Burieva N.G.
English language teacher, Karshi Engineering-Economic Institute, c. Karshi, Uzbekistan
EFFECTIVENESS OF ENGLISH FOR SPECIFIC PURPOSES
Abstract
In designing ESP course, we need to know what kind of materials to use because learners want to acquire broad knowledge and widen their post experience in L1. The technical faculties require their students to study a foreign language and English is frequently their choice. Specialists from different countries use English both to exchange experience and communicate. ESP has become a priority that helps students to apply what they learn during courses to their own field of study, whether it be engineering, economy, and mathematics.
This paper highlights some thoughts of scholars on ESP teaching and its effective side for learners, especially, who study technical subjects such as engineering, economy and mathematics. Consequently, further investigation was conducted on the issues of teaching English for specific purposes.
Keywords: teaching ESP, ESP teacher, subject matter, technical faculty, ESP classes
Introduction
ESP is goal directed. That is, students study English not because they are interested in the English language as such but because they need English for study or work purposes. This has implications for the kind of activities and topics on the course. However, we should not assume that all students have chosen their work or study area. The students may wish to have practice with general topics and activities, in addition to be related for their work or specialist study. The great variety of contexts and of ESP courses around the world today, perhaps what we are really involved in as ESP practitioners is not so much teaching English for specific purposes but teaching English to specified people (Paul Robinson. 1991:5). English has become the main source of technical progress as it enables rapid exchange of information and research of the common global problems. Specialists from different countries use English to share or exchange information, consequently the study of the English language is a priority nowadays.
ESP (English for Specific Purposes) courses put together the acquisition of specific information and the development of language skills. Many of our students are given opportunities to study abroad, to be active participants in various international educational programmes or conferences. All these activities require academic knowledge, scientific competence and receptivity towards new ideas. The ESP courses help the students to enlarge both their English language and professional knowledge. ESP is oriented towards mastering skills for professional communication and covers subjects varying from accounting, electronics or computer science to tourism and business management. EST courses are integrated into a subject matter area important to the learners. We agree with Robinson (1991. p1) who considers ESP “a major activity around the world today”.
Importance of ESP Teaching
The term variety refers to registers of language use, such as English in banking, English in medicine, English in academic settings, and everyday conversation. According to Bloor and Bloor (1986), there are two perspectives on the term language for specific purposes. One is that a specific-purpose language is based on and extends from a basic core of general language (the common core plus). The second is that all language exists as one variety or another and that there is no basic core (‘general-purpose’) language. Some English teachers are concerned with their lack of knowledge and experience in engineering when they are in the position of ESP teachers. In fact teachers who have already acquired enough experience in teaching English as a foreign language can exploit their background in language teaching.
They can find adequate means to adapt their teaching skills for teaching ESP. ESP teachers are first and foremost teachers of English and their role is not to instruct the students in engineering, on the contrary, it is to enable them to develop and perform their language skills within an engineering context. The spread of globalization confirms the fact that English has become the language of international communication as more and more people are using English in a growing number of occupational contexts. Nowadays we assist at continuous technological changes that require more science oriented engineers able to perform professional communication. Consequently the primary goal of any ESP courses for engineers is to teach professional communicative competence, more exactly to communicate in English according to the situation, purpose, and specific roles of the participants. ESP courses are meant to prepare specialists able to use the English language as the main professional communication means in their future jobs and in real-life situations, periodicals, and books.
Moreover English is the international language used by the participants in international programs, conferences and symposia where more and more students take part and they need to be able to understand specialized spoken language. Such meetings imply an active participation of the students who need abilities and skills of everyday English to communicate and share information with other participants, as well. Most ESP courses are subject to time constraints and time must be effectively utilized (West, 1994). As students in ESP classes often have restricted time to learn English, it makes sense to teach them only the bits of English they need. Thus the task of the ESP course developer is to identify the needs of the learner and design a course around them (Helen Basturkmen.2007:18).
Target Place
ESP teaching in particular, wherein teachers are expected to assume a wider range of roles compared to their general ELT counterparts and to engage with multiple communities of language teachers, subject teachers and professionals in related industries (Dudley-Evans & St.Johns, 1998).Such an activity can cover investigating various aspects of teaching and learning in particular contexts to increase the learning opportunities in ESP courses (Chostelidou, 2010). Generally, it needs analysis study investigates those important aspects of the course to which much needs is felt by the learners. In literature, needs analysis is referred to as “the cornerstone of ESP” and its proper application could result into a “focused course” (Dudley-Evans & St John, 1998, p.121). It is also considered as the starting point of adopting a framework for ESP course design with the aim of highlighting all stakeholders’ view in the process of curriculum development, course and syllabus design, and evaluation of the effectiveness and efficiency of the implementation of the needs-based course (Chostelidou, 2010).
The effectiveness of ESP courses in higher education is another important issue which has become high priority over the past two decades following the trend towards ensuring effectiveness in teaching (Chostelidou, 2011). Moreover, learners with job purposes are willing to be employed in target place whereas target environment is reflected. Some factories are often asked to know both English and subject matter from students. In such case, they have to better study specialty in FL.
Conclusion
ESP, like any other language teaching enterprise, is based on ideas about the nature of language, learning, and teaching (Helen Basturkmen.2006:9). Our ESP students can be seen as would be participants in discourse communities. To participate, they need to become skilled performers. Language needs are not learning needs. Although learners will need to use certain language structures or features in their target environments, it does not mean that they are ready to acquire them (Hutchinson and Waters, 1987). The ESP courses are a priority in technical universities due to the dynamics of today’s development in all spheres of activities more complex day by day.
The students in technical faculties should know that it is not enough to have professional knowledge in a certain field. In many cases communication is the key for success or failure. As specialists, they need to be able to deal with a variety of subjects, to communicate, to exchange or share information with other specialists from different countries. Dealing with a variety of subjects they have to use English as a primary tool and perform well in negotiating contracts, explaining technological developments and new products, attending professional events etc.
References:
- Bloor, M., & Bloor, T. (1986). Languages for specifi c purposes: Practice and theory (occasional paper
- Chostelidou, D. (2010). A needs analysis approach to ESP syllabus design in Greek tertiary education: a descriptive account of students’ needs. Procedia Social and Behavioral Sciences, 2, 4507–4512.
- Chostelidou, D. (2011). Needs-based course design: the impact of general English knowledge on the effectiveness of an ESP teaching intervention. Procedia Social and Behavioral Sciences, 15, 403–409.
- Dudley-Evans, T. & St John, M.J. (1998). Developments in English for specific purposes-a multi-disciplinary approach. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
- Helen Basturkmen. Ideas and Options. English for Specific Purposes. University of Aukland, LAWRENCE ERLBAUM ASSOCIATES, PUBLISHERS 2006 Mahwah, New Jersey . London. 2006
- Pauline Robinson. ESP today, A Practitionar’s Guide, Prentice Hall International (UK) Ltd.1991.
- West, R. (1994). Needs analysis in language teaching. Language Teaching Abstracts, 1–19.