulary and structures of the ESP classroom. In such way, the learners can take advantage of what they already know about the subject matter to learn English.
Learning Strategies Adults must work harder than children in order to learn a new language, but the learning skills they bring to the task permit them to learn faster and more efficiently. The skills they have already developed in using their native languages will make learning English easier. Although you will be working with students whose English will probably be quite limited, the language learning abilities of the adult in the ESP classroom are potentially immense. Educated adults are continually learning new language behaviour in their native languages, since language learning continues naturally throughout our lives. They are constantly expanding vocabulary, becoming more fluent in their fields, and adjusting their linguistic behaviour to new situations or new roles. ESP students can exploit these innate competencies in learning English.
http://www.usingenglish.com/articles/teaching-english-for-specific-purposes-esp.html#xoFl1pOwxOH0uUFB.99