English for Specific Purposes Historical Background of ESP Reasons for the emergence of ESP

1. ENGLISH
for SPECIFIC
PURPOSES
Palawan State University
PREPARED BY: ROGINETTE F. EUSALA

2. English
is an Art
that Binds
the World.

3. English is a universal language.
It is used in all over the world.
It needs perfect learning and
Comprehension so that global
interaction can be alleviated for better
connectivity in the world.

4. What is ESP?
Why ESP?
Particulars are not to be examined till the
whole had been surveyed.
Dr. Samuel Johnson

5. The Origins of ESP
We will now discuss in a little more detail the
struggle for existence.
-Charles Darwin(The Origin of Species)
As with most development in human activity, ESP
was not planned and coherent movement, but rather a
phenomenon that grew out of a number of a
converging trends. These trends have operated in a
variety of ways around the world.

6. Three Main Reasons to the
emergence of ESP

7. 1. The demands of a Brave New World
End of WWII in 1945
-Enormous expansion in scientific, technical and economic
activity on an international scale.
The expansion created a world unified and dominated by
two forces:
Technology and Commerce
-this generated the need for an international language
ENGLISH

8. The effect was to create a whole new mass of people
wanting to learn English, not for the pleasure or prestige of
knowing the language, but because it was the key to
international currencies of technology and commerce.
Previously the reason for learning English
(or any other language) had not been defined.
Foreign language = well-rounded education

9. But as English became the accepted international language
of technology and commerce, it created a new generation of
learners who knew specifically why they were leaning a
language:
•Business/Businesswoman who wants to sell their
products
•Mechanics who had to read instruction manuals
•doctors who needed to keep up with developments in
their field
•whole range of students whose course study included
textbooks and journals only available in English

10. This development was accelerated by the Oil Crises
of the early 1970's...
This resulted in a massive flow of funds and western expertise into the
oil-rich counties.
English suddenly became big business and commercial pressure began
to exert influence.
Time and money constraints created a need for cost-effective courses
with clearly defined goals
The general effect of all this development was to exert pressure on the
language teaching profession to deliver the required goods.
English had become accountable to the scrutiny of the wider world and
the traditional leisurely and purpose-free stroll on the landscape of the
English language seemed no longer appropriate in the harsher realities
of the market place.

11. 2. A Revolution in Linguistics
Meanwhile…
Influential new ideas began to merge in the study of language.
Traditional
Grammar- Aim of Linguistics
However the new studies shifted attention away from the formal
features of language usage to discovering the ways which language
is actually used in real communication (Widdowson, 1978).
One finding of this research was the language we speak and write
varies considerably, and in a number of ways from one context to
another.
e.g.
Difference between commerce and engineering

12. This idea married up naturally with the development of
specific courses to specific group of learners.
The idea was simple:
If language varies to one situation of use to another, it
should be possible to determine the features of specific
situation and make these features the basis for the learners’
course.
EST is synonymous to ESP

13. In short, the view gained ground that the English needed
by a particular group of learner could be identified by
analysing the linguistic characteristics of their specialist
are of work or study.
"Tell me what you need English for and I will tell you the
English that you need" became the guiding principle of
ESP.

14. 3. Focus on the Learner
New developments in educational psychology also contributed to the
rise of ESP, by emphasizing the central importance of the learners and
their attitudes to learning.
Leaners were seen to have different needs and interest, which would
have an important influence on their motivation to learn and therefore
on the effectiveness of their learning.
This lent to the support to the development of courses in which
"relevance" to the learner's needs and interest was paramount.
The standard way of achieving this was to take texts from learners'
specialist are- text about Biology for Biology students etc.

15. In a Nutshell
The growth of ESP was brought about by the combination
of 3 factors:
1. The expansion of demand to suit particular needs
2. Development in the field of linguistics
3. Educational Psychology
•All three factors seemed to point toward the need for
increased specialization in language learning.

16. Let’s Ponder
1. Why was ESP introduced in your country or teaching
institution?
What Kind of ESP are taught?
2. 'Tell me what you need English for and I will tell you the
English that you need'. How justifiable do you think this
claim is for ESP?
3. The clear relevance of the English course to their needs
would improve the learner's motivation and thereby
making learning better and faster'
a.) Give ways in which relevance can be achieved.
b.) In what ways can motivation affect learning
language.

17. ESP
• English for Specific Purposes is a learner approach to
learning English as an extra language.
• It concentrates on expanding talkative capability in
particular discipline.
• ESP courses like technical writing, communication of
business, and academic presentation skills aim to teach
learners on a particular genre or to use English in a
particular discipline or a particular talkative context.

18. • English for Specific Purposes (ESP) is an area of teaching
English Language with English for tourism, English for
Art function, English for medical areas, English for
technology, English for business purposes etc.
• In colleges, teachers teach learners English as a second
language. But in place of learning English as a second
language, the learners have another choice that is to
learn English for specific purposes. It is a workable
choice for every learner.
ESP

19. ESP Definitions
1. According to International Teacher Training
Organization. (2005)
“English for specific Purposes is a term that refers to
teaching or studying English for a
particular career (like law, medicine) or for business in
general.”
There is a special motive for which English is taught.
2. ESP is “an approach to language teaching in which all
decisions as to content and method is based on the
learner’s reason for learning” (Hutchinson & Waters,
1987, p.19).

20. English for Specific Purposes is necessary to
promote in every field. Through learning and teaching, ESP
can be promoted. Everyone can learn ESP through
teaching. At University level, academic English programs
should be offer to learner’s manifold disclosure to words in
significant context with several information given about
every word. The information should be connected to
learner’s experience and former knowledge that the
learners can take part in their learning procedure.
ESP Definitions

21. AIM
The main purpose of English for Specific
Purposes is to prepare learners to learn and
understand their own area materials in English
without any trouble.