CHAPTER I

INTRODUCTION

English for Specific Purposes is perhaps the most vibrant and innovative arena
of language teaching and research today, and this volume is an excellent introduction
to many of its key aspects. In this paper, we will study about ESP as an approach not
as a product. ESP all essentially emphasizes to language centered approaches and to
give a definition of ESP we need to establish a context about how ESP at the present
time relates to the rest of ELT. ELT allows the student to study the principles of
language and communication such as use the same traditional grammatical structures
that are being taught until now (focused on teaching method and techniques). The
teaching of English for specific purposes has generally been seen as a separate activity
within English Language Teaching (ELT). Teaching ESP has developed by its own
methodology and from various disciplines in addition to applied linguistics. Although
teaching ESP is not same with teaching ELT, both of them are closely related because
ELT is initial capital for the learners to be able to master the foreign language before
taking ESP courses for achieve their needs.

Based on the description above, so why we should look at ESP as an approach

not as a product? And how is the development of ESP in detail which is one of the
branches of ELT?

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 CHAPTER II
DISCUSSION

2.1 The development of ESP

As we know that English was the key to the international currencies of
technology and commerce which at the time the economic power of the US in the post
war world is most notably in the world. Most of the work at this time was in area of
English for Science and Technology (EST) and one of the branches of ESP is EST, so
ESP appears after EST. To find out more clearly about the development of ESP, we
will represent the relationship in the form of the tree of ELT (see figure 1).

Figure 1: The tree of ELT

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 From the figure above, we can see that the tree represent some of the common
divisions that are made in ELT. The topmost branches of the tree show the level which
individual ESP courses occur. The branches just below this level divided into two
main types of ESP differentiated according to whether the learner requires, such as:
1. English for Academic Study (EAP): is a branch of ESP which the learners
need to learn English in order to succeed in their academic careers. In the
tree figure, examples of EAP are English for medical studies, English for
economics and English for psychology.
2. English for Occupational Purposes (EOP): is a branch of ESP which
learners are studying English for work related reason and improve their
job performance. In the figure, examples of EOP are English for
technicians, English for secretaries and English for teaching.
At the next level down it is possible to distinguish ESP courses by the general
nature of the learners’ specialism. There are three large categories, such as EST
(English for Science and Technology), EBE (English for Business and Economics)
and ESS (English for the Social Sciences).
As we go down the tree, we can see that ESP is just one branch of EFL/ESL,
which are they the main branches of ELT in general. ELT teaching is focuses on
language learning (elements of language such as vocabulary, grammar and
pronunciation).
And the last part of the tree is roots, because a tree cannot survive without
roots. The roots which nourish the tree of ELT are communication and learning.

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2.2 Closer definition of ESP
The analogy of a tree can help us to get bit closer to a definition of ESP by
showing what ESP isn’t:
a) ESP is not a matter of teaching ‘specialized varieties’ of English. It means
that the language that used for specific purposes is similar with the other
form of the language and certainly ESP courses have particular context of
use language based on the learners need.
b) ESP is not just a matter of Science words and grammar for Scientists,
Hotel words and grammar for Hotel staff and so on. We need to distinguish
, as Chomsky did with regard to grammar, between performance and
competence, that is between what people actually do with the langauge
and the range of knowledge and abilities which enables them to do it
(Hutchinson and Water, 1981).
c) ESP is not different in kind from any other form of language teaching.
There is no reason to suppose that the processes of learning should be any
different for the ESP learner than for the GE learner.

2.3 ESP as an approach

After we get a bit closer to a definition of ESP, so what is EPS exactly? And
how does ESP differ from other forms of ELT? To answer this, we must seen ESP as
an approach not a product, because ESP is not a particular kind of language or
methodology while ELT is study language learning that using methodology and
techniques. As an approach in language learning, ESP courses is based on the learner
need while as an approach in language teaching, ESP courses is based on the learners’
reason for learning. We believe that a definition of ESP should reflect that much ESP
teaching, especially where it is specifically linked to a particular profession or
discipline. So, the foundation of all ESP is the simple question:

Why does the learner need to learn a foreign language?

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 CHAPTER III
CONCLUSION

Based on the discussion above, we conclude 4 important things in ESP

concluded, such as:
1. Linguistic aspect is very important in ESP, such as vocabulary and
grammar, because it is the basic knowledge to study foreign language. We
have to note that the linguistic factor has tended to dominate this
development with an emphasis on the analysis of the nature of specific
varieties of the language use.
2. ESP is just one branch of ESL/EFL which the main branches of ELT in
general.
3. The tree of ELT’ shows are they are all primarily concerned with
communication and learning.
4. ESP should properly be seen not as any particular language product but as
an approach to language teaching which is directed by specific and
apparent reason for learning.

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 REFERENCES

Hutchinson, T and Waters, A. (1987). English for Specific Purposes. Cambridge:

Cambridge University Press.

Dudley-Evans, Tony and St John, Maggie Jo.(1998). Developments in English for

Specific Purposes. Cambridge :Cambridge University Press.

Susilowati Endang (2008). ESP as an Approach of English Language Teaching In ITS.

Accessed from:
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/314098361_ESP_AS_AN_APPROA
CH_OF_ENGLISH_LANGUAGE_TEACHING_IN_ITS

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 APPENDICES

A. Presentation slides

ESP : Approach Not Product

Group 3:
Theresya Adhelya Paramitha ( A1B016002 )
Revvi Ayu Fratiwi ( A1B016036 )
Iqwan Winandi Aditya ( A1B016044 )
Nova Pandan Sari (A1B016066 )

“What is ESP ?’’

“What exactly is the status of the citizens of ESP and its satellite
settlements in relation to the general world of ELT ?”

The linguistic aspect of ESP : they are all essentially

language-centred approaches.

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Closer definition of ESP
What ESP is not....
a. ESP is not a matter of teaching “specialised varieties” of
English
b. ESP is not just a matter of Science Words and grammar for
Scientists.
c. ESP is not different in kind from any other form of
language teaching

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 Conclusion

 Linguistics factor has tended ( grammar, vocabulary)

 The tree of ELT show that they are all primarily
concerned with communication and learning
 ESP should properly be seen as an approach to language
teaching which is directed by specific and apparent
reason for learning.

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B. Questions and answers

1. Muthia Hamidah
Can English department students teach Economic classes, while we don’t
have expertise in this field?
Answer:
It is possible for us (English department) to teach the Economic class or
another class without being experts in their lesson. The most important thing is
the material should match to the learner’s need and match to the reason why
they need to learn a foreign language. So, the material that has been given can
fulfill the learner’s need itself.

2. Rahma Agung Suci .S.

What is the best method to implemented ESP course?
Answer:
Actually, all decisions in ESP course is based on the learners need, because
ESP is not about methodology, technique or a particular kind of language.

3. Fitriani
What are the differences between GE (General English) with ESP?
Answer:
“In theory nothing, in a practice a great deal” (Hutchinson, 1987:53). ESP
and GE have some differences, such as:
a. Different in learners
ESP is specially designed for (working) the adults, while GE specially
designed for schoolchild.
b. Different in aims and teaching
The objective of ESP is to meet the need of particular learners meanwhile
GE is focused to improve overall English competence involving a range of
skills (reading, writing, listening, and speaking), grammar, vocabulary work,
language function and so on. In ESP teaching approach is known to be
Learner- centered whereas General English is language-centered.

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