Transcript Ch2 A historical perspective on ESP (English for specific

ENGLISH FOR SPECIFIC PURPOSES
CHAPTER 2
A HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE ON
ESP
Various influences generate ESP courses
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the economic development in the 1950s and 1960s
the growth of science and technology ( EST )
English is the instructional language of science, technology
and business
the economic power of certain oil-rich countries
international students in the UK, USA and Australia
Trends in EAP (English for Academic Purpose)
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Register analysis
Rhetorical analysis/discourse analysis
Analysis of study skills
Analysis of learning needs
Register analysis
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Register analysis focuses on grammar and voc. of
scientific and technical English.
 The semi-technical voc. items are likely to occur in
scientific writing.
(Ex. consist of, contain)
 The first significant ESP (EST) textbook: A. J.
Herbert’s The structure of technical English (1965).
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The weaknesses of the register analysis approach
(p236-7)
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1 The description of the long text on a technical topic is
based on a description from an encyclopedia. This leads to
many exercises of grammar and semi-technical language.
2 The exercises focuses on a restricted range of voc. and the
linguistic form (semi-technical language, grammar, the
passive voice), ignoring the comprehension of the reading
passage or reading skills and authenticity.
The possible advantage of the register analysis
approach (p236-7)
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The long text may be aware of the value of a
functional-notional approach to voc. teaching.
(It focuses on voc. of one technical topic.)
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The possible advantage of the register
analysis approach (p236-7)
Swain:
The structure of technical English is an EST textbook, which is
however difficult to use because of:
1 dense passages lacking authenticity
2 no visual support (ex. diagrams)
3 repetitive exercises without variety
 This restricted concentration on form needed to be replaced by
concentration on language use and communication.
 The weaknesses of the Register Analysis led to Rhetorical/
Discourse analysis.
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Rhetorical / discourse analysis
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Rhetoric was defined as the process a writer uses to produce
a desired piece of text.
(Trimble, 1985)
Trimble suggested that besides focusing on the presentation
of facts and hypotheses, an EST writer needs to organize a
text, relate language form to language use, and focus on
the communicative aspect of language.
The advantage of the rhetorical and discourse
analysis (p. 238)
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Avoids the laboriousness and predictability of EST
textbooks
 Contains good visual support
(a picture speaks louder than words.)
 Focuses language effectively through the use a
functional-notional syllabus
 Contains a good range of exercise types
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The weakness of the rhetorical/discourse analysis
( p. 238)
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primarily focuses on teaching language
neglects the development of specific study skills
Analysis of study skills (LSRW)
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Due to a lack of the development of specific study
skills, work on study skills became the major focus in
EAP work in the late 1970s.
Skill-based courses
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Skill-based courses are consistent with the ideas of
the functional-notional approach and communicative
approach.
Principles of skill-based courses
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Learners, such as tertiary levels, business people, practicing
engineers, need to be able to perform the tasks, not just focus
on the development of their linguistic ability.
The thought process that support language use is very
important.
The thought process may be general, relating to academic
activities, or specific, relating to a particular discipline.
The aim of each lesson is made clear through the statement of
why the skill is needed.
Reading/listening passages were chosen based on general
academic interest and authenticity.
The advantages of the skill-based
approach
(p 240)
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Certain specific reading skills were focused:
1. getting to know the gist of the book,
2. getting familiar with non-linear texts,
3. learning to accept difficult words,
4. reading for relevant information,
5. using contextual clues,
6. assessing how much to read.
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The advantages of the skill-based
approach
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Ss need the underlying competence, which enables
them to reach the target performance.
The underlying competence consists of semitechnical and colloquial language.
Analysis of learning needs
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Hutchinson and Waters stated that ESP is not:
1. teaching specialized varieties of English.
2. science words for scientists, hotel words
for hotel staff, and so on.
3. different from general English teaching.
Analysis of learning needs
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Hutchinson and Waters:
ESP had concentrated too much on the product, linguistic
analyses of lectures, and textbooks, but too little on the
learning skills, which enable ss to reach their desired goal.
 Johns and Davies:
the text should be taken as a vehicle for information rather
than as a linguistic object.
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Analysis of learning needs
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A learning-centered approach to ESP values the
process of learning process and student motivation
in order to help ss reach the end target.
Learning skills developed from learners’ academic
study or work experiences can be used in ESP
classrooms.
Analysis of learning needs
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Different learners learn in different ways.
Group / pair work and problem-solving approaches
allow the differences.
The comprehension questions encourage ss to think
independently and to use their knowledge of the
subject and of the world.
An example of the learner-needs approach
( p 241-3)
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Introduce the topic that the learners may feel
interested
Comprehension questions ( Step 1)
Involves ss in converting written information into a
visual representation by asking ss to draw and
label (Step 4)
Authenticity of text and of purpose
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Q: Should texts used for reading, listening and
writing exercises be authentic in ESP courses?
The exact meaning of ‘authenticity’ has remained
unclear.
A text is authentic if it reflects the real world use. In
other words, authenticity of purposes is as important
as genuineness of text.
The advantages of authentic texts
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Authentic texts and strategies for reading authentic
texts help ss develop independence in their study
skills.
Simplified texts may be misleading models of texts
for ss, because the ESP teachers may misconstrue
the carrier content or write in inappropriate
language.
Alternative views on authentic texts
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In contrast, Hutchinson and Waters (1987) argued:
It’s more important to ensure that activities based on
the text reflect the learning process than to use
genuine texts from the target situation.
Alternative views on authentic texts
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Using the appropriate level of authentic texts is also
important.
EX.
An authentic text on a science topic designed for
pupils is a genuine text, but is not an authentic text
for university level ss.
Alternative views on authentic texts
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Authentic exercises ask Ss to use information from
the text in a problem-solving activity.
Exercises that ask Ss to answer comprehension
questions by finding relevant sentences in the text
are not really authentic.
Authenticity lies in the interaction between the
reader and the text.
Trends in EOP
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late 1960s and early 1970s:
 EOP courses focused mainly on written language.
Glossaries of specialized and difficult voc./terms
and comprehension questions were largely seen in
EOP materials.
 However, it’s the approach to linguistic teaching
rather than to the language use.
Trends in EOP
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Mid-1970s into the 1980s:
 Spoken interaction based on a functional construct
was more valued.
 The Bellcrest File (1972) is a landmark video-based
course book, which emphasized the four skills.
Trends in EOP
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From 1987:
 Practical EOP textbooks were published, including
the topics of telephoning, meetings, discussions.
Trends in EOP
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Nowadays:
 The need for cross-cultural communication increases;
and because of the development of technology, the
books on telecommunication, computer networking,
e-mail and video conferencing have been published.
ESP now
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Materials production and text analysis(written and spoken)
still predominate in ESP.
Early ESP work
EST
In the 1990s
academic EBP
ESP
instructional language (English/ non-English)
approaches (EAP/ EBP)
Summary
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ESP focuses on procedures and practical outcomes.
The development of ESP:
Grammatical and
functional-notional
syllabuses
An eclectic and
task-based approach
EST
EBP