English for Specific Purposes
Encyclopedia
English for Specific Purposes (ESP) 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 controller
s 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
.
(EAP). Quickly developing Business English
can be considered as part of a larger concept of English for Specific Purposes.
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
including Business English, Technical English, Scientific English, English for medical professionals, English for waiters, English for tourism
Tourism
Tourism is travel for recreational, leisure or business purposes. The World Tourism Organization defines tourists as people "traveling to and staying in places outside their usual environment for not more than one consecutive year for leisure, business and other purposes".Tourism has become a...
, English for Art Purposes, etc. Aviation English as ESP is taught to pilots, air traffic controller
Air traffic controller
Air traffic controllers are the people who expedite and maintain a safe and orderly flow of air traffic in the global air traffic control system. The position of the air traffic controller is one that requires highly specialized skills...
s and civil aviation
Civil aviation
Civil aviation is one of two major categories of flying, representing all non-military aviation, both private and commercial. Most of the countries in the world are members of the International Civil Aviation Organization and work together to establish common standards and recommended practices...
cadets who are going to use it in radio communications. ESP can be also considered as an avatar
Avatar (computing)
In computing, an avatar is the graphical representation of the user or the user's alter ego or character. It may take either a three-dimensional form, as in games or virtual worlds, or a two-dimensional form as an icon in Internet forums and other online communities. It can also refer to a text...
of language for specific purposes
Language for specific purposes
Language for Specific Purposes has been primarily used to refer to two areas within applied linguistics:# one focusing on the needs in education and training....
.
Absolute characteristics
- ESP is defined to meet specific needs of the learners.
- ESP makes use of underlying methodology and activities of the discipline it serves.
- ESP is centered on the language appropriate to these activities in terms of grammarGrammarIn linguistics, grammar is the set of structural rules that govern the composition of clauses, phrases, and words in any given natural language. The term refers also to the study of such rules, and this field includes morphology, syntax, and phonology, often complemented by phonetics, semantics,...
, lexisLexis (linguistics)In linguistics, a lexis is the total word-stock or lexicon having items of lexical, rather than grammatical, meaning. This notion contrasts starkly with the Chomskian proposition of a “Universal Grammar” as the prime mover for language...
, register, study skills, discourse and genreGenreGenre , Greek: genos, γένος) is the term for any category of literature or other forms of art or culture, e.g. music, and in general, any type of discourse, whether written or spoken, audial or visual, based on some set of stylistic criteria. Genres are formed by conventions that change over time...
.
Variable characteristics
- ESP may be related to or designed for specific disciplines
- ESP may use, in specific teaching situations, a different methodology from that of General English
- 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 schoolSecondary schoolSecondary school is a term used to describe an educational institution where the final stage of schooling, known as secondary education and usually compulsory up to a specified age, takes place...
level - ESP is generally designed for intermediate or advanced students.
- Most ESP courses assume some basic knowledge of the language systems
Teaching
ESP is taught in many universities of the world. Many professional associations of teachers of English (TESOL, IATEFL) have ESP sections. Much attention is devoted to ESP course design. ESP teaching has much in common with English as a Foreign or Second Language and English for Academic PurposesEnglish for Academic Purposes
English for academic purposes entails training students, usually in a higher education setting, to use language appropriately for study. It is a challenging and multi-faceted area within the wider field of English language learning and teaching , and is one of the most common forms of English for...
(EAP). Quickly developing Business English
Business English
Business English is English language especially related to international trade. It is a part of English for Specific Purposes and can be considered a specialism within English language learning and teaching; for example, the teachers' organisation IATEFL has a special interest group called BESIG...
can be considered as part of a larger concept of English for Specific Purposes.
See also
- Test of English for AviationTest of English for AviationThe Test of English for Aviation is a language proficiency test designed and developed by Mayflower College in the United Kingdom in accordance with ICAO DOC 9835 and ICAO CIR 318 .Following several accidents and incidents where language...
- EAPEnglish for Academic PurposesEnglish for academic purposes entails training students, usually in a higher education setting, to use language appropriately for study. It is a challenging and multi-faceted area within the wider field of English language learning and teaching , and is one of the most common forms of English for...
- English for Specific Purposes WorldEnglish for Specific Purposes WorldEnglish for Specific Purposes World is an international online journal containing papers concerning English for Specific Purposes . There are around 4 issues published a year. There are 29 issues of the journal online...
(online journal) - Functional EnglishFunctional EnglishFunctional English is usage of the English language required to perform a specific function. This is typically taught as a foundation subject as a good command of English is often required for academic study and career progression. In some cases, a particular form of technical English may be...
Organisations
- Tesol.org, TESOL's ESP Interest Section and the ESP discussion list
- Espsig.iatefl.org, IATEFL ESP Special Interest Group
- UNAV.es, IATEFL ESP SIG Website
Articles
- Esp-world.info, Hewings, M. 2002. A history of ESP through 'English for Specific Purposes'.
- Iteslj.org, Kristen Gatehouse. Key Issues in English for Specific Purposes (ESP) Curriculum Development. The Internet TESL Journal.
- Antlab.sci.waseda.ac.jp, Laurence Anthony. English for Specific Purposes: What does it mean? Why is it different?
Journals
- Elsevier.com, English for Specific Purposes An International Research Journal.