WHAT IS ESP?

• Prepared by: Ms. Williams

 Overview of ESP
Aseparate activity within ELT
• ESP research as an identifiable component of
applied linguistic research.
• ESP has developed its own methodology and draws
on research from various disciplines in addition to
applied linguistics.
• If ESP has moved away from trends in general ELT, it
has always retained its emphasis on practical outcomes.
• Rema i n wi t h needs a na lysi s, tex t a n a lys i s ,
preparing learners to communicate effectively in the
tasks prescribed by their study or work situation.
Overview of ESP(history)
• Since 1960s, ESP has become a vital and innovative activity within
the TEFL or TESL.
• In early years, ESP was dominated by EAP (English for Academic
Purposes) and EOP plays an important but small role.
• In recent years, international business has a huge growth (EBP).
• ESP activity used to be closely associated with projects led and
staffed by expatriate British, North American, Kuwait and Saudi
Arabic.
• Local teachers play relatively small roles in such projects.
Overview of ESP Non-native speakers
argued ESP work was too difficult.

• However, local teachers’ knowledge of their situations as

well as their familiarity with their students’ motivation and
learning styles give them a potential advantage over
native- speaker expatriate teachers.
• LSP has focused on the teaching of languages, such
French or German for specific purposes, which is very
similar to those used in ESP, however, place much greater
emphasis on the learning of vocabulary.
 What is ESP?
• It is an approach, not a product.It does not involve a particular kind
of language, teaching material or methodology.
• Foundation of ESP- Why does this learner need to learn a foreign
language?
• The answer related to the learners, the language required and the
learning context.
• Needs defined by the reasons the students are learning English,
which vary from study purposes.(Hutchinson and Waters, 1987)
 What is ES P? Goal-directed Develop from a needs
analysis

• Courses with a limited time period,

which objectives have to be achieved
•Taught to adults in homogeneous classes
in terms of the work or
specialist studies(Robinson, 1991)
 Advantages of E S P:
• Focused on the learners’ need, it wastes no
time;
• Relevant to the learners;Successful in
imparting learning;
• More cost-effective than ‘General
English.(Strevens,1988)
Role of the E S P P ractitioner:

•The ESP practitioner as teacher.

•The ESP practitioner as course designer
and materials provider.
•The ESP practitioner as researcher.
•The ESP practitioner as collaborator.
•The ESP practitioner as evaluator.