English teaching & learning! Tips, reflections & discussions!

Wednesday, August 7, 2013

Valuable distinctions in ESP

I’ve always heard about English for Specific Purposes (ESP) but it was only recently that I got acquainted with two important distinctions on this field. I’m talking about two concepts that are very valuable to every teacher/instructor on this context: English for Academic Purposes (EAP) and English for Occupational Purposes (EOP).

English For Academic Purposes
As the name suggests, it focuses on the preparation of students who are about to start a course in an Academic Field. It involves not only the languages skills, like specific vocabulary, but also key abilities related to common activities in any Academic Situation, such as writing reports, taking notes, raising questions and doing formal presentations, that are directly linked to the students’ academic success.

English for Occupational Purposes

It’s more like a training on some very specific language that is going to be demanded on a professional situation. It can take place prior to work or in service. It tends to be a really practical approach focusing on students' realistic and immediate needs.

These two distinctions are really key for teachers designing a course and who needs to have a clear view of its goals in order to estabilish realistic and achievable goals.

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