ELT 317 (ENGLISH FOR SPECIFIC PURPOSES)

Since the 1960s, English for Specific Purposes (ESP) has emerged as one of
the most dynamic branches of Applied Linguistics and Teaching English as a
Foreign Language (TEFL). The rise of ESP has been largely driven by the
global expansion of English as a world language, creating a need to adapt
teaching approaches to various specialized contexts and learners' needs.
ESP focuses on teaching English with a specific purpose in mind, often
related to academic, vocational, or professional settings. This report explores
the definitions, development, and importance of ESP.

Definitions of ESP

Definitions of ESP vary, but most scholars agree on its utilitarian nature.
According to Anthony (1997), ESP refers to the teaching of English for a
clearly defined utilitarian purpose. This approach, as described by Mackay
and Mountford (1978), emphasizes teaching specific language skills using
real-life situations that allow learners to use English effectively in their future
professions or academic fields. For instance, learners studying English for
academic purposes focus on mastering language skills required to
comprehend and produce academic texts.

Robinson (1991) and Basturkmen (2006) highlight that learners in ESP are
often not interested in English language or culture per se. Instead, they are
motivated by the need to use English for their studies or work. ESP aims to
help students acquire the language proficiency required for success in their
specific fields, such as law, medicine, or business.

Origins of ESP

The roots of Language for Specific Purposes (LSP) can be traced back to the
Greek and Roman empires, as noted by Dudley-Evans and St. Johns (1998).
However, Strevens (1977) suggested that LSP had emerged more explicitly
over the past half-century. According to Hutchinson and Waters (1987), ESP
did not originate as a coherent movement but rather evolved from several
converging trends.

Development of ESP

The post-war era saw a growing demand for English learners who knew
exactly why they needed the language. The rapid expansion of scientific,
technical, and economic activity in the 20th century meant that professionals
in these fields required access to English for specific purposes. English
became the international language of communication in these sectors, and
learners began to focus on mastering the skills necessary to understand
specialized texts such as manuals, scientific articles, and legal documents.

The traditional approach to language teaching, which focused on general

language usage, proved insufficient in addressing the specific needs of
learners in professional and academic contexts. As a result, language
teaching methodologies were reorganized to cater to the unique demands of
different disciplines. Specialized courses were developed, using specific
corpora for fields such as medicine, law, and engineering.

ESP Characteristics

- ESP is a recognizable activity of English Language Teaching (ELT) with

some specific characteristics. Dudley-Evans and St. Johns tried (1998) to
apply a series of characteristics, some absolute and some variable, to outline
the major features of ESP.

 Absolute Characteristics

1. ESP is defined to meet specific needs of the learners;

2. ESP makes use of underlying methodology and activities of the

discipline it serves;

3. ESP is centred on the language (grammar, lexis, register), skills,

discourse and genre appropriate to these activities.

 Variable Characteristics

1. ESP may be related to or designed for specific disciplines;

2. ESP may use, in specific teaching situations, a different

methodology from that of General English;

3. 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 for
learners at secondary school level;

4. ESP is generally designed for intermediate or advanced students.

Most ESP courses assume some basic knowledge of the language systems,
but it can be used with beginners.

(Dudley-Evans & St. John, 1998)

It is obvious that the absolute characteristics are specific to ESP

because learners’ needs are of central importance when designing language
activities. Concerning the variable features, ESP courses can be designed for
a specific group using definite teaching methodology, nevertheless, all
learners’ categories and disciplines can be concerned with ESP. For that
reason, ESP should be seen simply as an 'approach' to teaching, or what
Dudley-Evans and St. John illustrated as an “attitude of mind’'. Similarly,
Hutchinson and Waters‟ (1987) stated that, "ESP should properly be seen not
as any particular language product but as an approach to language
teaching in which all decisions as to content and method are based on the
learner's reason for learning".
The Difference between ESP and EGP

Hutchinson and Waters (1987) stated that there is no difference

between the two in theory; however, there is a great deal of difference in
practice. ESP, like any other language teaching activity, stands on facts
about language nature, learning, and teaching; it is, however, often contrasted
with General English.
-ESP teaching approach is known to be learner-centred where
learners’ needs and goals are of supreme value, whereas General English
approach is language-centred, and focuses on learning language from a
broad perception covering all the language skills and the cultural aspects of
the English speaking community.

