TOPIC 38: ENGLISH FOR SCIENCE AND TECHN, ADMINISTRATIVE AND BUSINESS ENG.

ABSTRACT
1. JUSTIFICATION AND IMPLICATIONS IN THE EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM
2. INTRODUCTION: THE ORIGINS AND DEVELOPMENT OF ENGLISH FOR SPECIFIC
PURPOSES (ESP)
3. ENGLISH FOR SPECIFIC PURPOSES (2types: EOP and EAP)
4. ENGLISH FOR SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
4.1 THE STRUCTURE OF A SCIENTIFIC ARTICLE
4.2 THE STYLE
4.3 THE LANGUAGE
5. ADMINISTRATIVE AND BUSINESS ENGLISH
5.1 SPECIALISED VOCABULARY FOR COMMERCE
6. CONCLUSION
7. BIBLIOGRAPHY

ABSTRACT
The present topic deals with a specific field in learning languages. People who learn English:
different reasons and different purposes.
-Globalised world: English is used as the main language for communication in all fields of
knowledge, especially when in need of cooperative work worldwide.
-This is the reason why many language learners use English for a Specific Purpose (ESP), a term
coined in the 70´s.
-We will start analysing the origins of ESP: term which embodies all kinds of English a user needs
to apply to a specific field of knowledge.
-Then we will concentrate on the main features of the scientific and technological, commercial and
business English.

1. JUSTIFICATION AND IMPLICATIONS IN THE EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM

The relevance of this topic and the didactic implications in our teaching practice can be closely
linked with the importance of the language variations and the learners´ needs for requiring a
language.
CEFRL: “a text is used to cover any piece of language, whether a spoken utterance or a piece of
writing, which users/learners receive, produce or exchange.
-LOMCE, preamble:the ability to communicate in a second or third language has become a priority”
-LOMCE, chapter III, art.23, (sections i and j)- general goals of education in Secondary):
“students are able to understand and express themselves in one or more foreign
languages in a suitable way”
-LOMCE, chapter IV, art.33 (bachillerato)
f) “express with fluency and correction in one or more foreign languages”
d) “reinforce reading habits as a means of personal development”
We will see along the topic that people who learn English may have a great number of reasons for
doing so and may use it in for different purposes. We as teachers must provide the students with a
comprehensive vision of this use of the English language, making them aware of the main
differences on the use of the English language and fostering their independence as citizens.

2. INTRODUCTION: THE ORIGINS OF ENGLISH FOR SPECIFIC PURPOSES (ESP)

Need analysis: is the assessment of the needs for which a learner or group of learners may
require a language. As a research area, it started in the 1970´s along with the development of the
communicative approach (researchers Richterich and Munby).
After World War II: enormous and unprecedented expansion in scientific, technical and economic
activity on an international scale=world unified, teaching English seen as a big business.
The reason for need analysis is that people learn a foreign language for different purposes
and need it to do different things. Type of language varies depending on their needs.
Need analysis involves: Who and how do they learn? What resources are available? Where and
when will the course take place?
TOPIC 38: ENGLISH FOR SCIENCE AND TECHN, ADMINISTRATIVE AND BUSINESS ENG.
The demand for English courses to specific needs was growing at the same time as influential
new ideas in the study of language.
-Previous years, the aim of linguists had been to describe grammar -> new studies discovered the
ways in which language is actually used in real communication (Widdowson)
This research demonstrated that language varies considerably form one context to another. If it
does so, it should be possible to determine the features of specific situations and then make
these features the basis of the learners´ course.
-1060´s-1970´s: greatest expansion of research of particular varieties of English, mainly English for
Science and Technology (EST).
-The guiding principle:“Tell me what you need English for and I will tell you the Engl. that you need”

5 MAIN STAGES:
1. REGISTER ANALYSIS principle that the English of a specific field
(focused on sentence level) constituted a specific register different from that of
another, do the main aim was to identify the
grammatical and lexical features of each register.

2. DISCOURSE ANALYSIS focused on discourse: how sentences combined in

(beyond the sentence-discourse) discourse to produce meaning. Identify
organisational patters in texts and specify the
linguistic means. Students were taught to
recognise these patterns.

