English for Specific Purposes

hai guys, gue mau berbagi sedikit ni. ini tugas dari dosen gue, gue mau share disini ya, mana tau aja kalian lagi nyari tugas tentang ESP juga.

selamat siang uys!!! selamat makan siang da jangan lupa shalat bagi yang muslim :)

Definition of ESP (Dudley-Evans, 1997)

ESP has had a relatively long time to mature and so we would expect the ESP community to have a clear idea about what ESP means. Strangely, however, this does not seem to be the case. In October this year, for example, a very heated debate took place on the TESP-L e-mail discussion list about whether or not English for Academic Purposes (EAP) could be considered part of ESP in general. At the Japan Conference on ESP also, clear differences in how people interpreted the meaning of ESP could be seen. Some people described ESP as simply being the teaching of English for any purpose that could be specified. Others, however, were more precise, describing it as the teaching of English used in academic studies or the teaching of English for vocational or professional purposes.
At the conference, guests were honored to have as the main speaker, Tony Dudley-Evans, co-editor of the ESP Journal mentioned above. Very aware of the current confusion amongst the ESP community in Japan, Dudley-Evans set out in his one hour speech to clarify the meaning of ESP, giving an extended definition of ESP in terms of 'absolute' and 'variable' characteristics (see below).

(Wikipedia)

English for specific purposes (ESP), not to be confused with specialized English, is a sphere of teaching English language including Business English, Technical English, Scientific English, English for medical professionals, English for waiters, English for tourism, English for Art Purposes, etc.Aviation English as ESP is taught to pilots, air traffic controllers and civil aviation cadets who are going to use it in radio communications.ESP can be also considered as an avatar of language for specific purposes.

Anthony (1997)

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;

5.     Most ESP courses assume some basic knowledge of the language system, but it can be used with beginners (1998, pp. 4-5)

Strevens' (1988) ESP may be, but is not necessarily:

1.     restricted as to the language skills to be learned (e.g. reading only);

2.     not taught according to any pre-ordained methodology (pp.1-2)

Choudhary Javid.

ESP seems quite flexible discipline and different people have defined it differently. We can count as many definitions as the number of linguists who have defined it. All these definitions appear to cover various characteristics of this approach (Sifakis, 2003 cf. Rogers, 1989; Rogers, 1996). Anthony (1997, p. 1) mentioned the “clear differences in how people interpreted the meaning of ESP” at "The Japan Conference on ESP” held on November 8th, 1997 at Aizu University in Aizuwakamatsu. He pointed out that the participants were divided into two groups. One group held the view that ESP was teaching of English for any purpose that could be specified whereas the other group of participants ascribed to it as “the teaching of English used in academic studies or the teaching of English for vocational or professional purposes”(ibid., p. 1). This particular example of differing views regarding its definition offers clear insights about the general truth in relation to this controversy. Hutchinson and Waters (1987) have defined ESP as an “approach” rather than a “product”– meaning that ESP does not necessarily involve any particular kind of language, teaching material or methodology. The fundamental function of ESP is: “Why does this learner need to learn a foreign language” (Milavic, 2006 cf. Hutchinson and Waters, 1987)? The rationale of learning English, thus, became the crux of ESP. Robinson (1980) has defined it as the teaching of English to the learners who have specific goals and purposes. According to him, these goals might be professional, academic, scientific etc. Mackay and Mountford (1978, p. 2) have referred to it as the teaching of English for “clearly utilitarian purposes”. These specific purposes are the above-mentioned academic, professional or scientific ones that clearly depend on the learners’ needs. Both these definitions do not confine ESP to any specific field, discipline or profession and recognize its broader area of action. A rather comprehensive approach to define ESP has been tried. ESP is meant to meet learner’s specific needs but it has removed the characteristic mentioned in Strevens’ definition that “ESP is in contrast with General English”. This modified definition has extended the horizon of ESP by allowing it to encompass the specific needs of the students who do not necessarily belong to any specific occupation or discipline. Dudley-Evans and St. John (1998) have also enhanced the list of variable characteristics as well. They have contended that ESP is not necessarily but “may be related to or designed for specific disciplines” and different methodologies “from that of General English” may be employed to cater for the needs of the specific teaching situations for specific disciplines (ibid.). Contrary to the idea of restricting ESP courses for adult learners (Abbot, 1981; Widdowson, 1983; Robinson, 1991; McKay and Tom, 1999), Dudley-Evans and St. John have asserted that ESP courses are “likely to be designed for adult learners” but may be organized “for learners at secondary school level”. Likewise they have pointed out that ESP courses may be planned for the beginners along with intermediate or advanced students.

In your ESP course, you will:

·         Practice the english language skills, vocabulary and concepts related to your field.

·         Practice the skills and language required to succeed at university.

·         Prepare for industry-specific tests, such as the occupational english test (oet), where appropriate. Achieving the score you need in the oet ensures you have employment-ready or registration-ready language skills.

·         Complete a project (do research, give a presentation and write a report on your area of interest).

·         Monitor lectures.

·         Experience university life.