Robinson (1980) stated that “the general with which we are

contrasting the specific is that of General education for life, culture and
literature oriented language course in which the language itself is the subject
matter and the purpose of the course”. However, in ESP, after the
identification and the analysis of specific learning needs, students learn
“English en route to the acquisition of some quite different body of knowledge
and set of skills”.
-Further distinction between General English courses and ESP is that,
learners of the latter are mainly adult with a certain degree of awareness
concerning their language needs (Hutchinson & Waters, 1987). Whereas,
General English courses are provided to pupils as compulsory module at
schools, their unique purpose is to succeed in the examinations.

Basturkmen (2006) maintains that General English Language

teaching tends to set out from a definite point to an indeterminate one,
whereas ESP aims to speed learners and direct them through to a known
destination in order to reach specific objectives. The emphasis in ESP on
going from A to B in the most time- and energy-efficient manner can lead to
the view that ESP is an essentially practical endeavor.
-It is observed from the above distinctions that ESP and General
English are different in the aims and objectives of the courses, the nature of
the learners and the themes. The latter is also a point of disagreement
between the linguists concerning ESP branches or the categorisation of its
subjects of practice.

TYPES OF ESP (ENGLISH FOR SPECIFIC PURPOSES)

WHAT IS ESP?

 A subset of English as a second or foreign language.

 It usually refers to teaching the English language to university students or
people already in employment, with reference to the particular vocabulary
and skills they need.

THREE TYPES OF ESP:

 English for Science and Technology (EST),

 English for Business and Economics (EBE), and
 English for Social Sciences (ESS).

ENGLISH FOR SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY (EST)

 generally refers to English used in scientific publications, papers,

textbooks, technical reports and academic lectures, etc. It is used to
describe the physical and natural phenomena, their processes, properties,
characteristics, laws and application in productive activities.

ENGLISH FOR BUSINESS AND ECONOMICS (EBE)

 is a specialized branch of English language teaching that focuses on the

language skills needed in business and economic contexts. EBE courses
cover topics such as business communication, negotiation, presentation
skills, and financial terminology.

ENGLISH FOR SOCIAL SCIENCES (ESS)

 the study of society and the way people live; the subjects connected with
this, for example history, economics, etc.

SUB-BRANCHES:

 English for Academic Purposes

 English for Occupational Purposes

ENGLISH FOR ACADEMIC PURPOSES

 It is applied for common core elements also known as “study skills”. They
basically consist of writing academic texts, taking notes and observations,
listening to formal academic discourses and making presentations.

ENGLISH FOR OCCUPATIONAL PURPOSES

 It train individuals to perform on the job, using English to communicate.

This type of course would be useful for the training of lawyers for instance
and administrative chiefs aiming at reaching a proficiency level.

Objectives in Teaching ESP (BASTURMEN 2006)

What is Objectives in Teaching ESP?

 The main aim of the teaching and learning process is to enable the
learners to acquire information in its general sense.
 Focus on helping learners acquire the English skills needed to effectively
communicate in specific professional or academic contexts.

Objectives in Teaching ESP (BASTURMEN 2006)

- To reveal subject-specific language use.
- To develop target performance competencies.
- To teach underlying knowledge.
- To develop strategic competence
- To foster critical awareness.

Reveal subject-specific language use

 This objective aims to demonstrate to the learners how the language is

used in the target setting.

-Example: A student studying engineering will learn technical English terms

like "voltage," "circuit," or "blueprint," which are different from words used
in other fields.

Develop target performance competencies

 This objective is concerned with what learners do with language and the
needed skills to be competent.

-Example: A business student may need to learn how to negotiate a contract

in English. They will practice phrases like "Let’s discuss the terms of the
agreement" or "Could we extend the deadline?" to handle real-life
business situations.

Teach underlying knowledge

 The aim is to focus on developing students’ knowledge of fields of study

or work in addition to their language skills.

-Example: A teacher learning ESP might also study concepts like "student-
centered learning" or "cognitive development" to better understand how to
apply teaching techniques in English.

Develop strategic competence

 “Strategic competence is the link between context of situation and

language knowledge” (Basturkmen, 2006) and enables successful and
efficient communication.

-Example: A doctor might need to use different language when talking to a

patient (e.g., "Your blood pressure is a little high, which could lead to
health issues") compared to talking with other doctors (e.g., "The patient
presents with hypertension, and I recommend further cardiovascular
assessment").