3. NEEDS ANALYSIS in order to enable learners to function adequately,

identifying the target situation and then carrying out
a rigorous analysis of the linguistic features of that
situation-they will form the syllabus of the ESP
course

4. SKILLS AND STRATEGIES consider the language itself + the thinking

(previous stages analysed the surface forms of the processes that underlie language use. Emphasis on
language, in this stage we look below the surface) reading or listening strategies. Learners can be
asked to observe their interpretive processes they
employ in language use

5. LEARNING CENTRED APPROACH our concern in ESP is language learning.

Understanding the processes of language learning:
learning centred approach

3. ENGLISH FOR SPECIFIC PURPOSES (ESP)

Need for English as a common medium of communication: important as an international

language, due to growth of business and increased occupational mobility. Also, it is the main
language used on the Internet, social media, science and technical literature. These demands
have resulted in: the teaching of English for Specific Purposes (ESP).
-Teachers were faced with learners, often adults, who had already acquired some English
knowledge at school, but have now a different purpose in learning the language -> there was a gap
of the materials and courses: developments for these specific-purpose learners.
-Focus on the learners and their needs, central to the problem of deciding course content
-Different view of language, not only as a set of grammatical structures but also a set of
functions. Learners in ESP situations already have a grammatical knowledge of the
language, so this communicative approach lets them use knowledge more productively.
We can distinguish two main divisions of ESP: EOP and EAP
1. ENGLISH FOR OCCUPATIONAL PURPOSES: learners need English as part of their work or
profession. Different courses depending on when they are learning English + work training.
2. ENGLISH FOR ACADEMIC PURPOSES: within educational institutions to students needing
English in their studies, ie when they are specialising. Also at bilingual highschools (maths, PE)
TOPIC 38: ENGLISH FOR SCIENCE AND TECHN, ADMINISTRATIVE AND BUSINESS ENG.
4. ENGLISH FOR SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

Much of the demands for ESP have come from scientists and technologists. Scientific and
technical articles and essays are mainly published in journals, magazines and newspapers.
They present a stock of vocabulary, grammatical forms and functions which are common to the
study of science and technology.
-Thinking about the audience -> How scientific and technical articles are written depends on who
the readers are (more scholarly, academic journal allows specialised vocabulary, whereas a piece
in a more popular magician has to be accessible for a wider audience.
-Articles and essays have to be well thought out and ordered. The writer must present main ideas,
supporting evidence, analyses and conclusions in a logical and organised manner.

4.1 STRUCTURE OF A SCIENTIFIC ARTICLE:

1. INTRODUCTION Presenting the topic (tells the reader what the
subject of the paper is) catches his attention.
Make a clear thesis statement.
The present paper examines / In this article, we
report on…/ The key question that this article
will address is…/ This paper will report on..
2. MAIN BODY (depending on the kind of article -Informational or expository (presenting
intended to write) information, not persuading)
-Explanatory (presents info + provides an
explanation)
-Argumentative or persuasive (the writer has a
viewpoint and is trying to persuade the reader
to agree with it)
3. CONCLUSION -What is remembered in the reader´s mind. The
whole of the essay is attached here.Implies a
repetition of the intro+taking into account what was
developed in the main body + add something extra

-In conclusion, we could say that/ This research

paper has clearly shown that /From the research
that has been carried out, we can conclude that..

4.2 THE STYLE

In writing technical and scientific papers, you should aim to achieve the following features:

Objectivity: using the passive voice and avoiding ambiguous statements or metaphoric
elements. Precise reference to data in tables, graphs and diagrams
Clarity: simplicity of text and its composition, readability. Avoid overlong sentences. Use linking
words, repeating structures and signposting help readers to relate information.
Formality: avoid contractions and the used of personal pronoun “I”. Instead, “we” or “the team”
are preferred. Also impersonal forms and passive voice.
Hedging: not making blunt, absolute or categorical statements. It means avoiding
overgeneralisations. Writing in an impersonal style in order to sound more objective and
convincing. Avoid showing their personal attitude towards the topic.
-It seems to/appears to.., It might be of interest / This might suggest / Certainty, approximately..

Every discipline has its own style standard. These can be found in Style Manuals, published
and available for each field, science and discipline. Writers must know and follow their standards.
TOPIC 38: ENGLISH FOR SCIENCE AND TECHN, ADMINISTRATIVE AND BUSINESS ENG.
4.3 THE LANGUAGE

The type of English that will be necessary in English for Science and Techn. is a central point.
Each subject speciality has its own vocabulary, often highly specialised.
The learners must be aware of: semi-technical words, compound nouns or the uses of the
same structures but in different distributions (i.e. passives and nominal groups).

