OVERVIEW OF ENGLISH FOR SPECIFIC PURPOSES: FOCUS ON OCCUPATIONAL AND ACADEMIC PURPOSES

Abstract

English for Specific Purposes (ESP) is a branch of English language teaching that addresses the specific linguistic needs of learners in various professional and academic contexts. This article provides an overview of ESP, particularly focusing on its applications in occupational and academic settings. It examines the principles underpinning ESP, the methodologies employed, and the significance of tailored language instruction, supported by relevant literature. English for Specific Purposes (ESP) refers to instruction aimed at helping learners with their study or research in the specific form of English they require. It has developed over the past 50 years through extensive research and classroom experience, becoming a significant force in university and workplace education across various regions of the globe. The fundamental concept of ESP is that learners’ needs vary greatly depending on their future academic or career aspirations, which is why it has gained such prominence in universities worldwide in recent times. There is an increasing recognition that students must adopt new roles and interact with information in different manners when they transition to university and eventually to the workforce. They discover that they need to engage with unfamiliar writing styles and that communication practices differ across the disciplines they study. In this paper, I outline some of the key concepts and practices that have influenced modern ESP and examine the primary impacts it is having on language education.