Foster critical awareness

 This objective can be linked to the cultural knowledge and affective
objectives in Stern’s (1992) classification” (Basturkmen, 2006) and aims at
making students conscious and culturally aware of the target situation.

-Example: Students studying diplomacy need to understand cultural

differences and use formal English when negotiating with officials from
different countries (e.g., "We appreciate your government’s support" or
"We look forward to collaborating on future projects"). They also need to
be aware of the polite, indirect ways English is used in diplomatic discussions.

NEED ANALYSIS

The phrase Needs Analysis is used interchangeably with the phrase needs
assessment. It is the process of determining the needs for which a learner or
a group of learners acquires a language and arranges the needs according to
priorities. Need assessment makes use of both subjective and objective
information (e.g. data from questionnaires, tests, interviews, observation)
Richards and Schmidt, 2018, p. 389.

PURPOSE OF NEED ANALYSIS

Needs Analysis has been introduced into language teaching in the 1960’s
through ESP movement. It is a set of procedure for collecting information
about learners needs.
Understanding learners’ needs can contribute to successful course planning.
Hence, the purpose of Needs Analysis is:
• to find out what language skills a learner needs.
• to help determine if an existing adequately addresses the needs of students.
• To determine which students from a group are most in need of training in
particular language skills.
• to identify students lacks
• to identify students wants and expectations
• to collect information about a particular problem learners are experiencing.

2 TYPES OF NEEDS

1. TARGET NEEDS - is a general term that encompasses the learners’

necessities, lacks and wants. According to Hutchinson and Waters (1987)
target needs are mainly related to ‘what learners need to do in the target
situation.’

Hutchinson and Waters propose further subdivisions of target needs

which are:
• Necessities – refer to the demands of the target situation, that is, what the
learners has to know in order to function effectively in the target situation.
• Lacks – refer to what the learners do not know or cannot do in English.
• Wants – referred as “subjective needs” which are related to learners’
motivation, readiness and attitudes to learn.

2. LEARNING NEEDS - Hutchinson and Waters (1987) define learning needs

as “what learners need to do in order to learn.”

- Robinson (1991) states that learning needs are ‘what the learner needs to
do to actually acquire the language.’

STEPS TO CONDUCT NEEDS ANALYSIS (Procedure)

A. Get ready to do
1. define the objectives
2. decide the sample from the population
3. decide approaches
4. recognize limitations
5. select the data collection procedures
B. Do the research
1. collect data
2. analyze data
3. interpret results
C. Use the results
1. determine objectives
2. evaluate the report on the Need Analysis project (application in course
design)

In conclusion, the results of the needs analysis help us as teachers to identify

the students’ perspective professional needs, the students’ needs in terms of
language skills and the students’ deficiencies in the area of language skills.
Only after analyzing the students’ needs and determining the objectives of the
language course, we can select a material that meets the needs of the
students. Thus, need analysis is the foundation on which we can develop
curriculum content, teaching materials and methods that can lead to
increasing the learners’ motivation and success.

Four viewpoint on needs

Democratic View

Whatever elements of the ESP majorities of all stakeholder groups want.

Three primary benefits:

1. Involves important groups of stakeholders in the process of
determining the needs that will be addressed in the ESP program. Since
people like to be consulted in any such process, they are more likely to buy
into whatever the needs analysis reveals if they have been asked about it.
 2. Given that a variety of different points of view will no doubt exist in any
program, it is usually wise to gather as many good ideas as possible.

3. Doing an NA that will successfully lead to a defensible curriculum can

depend in great part on knowing what people are thinking about the English
language, ESP language learning, and language teaching.

Discrepancy View

The difference or discrepancy between what they should be able to do in the

ESP an what they currently can do.

Three primary benefits:

1. Encourages needs analysts to start early thinking about and
formulating the programs goals and student-learning outcomes (SLO –also
known as instructional objectives).

2. Naturally promotes the creation of targets for the instruction and a

sense of how far the students need to progress to get those targets.

3. Encourages the needs analysts to think about the whole ESP course
as a single package, from the beginning to the end and all the steps along the
way.

Analytic View

The needs analysts should first learn what the SLA field knows about the
hierarchy of learning English (or the steps involved in the process). Then, they
should interpret what that means for learning the specific ESP in question,
particularly for their students in terms of where the students currently are in
the hierarchy or process of learning the ESP.

