EST/ESP: An Introduction

(Week 3)

Ezis Japar Sidik, MA

English ProgramSerang, 21-23 March 2011

Issues of Discussion

ESP in Brief ESP or EST ESP/EST vs. General ELT Is ESP effective?

Do ESP teachers require knowledge of

specialist academic subjects?

ESP and (or) EST, what is the relationship between two?

ESP

EAP EPP EOP

EGOP ESOP

English forHotel receptionists

English forHospitality industry

EGPP ESPP

English fornursing

English for health Care sector

EGAP ESAP

English for Law Studies

English for Academic writing

(Basturkmen, 2010: 6)

So, where does EST refer?

EST

EAP? EPP? EOP?

EGOP ESOPEGPP ESPPEGAP ESAP

Another views: Types of ESP

Carter (1983) suggests three types of EST English as a restricted language English for Academic and Occupational Purposes English with specific topics

So, in which area is, then, the EST?

Carter (1983) breaks down EST into three branches:

ESP

EST(English for Science

and Technology)

EBE (English for Business

& Economics)

ESS(English for

Social Studies)

EAP EOP EAP EOP EAP EOP

English forMedical studies

English for technicians

What make ESP and EST different from General ELT?

How is ESP defined?“ESP has always retained its emphasis on practical outcomes… which prepares learners to communicate effectively in the tasks prescribed by their study or work situation (Dudley-Evans and St John in Basturkmen 2010: 2).”

The general English syllabus is based of the conception of the kind of reality that the students have to deal with in English…ESP is simply a narrowing of need spectrum (Holme in Basturkmen, 2010: 2)

Some experts identify some differences between ESP/EST & general ELT

Cook (2002) distinguishes between external (non-linguistic) and internal (linguistic) goals for language teaching.

External goals deal with the uses of language outside the classroom-being able to get things done in the real world, such as being able to provide medical information. On the other words, language development is seen as the means to the ends, but not as the end in itself.

Internal goals relate to the educational aims of the classroom

Summary:

ESP/EST is narrower in scope ESP/EST focuses on practical

goals/outcomes ESP/EST focuses on when, where, and why

learners need the language either in study or workplace contexts.

To what extent is ESP effective ?

Although empirical investigation into the effectiveness of ESP is still limited, there are few investigations that show the effectiveness of ESP teaching.

Kasper (1997) compared two groups of students learning language (1) using the selected materials relating to students’ interest/study (2) using materials which are not related to specific academic disciplines. The result showed that content-based instruction gave positive impacts on students’ academic progress and success.

Song (2006) also compared two groups of students, one group received content-based ESL instruction and another group received non-content-link ESL instruction. The result shows that the first group achieved better results in the ESL course as well as better long-term academic success rate.

Different Contexts of ESP/EST: Dilemma for teachers!

ESP Teachers

EnglishVery knowledgeable in the subjects

Background knowledge of subjects

Experts/

Colleagues for consultation

+ + + +/-

+ - + +

+ - + -

+ - - +

+ - - -

What kind of dilemma?

Do ESP textbooks really exist for our students? If any, how do they match with our textbook/student demands?

If not, we are expected to produce a course that exactly matches the needs of our learners (John in Gatehouse, 2001).

Producing a course would not be a big deal for teachers who have knowledge in the subjects, but it would be very frustrating if teachers do not have knowledge about the subject as the case of the final case from the table.

Do EST teachers require knowledge of students’ content subjects?

In traditional skill-based EAP courses, it has generally been thought that the teacher does not need specialized academic knowledge of the students’ major subject of study.

Why? Because the training is focused on developing language and study skills and not the academic subject itself.

It is believed that the learners can deal with complexities of terminology and ambiguities of subject content that may be beyond the teacher’s knowledge of the specialist subject.

(Bell, 1999: 1)

But, does it still work at present? Being dependent on the only English knowledge,

however, involves a high degree of risk for trainers, particularly in terms of their credibility with the students

In fact, it may be necessary for EAP trainers to have certain level of background knowledge in the subject in order the teaching to be more effective.

In case of mixed academic backgrounds, it is obviously not possible for the trainers to have a academic background that is relevant to all students from different fields of study.

(Bell, 1999: 1).

References Basturkmen, H. (2010). Developing Courses in

English for Specific Purposes. New York: Palgrave Macmillan.

Bell, T. (1999). Do EAP teachers require knowledge of their students’ specialist academic subjects?. The TESL Journal, V(10). Retrieved on March 19, 2011 from http://iteslj.org/articles/Bell-EAPrequireknowledge.html

Gatehouse, K. (2001). Key Issues in English for Specific Purposes (ESP) Curriculum development. The TESL Journal, VII(10). Retrieved on March 19, 2011 from http://iteslj.org/articles/gatehouse-ESP.html

Thank You!