Esp and Needs Analysis
ESP ‘Course design is the process by which the raw data about a learning need is interpreted to produce an integrated series of teaching-learning experiences, whose ultimate aim is to lead the learners to a particular state of knowledge’ (Hutchinson and Waters 1987) Discuss the ways in which data is collected prior to an ESP course and prepare a needs analysis instrument for a specific group of learners’ Introduction: In today’s world, English has become a widespread language and it is spoken in almost all over the world. Even from kindergartens to the universities, there are English courses all age groups. Over
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decades, there have been many debates about General English and English for Specific Purposes (ESP). In almost all fields of jobs, English has started to become a necessity rather than an option. In job applications, one of the top questions that companies and the government ask is whether the applicant knows another language, preferably English. Raisanen and Fortanet-gomez (2008:13) has mentioned that research studies about ESP started in 1960s and have been growing potentially. The pioneers of this field are mainly John Swales, Larry Selinker and John Lackstorm. ESP is one of the main areas of EFL teaching and there is an increasing demand for the courses on specialised subject areas. ESP courses are designed for specific needs of the learners, who sometimes already have knowledge about English but need some special knowledge for their jobs. Teachers need to give some special interest on their students’ needs. For instance, while teaching English to mechanical engineers or computer engineers teaching methodology is different from the methods teachers use in teaching General English. Practically there are wide range of differences between teaching General English and teaching for Specific purposes. What Alan Waters and Tom Hutchinson mention is that what distinguishes ESP from General English is not the existence of the need, but
17/12/09-07:57:20
decades, there have been many debates about General English and English for Specific Purposes (ESP). In almost all fields of jobs, English has started to become a necessity rather than an option. In job applications, one of the top questions that companies and the government ask is whether the applicant knows another language, preferably English. Raisanen and Fortanet-gomez (2008:13) has mentioned that research studies about ESP started in 1960s and have been growing potentially. The pioneers of this field are mainly John Swales, Larry Selinker and John Lackstorm. ESP is one of the main areas of EFL teaching and there is an increasing demand for the courses on specialised subject areas. ESP courses are designed for specific needs of the learners, who sometimes already have knowledge about English but need some special knowledge for their jobs. Teachers need to give some special interest on their students’ needs. For instance, while teaching English to mechanical engineers or computer engineers teaching methodology is different from the methods teachers use in teaching General English. Practically there are wide range of differences between teaching General English and teaching for Specific purposes. What Alan Waters and Tom Hutchinson mention is that what distinguishes ESP from General English is not the existence of the need, but