Faculty of Teacher Training - English Department
Course Title: English for Specific Purposes – 2010 - M.A. ELT Program (4+1 / 3+2)
Instructor: Dr. Rod
E-mail: sjrod55@gmail.com
DRAFT OUTLINE
*The instructor reserves the right to change the syllabus as the course progresses if necessary
Course Overview and Objectives:
English for Specific Purposes (ESP) is known as a learner-centered approach to teaching English as a foreign or second language. It meets the needs of adult learners who need to learn a foreign language for use in their specific fields, such as science, technology, medicine, leisure, and academic learning. This course is recommended for graduate students and foreign and second language professionals who wish to learn how to design ESP courses and programs in an area of specialization such as English for business, Engineering, and for Academic Purposes. In addition, they are introduced to ESP instructional strategies, materials adaptation and development, and evaluation.
Its objectives include:
- To develop an understanding about the factors that led to the emergence of ESP and the forces, both theoretical and applied, that have shaped its subsequent development.
- To assist students develop needs assessments and genre analyses for specific groups of learners.
- To provide guidelines to adapt or create authentic ESP materials in a chosen professional or occupational area and to critically evaluate currently available materials
- To become knowledgeable about assessment procedures appropriate for ESP and apply this knowledge in developing course and lesson evaluation plans in their professional or occupational area.
- To assist students in preparing a syllabus, lesson and assessment plan based upon their needs assessments and genre analyses.
Knowledge and Understanding:
Learning Outcomes
A1 : Knowledge of key principles involving the historical development and existing practice in ESP
A2 : A detailed acquaintance of genres spanning written/spoken discourse and a variety of specialised contexts (academic and non-academic) in which English is taught and used
A3 : An appreciation of the strategies employed by ESP learners in different disciplines and of the roles of ESP teachers
A4 : An understanding of how the above apply to particular teaching situations, especially those that the student is familiar with, in the context of accepted contemporary professional practice
Teaching Methods
1-4 are taught initially through staff-led modules, using a variety of means of delivery (formal lecture, seminar, question-answer discussion session, group-work task-based session, computer lab session, student oral reports, workshop). 4 is enhanced by classroom observation where possible. Staff feedback to students on coursework is a connected important feature enhancing learning. Learning is expected to be deepened through directed and independent self-access library study and use of web material both put up by staff and generally available on the internet.
Intellectual / Cognitive Skills:
Learning Outcomes
B1 : Critical skills needed to evaluate disparate sources of information, both academic (e.g. lectures, books) and experiential, and collate, select, and apply the information to a specific teaching issue or situation critical skills needed to evaluate disparate sources of information, both academic (e.g. lectures, books) and experiential, and collate, select, and apply the information to a specific teaching issue or situation
B2 : An ability to formulate coherent and logically sound arguments
B3 : Ability to reflect independently on own teaching/learning experience and relate it to the ideas and research in the field
B4 : Ability to identify a research question or hypothesis, choose appropriate research methods, and interpret own and others' data and see the implications for a hypothesis or question
Teaching Methods
1-4 are fostered repeatedly by all the means of teaching/learning described in (A)
Practical Skills:
Learning Outcomes
C1 : Ability to seek and retrieve relevant information from a variety of sources (e.g. library, journals, WWW)
C2 : Ability to communicate lucidly in speech and writing about theoretical matters, teaching and learning issues and own teaching experience, in appropriate style
C3 : Practical skills in analysing the core properties of syllabuses and materials in different language learning/teaching situations
C4 : Ability to propose, plan, execute and write up an original, complete but limited study related to ESP with due treatment of appropriate prior research and theory, generation of research aims, application of relevant methods (e.g. empirical data gathering, or syllabus/materials design or evaluation) and management and presentation of the whole project with due attention to proper professional practice and ethics.
Teaching Methods
1 is promoted by staff guidance as well as being guided by staff teaching, and giving advice
2 is promoted by the oral and written tasks associated with the taught modules, and feedback on them, and by guidance in course booklet and an unassessed module on assignment and dissertation writing
3 is dealt with by embedding practical data analysis tasks into specialist modules.
4 is promoted by supervision of the obligatory dissertation
1-4 are further supported by advice from me in consultation hours or by email, and by web-based self-access material.
Key Skills:
Learning Outcomes
D1 : a. Oral participation in group discussion and lectures b. Academic writing, both in the form of argumentative academic papers and research reports, in appropriate style c. Critical reading: researching and utilising information, including scanning, recognising opinion and bias, detecting relevant points, collating different sources.
D2 : Using advanced computational tools and software packages to obtain, store and process information stored in electronic form (e.g. from the Library, WWW or CD-rom).
D3 : a. Analysis of tasks and identification of objectives b. Identification and use of relevant information sources c. Establishing main features of a complex problem d. Planning and selection of approach to reach a solution
D4 : Participation in pair/group class tasks (including organising and evaluating own and others' contributions)
D5 : a. Use of independent time management skills, initiative, and different approaches to working autonomously to meet assignment and dissertation targets b. Use of feedback and support from peers, lecturers and supervisor to meet targets and improve over the year
Teaching Methods
1 and 5 are promoted by many taught modules, and involve listening and note taking in lectures. They are also facilitated by feedback.
2 is promoted mainly by self access material on WWW. More generically, students will be expected to become familiar with basic PC management and the word processing of academic documents, internet searching, etc. in connection with their work for all modules.