-English will change its characteristics according to a number of variables: topic affects
vocabulary, the medium of communication (spoken/written) the mode of communication (spoken
but written down, written to be read in silence..), the channel (face to face, over the telephone..),
relation of the participants (doctor-pacient), etc.

-Specialized texts present various characteristics that may lead to problems:

TECHNICAL ABREVIATIONS, SYMBOL AND FORMULAE, HIGHLY TECHNICAL
VOCABULARY, SUBTECHNICAL VOCABULARY and OTHER SPECIALIST VOCABULARY.

5. ADMINISTRATIVE AND BUSINESS ENGLISH

Nowadays: rapid technological development and advancement of human knowledge for the
economy. Online banks, transfers, deposits…use of the Internet and new Apps. People use
English to provide information, exchange ideas, social media and gain new knowledge.
-Those who have a higher English proficiency for business are highly estimated and get best
places in the working market.
-Ellis and Johnson set 3 main features:
1. CLEAR COMMUNICATION: business English requires a very formal English style, a rigorous
and concise language, knowledge of the business register for documents. -The key is to show
information clearly and effectively, with a lot of English abbreviations.
(Reps=sales representative, L/C= letter of credit, A/C= account…). Little use of adverbial or
attributive clauses, focus on simple and clear language. Making use of the active voice, to help
each other obtain relevant information directly.
2. SENSE OF PURPOSE: a clear aim to achieve a goal, depending on the kind of business.
We can account for the different language functions:
telephoning, socializing, giving presentations, taking part in meetings, negotiating, report
writing… It seems clear that the purpose and the user (native or non-native) will affect the kind of
communication but bearing in mind that international language also needs a series of conventions
as far as socialising.

-Social aspect: Business English is mainly used in economic and trade activities, it also
determines the use of the language and politeness features. Proficiency in other cultures is very
important in order to establish a good ground for international relations. It is different when
speakers/writers who are not familiar, have never met the person, oral communication or written
emails… etc.

5.1 SPECIALISED VOCABULARY FOR COMMERCE

The businessperson usually has no difficulties with terminology. They frequently are taught the
lexis by means of programmed instruction for private study: vocabulary, activities about reading
specialist texts, listening passages and extracts from company materials..etc.
They must be aware of how to write in an appropriate way a letter or formal email and become
familiar with the differences between English and Spanish business letters:
capitalisation, punctuation, abbreviations, some spelling rules such as differences between
Am.English and Br.English, parts of a letter… etc.
TOPIC 38: ENGLISH FOR SCIENCE AND TECHN, ADMINISTRATIVE AND BUSINESS ENG.

6. CONCLUSION

So far, we have tried to provide a comprehensive scope of the field of ENGLISH FOR SPECIFIC
PURPOSES. We went back to its origins in the 1960´s, how it has become a relevant aspect in
English language teaching…mainly after the use of Internet and social networks. Then we moved
to see the different versions of ESP we can find nowadays and the most significant elements in
scientific and technological writing firstly, and secondly moving into the administrative and
business English.
We must remember that, though this kind of language may be presented at higher and more
specialised levels, some of the formal structures and specialised vocabulary appear in the
Bachillerato curriculum and also daily in all kinds of writing and reading. Therefore, it is important
to clarify these concepts in our teaching labour, as well as making our students aware of
the importance of writing and speaking in an appropriate way, specially when they want to
address to certain specialised public, such as university essays.
Activities such as: looking up in dictionaries, inferring words from reading texts, writing formal /
informal emails, writing a complaint letter or making up and invention and describing it…etc.

7. BIBLIOGRAPHY

-Royal Decree 1105/2014 on September 26th dealing with the basic curriculum in
Compulsory Secondary Education and Bachillerato.
-Organic Law 8/2013 on the Improvement of the Educational Quality. Agencia Estatal Boletín
Oficial del Estado.
-Council of Europe (2001): Common European Framework of Reference for Languages: Learning,
Teaching, Assessment. Cambridge: CUP.
-Downing A., Locke, P. English Grammar. A University Course, Routledge, 2006.
-Quirk, R. and Greenbaum, S. A University Grammar of English. Longman Group: England, 1993.
-Swam, M. A Practical English Usage. Oxford, Second Edition. 2000.
-Widdowson, H. Teaching Language as Communication. OUP, Oxford, 1998.