Diagnostic View

Typically lead needs analysts to investigate the ESP situations that the
students are likely to encounter, and then, based on what is known about the
students, the needs analysts will first identify potential student needs, then
prioritize those needs that are likely to have the most negative consequences
if not addressed, then include less crucial needs if there is sufficient time.
1. Target Situation Use Analyses

-This analysis focuses on what students should be able to achieve in their

specific field by the end of the instruction.

Objectives: Define the specific skills students need to acquire, such as

writing reports, participating in meetings, or presenting research findings.

Language Uses: Identify the types of language functions required, such as

making requests, giving presentations, or negotiating.

Exemplars: Provide examples of these language uses, such as:

Report Writing: Using formal language and specific jargon relevant to their
field.

Presentations: Utilizing Visual aids, structuring arguments, and employing

persuasive language.

2. Target Situation Linguistics Analyses

-This analysis focuses on the linguistic features students need to master.

Vocabulary: Identify specialized terminology and jargon associated with the

field (e.g., technical terms, acronyms).

Discourse Markers: Recognize how to use connectors and transitions

effectively (e.g., "therefore, "in addition").

Pragmatics: Understand the context of language use, such as politeness

strategies or cultural norms in communication.

Genres: Familiarize students with different types of texts they will encounter
(e.g., research articles, technical manuals).

3. Target-Situation Learning Analyses

-This analysis addresses how students will learn within the ESP context.

Learning Features: Identify methods and strategies relevant to their field,

such as collaborative projects, case studies, or simulations.

Stages of Learning: Outline what students will need to do at various stages,

ike initial exposure to vocabulary, developing reading comprehension, or
enhancing speaking skills in professional settings.

Continuing Education: Discuss the importance of lifelong learning in the

field and how students can stay updated on developments.
4. Present-Situation Analyses

-This analysis evaluates the students' current abilities before instruction

begins.

Current Abilities: Assess the students' initial level of proficiency in the

language of the ESP.

Assessment Methods: Use tests, surveys, or observational techniques to

gather data on their speaking, writing, and comprehension skills.

*Areas of Strengths and Weaknesses*:

Identify what students can already do and what gaps may exist in their
knowledge or skills.

5. Gap Analyses

-This analysis highlights the discrepancies between current abilities and

desired outcomes

Disparities: Compare students' present capabilities to what is required for the

target situation.

Assessment Tools: Use test scores, performance evaluations, or feedback

from observational techniques to quantify gaps.

Development Areas: Pinpoint specific areas for improvement, such as

technical vocabulary, writing style, or oral communication skills.

6. Individual- Differences Analyses

-This analysis considers students' unique learning preferences.

Learning Preferences: Gather information on students' preferred learning

styles (visual, auditory, kinesthetic).

Learning Strategies: Explore their preferred approaches to studying, such as

group work vs. individual study.

*Error Correction Preferences*

Determine how students prefer to receive feedback (immediate correction vs.

delayed feedback).

Other Factors: Consider group size preferences, desired amounts of

homework, and overall engagement strategies. This structured approach
allows for a comprehensive understanding of students' needs in an ESP
context, facilitating effective curriculum development and instructional.
7. Right Analyses - What the key power relationships are in the situation and
how they are resisted. The ways power is exerted and resisted within the
ESP-teaching institution (in terms of teaching, materials, curriculum decisions,
governing rules, and so forth), between that institution and other entities, or
within the target ESP community.

8. Classroom-Learning analyses - What the classroom-learning situation is

or should be. The selection and ordering of course content, teaching methods,
and materials that will be used in learning the ESP, and so forth (often
requiring negotiations among stakeholder groups).

9. Classroom-Teaching analyses - What the classroom-teaching situation is

or should be. The selection and ordering of course content, teaching methods,
and materials that will be used in learning the ESP, and so forth from the
teachers' perspectives.

10. Mean analyses - What the contextual constraints and strengths are. The
availability of funding, facilities, equipment, materials, and other resources;
cultural attitudes that might affect instruction; and the teachers' proficiency
levels in English, training, and teaching ability –all in terms of both constraints
and strengths.

11. Language Audits - What global strategic language policies should be

adopted. Aimed at regions (like the European Community), countries,
companies, professional groups, and so forth, such analyses typically ignore
the needs of students in particular ESP situations, but can nonetheless inform
local ESP NAs.