4 and 6 are promoted via the assignments which impose requirements for students to apply these skills
1-2 and 4-6 are all further practised for the dissertation, and aided when necessary by staff advice by email or consultation
Attendance policy:
In accordance with the university’s attendance policy, students must attend 70% of the meetings in order to be able to pass the course. If a student misses more than 30 % of the classes, the student will automatically fail the course, regardless of performance on the assignments. The dismissal of excused absences (medical appointments, family emergencies, etc.) will be taken up on a case by case basis.
Academic Dishonesty
An incident of academic dishonesty occurs when a student commits any of the following acts (this list does not preclude other acts of academic fraud):
1. Cheating refers to the use or attempted use of unauthorized materials, information, or study aids in an academic exercise or assignment.
2. Fabrication refers to the unauthorized falsification or invention of any information or citation in an academic exercise.
3. Facilitating academic dishonesty is the act of helping or attempting to help another to violate any provision of the institutional policy on academic dishonesty.
4. Plagiarism describes the unacknowledged adoption or reproduction of the ideas, words, statements of another person, including classroom peers.
Students caught engaging in academic dishonesty once will fail the assignment. Two or more incidents of academic dishonesty will result in failure of the course.
Assessment:
| Grade Scale | Grade Description | Grade Points |
| 95% - 100% | Excellent | 10.0 |
| 86% - 94% | Very good | 9.0 |
| 77% - 85% | Good | 8.0 |
| 68% - 76% | Satisfactory | 7.0 |
| 60% - 67% | Passing | 6.0 |
Assessment in this course will be continuous (ongoing). Students therefore should be advised that each and every meeting is crucial to their success in the course. The students will be assessed for these components:
Please be well aware that while there will not be formalized mid and final year examinations, the continuous assessments, in total, have the same effect and weigh equally.
Grading Rubric:
| Attendance | 10 % |
| Homework | 20 % |
| Participation | 20 % |
| Debate | 10 % |
| Writing assignments | 40 % |
| Total | 100 % |
Course Outline:
| Session 1
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| Session 2
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| Session 3 | Discussing issues related to the design of needs analysis tools for your specific group of learners Assignment 1: Design a needs analysis plan for your target population that you would carry out if you had sufficient time and money. |
| Session 4 |
Assignment 2: Find written or spoken texts for analysis that are appropriate for your learners and conduct genre analysis |
| Session 5 | Discussing how the results of your needs analysis help setting the parameters of your ESP course design. Give and receive feedback. Assignment 3: Propose a course design plan |
| Session 6
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Assignment 4: Write a reflection paper on selecting materials for your target population |
| Session 7 |
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Incomplete (IN): An incomplete grade may be assigned if a student has not finished all course requirements by the end of the semester, but has completed a substantial amount of the work. It is the student’s responsibility to bring pertinent information to the teacher and to reach an agreement on how the remaining course requirements will be satisfied. If requirements are not completed within one year, a failing grade is automatically assigned.
Recommended reading:
English for Specific Purposes by Keith Harding –
Oxford University Press 2007.
ISBN – 13: 987 019 442575 9 and ISBN – 10: 0 19 442575 9
Articles:
Basturkmen, H. (1998). Refining procedures: A needs analysis project at Kuwait University. English Teaching Forum, 36(4). Also available at: http://exchanges.state.gov/forum/vols/vol36/no4/p2.htm
Bhatia, V. K. (1997). Applied genre analysis and ESP. In T. Miller (Ed.), Functional approaches to written text: Classroom applications (pp. 134-149). English Language Programs: United States Information Agency. Also available at: http://exchanges.state.gov/education/engteaching/pubs/BR/functionalsec4_10.htm
Bosher, S. & Smalkoski, K. (2002). From needs analysis to curriculum development: Designing a course in health-care communication for immigrant students in the USA. English for Specific Purposes, 21(1): 59-79. (can be accessed online from IU Library website with an IU account)
Douglas, D. (1999) Assessing Languages for Specific Purposes CUP
Dudley-Evans,T and M. St. John (1998) Developments in ESP: a Multi-Disciplinary Approach C UP
Dudley-Evans, T. (2000). Genre analysis: A key to a theory of ESP? Iberica, 2, 3-11. Also available at: www.uv.es/aelfe/WebRAs/RA-2-Dudley.pdf
Hutchinson, T. and A. Waters (1997) English for Specific Purposes, CUP
Johns, A. M. (1991). English for specific purposes (ESP): Its history and contributions. In M. Celce-Murcia (Ed.), Teaching English as a second or foreign language (2nd ed., pp. 67-77). New York: Newbury House.
Johns, A. M., & Price-Machada, D. (2001). English for specific purposes (ESP): Tailoring courses to students' needs-and to the outside world. In M. Celce-Murcia (Ed.), Teaching English as a second or foreign language (3rd ed., pp. 43-54). Boston: Heinle & Heinle.
Mackay , R and A Mountford (Eds) (1978) English for Specific Purposes Longman
McDonough, J. (1984) ESP in Perspective. Collins
Munby, J (1978) Communicative Syllabus Design CUP
Richterich, R (Ed.) (1983) Case Studies in Identifying Language Needs Pergamon
Robinson, P. (1991) ESP: A Practitioner's Guide. Prentice Hall International
Swales, J (1985) Episodes in ESP Pergamon
West, R. (1994). Needs analysis in language teaching. Language Teaching 27(1): 1-19.
