Esp 1

English
for
Specific
Purpose
s
An Overview
JENEVEV B. NAYBE
Institute of Teacher Education
English for Specific
Purposes (ESP)
A learner-centered approach to teaching
English as an additional language, which
focuses on developing communicative
competence in a specific discipline such
as academics, accounting, agrology,
business, IT, teaching, and engineering.
01 02
Designed to Related in content 03
meet the (themes and topics) Use authentic
specific to particular
work-specific
needs of the disciplines or
documents and
learners. 04 occupations. 05 materials.
Promote cultural
Deliver
awareness and
intermediate
seeks to improve
and advanced
intercultural
level language
competency.
ESP programs differ from general English language
training.
courses and contain the following characteristics:
 English has become the internationally accepted
language of almost all the fields of knowledge.
 Depending on their specific needs and requirements,
new learners who knew specifically why they need
English are created.
 In some cases people with inadequate proficiency in
English need to be taught to handle specific jobs.
 To fulfill the needs of these new learners new specific
courses were designed and introduced.
 ESP is one of these specific courses.
 From early 1960’s, ESP has emerged as one of the major
areas of EFL teaching today.
 Various universities across the globe are offering a

number of ESP courses nowadays.
Examples: English for Chemists, English for

Educationists, English for Advertisements, English for
Media, etc.
Meaning of esp
 ESP means English for specific purposes.
 ESP is defined in the terms of its absolute and
variable characteristics by Tony Dudley Evens.
 Absolute Characteristics:
 Meets specific needs of learners.
 Makes use of underlying methodology

and activities of the discipline it serves.
 Is centered on the language appropriate

to these activities in terms of grammar,
lexis, syntax, study skills, discourse, and
genre.
Meaning of esp
 Variable Characteristics:
 May be related to or designed for specific

disciplines.
 May use, in particular situations, different

methodologies from general English.
 Is likely to be designed for adult learners,

either at an institute or at a work place.
 Is generally designed for intermediate and

advanced students.
 Most of the ESP courses assume some basic

knowledge of the language systems.
Meaning of esp
 ESP is an approach to teaching.
 ESP is an attitude of mind.
 ESP is concerned with turning learners
into users.
 Hutchinson et al. (1987:19) state,
 ESP is an approach to language

teaching in which all decisions as to
content and method are based on
the learner’s reason of learning.
David Carter (1983) identifies three types
of ESP:
English as a restricted
English for Academic and
language, e.g. of a pilot, or English with specific topics.
Occupational Purposes.
a waiter.
Only used for specific English for Academic

contexts. Knowing this type Purposes (EAP), e.g. Uniquely concerned with
of English may not help to English for medical anticipated future English
communicate effectively studies needs, e.g. Scientists
outside the specific requiring English for
context. postgraduate studies or
English for Occupational attending conferences.
Purposes (EOP), e.g.
English for Technicians.
Carter (1983)
 discusses three characteristics of ESP courses.
 Authentic material
Study material must be authentic.
 Purpose-related orientation
 Orientation lessons must be according to the needs of the learners.
 Self-direction
 Learners must have a degree of freedom to decide what, when and
how they will study.
The word SPECIAL in ESP:
● Purpose for which learners learn
language; not the nature of
language.
● Restricted repertoire of words

and expressions selected from
the whole language.
ESP
ESP-English for specific
purposes has emerged as a
significant field in Applied
Linguistics. It is mostly
concerned with the learners’
needs for a specific field of
academics or occupation.
Restricted skills of words and
expressions, purpose of
learning the language are the
areas to be considered in ESP.
Thank you for you time listening

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English

 Various universities across the globe are offering a

Examples: English for Chemists, English for

 Meets specific needs of learners.

 Makes use of underlying methodology

 Is centered on the language appropriate

 May be related to or designed for specific

 May use, in particular situations, different

 Is likely to be designed for adult learners,

 Is generally designed for intermediate and

 Most of the ESP courses assume some basic

 ESP is an approach to language

Only used for specific English for Academic

● Restricted repertoire of words

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