ENGLISH FOR SPECIFIC PURPOSES

AND ENGLISH FOR GENERAL PURPOSES

Diajukan Untuk Memenuhi Salah Satu Tugas Kelompok Semester 5 Pada Mata Kuliah English
Specific Purposes Jurusan Tarbiyah prodi Tadris Bahasa Inggris

Oleh

Kelompok 1

SULPADLI ALI 02164129

RAHMAN 02164134

MUHAMMAD YUSUF 02164142

AHMAD FADIL N 02164145

INSTITUT AGAMA ISLAM NEGERI (IAIN)

WATAMPONE 2018/2019
 Introduction

In today’s times language knowledge is very important as it is not only reliable for better
communication but it is also a source of technological progress which enables rapid exchange of
information and research of common global problem. Language is a useful tool for any fruitful
communication

Language knowledge is very important in present days. The aim of the development of language
skill is active expansion of students proficiency in English. Teaching languages is aimed at
raising the quality of language studies and of higher education as well.

There are two types of English: one is English for specific purpose and other is English
General purpose known as English as Second Language.

DISCUSSION

A. Definition of ESP and EGP

1. English for spesific purposes (ESP)

English for spesific purposes is is a subset of English as a second or foreign language. It

usually refers to teaching the English language to university students or people already in
employment, with reference to the particular vocabulary and skills they need. As with
any language taught for specific purposes, a given course of ESP will focus on one occupation or
profession, such as Technical English, Scientific English, English for medical professionals,
English for waiters, English for tourism, etc. Despite the seemingly limited focus, a course of
ESP can have a wide-ranging impact, as is the case with Environmental English.
English for academic purposes, taught to students before or during their degrees, is one sort of
ESP, as is Business English. Aviation English is taught to pilots, air traffic controllers and civil
aviation cadets to enable clear radio communications.

A working definition of ESP can be that it is a comprehensive term which refers to the
teaching of English to those students who learn the language for a particular work or study-
related reason. ESP has always focussed on needs analysis, text analysis and the training of
learners to communicate effectively in the tasks prescribed by their academic or professional
situation (Dudley-Evans & St. John, 1998).ESP can broadly be divided into two main kinds:
‘English for Occupational/Vocational/Professional Purposes (EOP/EVP/EPP).... and English for
Academic Purposes (EAP)’ (Jordan, 1997, p.4).

English for specific purposes has been defined by many writers and researchers. Mackay
and Mountford (1978) indicated that the term ESP is generally used to refer to the teaching of
English for a clear utilitarian purpose. But the best definition for ESP is the one which defined by
Hutchinson and Waters (1987), they defined it as an approach to language teaching in which all
decisions as to content and method are based on the learner’s reason for learning, they added also
that the term ESP implies that, it is English which is somehow peculiar to the range of principles
and procedures which define that particular profession."ESP is an approach to language
teaching in which all decisions as to content and method are based on the learner's reason for
learning". (Hutchinson)

2. English for general purposes (EGP)

English for general purposes is designed for students who are the beginner level. In ESL all four
language skills; listening, reading, writing and speaking are stressed equally.

EGP refers to contexts such as the school where needs cannot be readily specified. It is more
useful to consider EGP providing a broad foundation rather than a detailed and selective
specification of goals like ESP. (Hutchinson. T & Waters. A)

English for General Purposes (EGP) is called ‘TENOR- the teaching of English for No Obvious
Reason’ (Abbot, 1981 in Jordan, 1997, p.4). The title applies to those English language learning
contexts where learners have no easily recognizable reason to learn the language.EGP
refers to the English language education at school levels where the students are made familiar
with the structural/grammatical elements of English language to pass the exams (Hutchinson &
Waters, 1987).

B. Differences between EGP and ESP

About the differences of ESP and EGP Hutchinson wrote, "in theory nothing, in practice
a great deal". When their book was written, of course, the last statement was quite true. At the
time, teachers of General English courses, while acknowledging that students had a specific
purpose for studying English, would rarely conduct a needs analysis to find out what was
necessary to actually achieve it. Teachers nowadays, however, are much more aware of the
importance of needs analysis, and certainly materials writers think very carefully about the goals
of learners at all stages of materials production. Perhaps this demonstrates the influence that the
ESP approach has had on English teaching in general. Clearly the line between where General
English courses stop and ESP courses start has become very vague indeed.

In order to clarify their relation Widdowsen (1983) establishes distinctive features) of ESP and
EGP. The most important features are:

a) EGP’s focus is often on Education while in ESP focus is on training.

b) In EGP the learner future needs are impossible to predict so the course content is difficult
to select while in ESP English is intended to be used in specific vocational/ professional
contexts, the selection of the course content and appropriate context is easier.
c) EGP is taught as a separate subject while ESP is not taught as a separate discipline;
instead it is combined into a subject matter that is important to a learner.
d) EGP is essential for primary level that leads to advance level instruction.
e) ESP focuses on register of certain profession while in EGP; they are not concerned with
any professional vocabulary.

There are some other differences between EGP and ESP that are as follows.
Difference in Teaching methodology.
The aim of ESP is to meet the specific needs of learners so it cannot be said that there is
any fixed teaching methodology for teaching ESP that can be applicable in all situations
but each situation, context and needs of learners belonging to a particular domain impose
a certain methodology of teaching.
As far as EGP is concerned all the teachers can have one specific methodology of
teaching. Because teachers have to teach basic vocabulary, grammar and language
structure so the course as a whole is in the knowledge of teachers that’s why all the
teacher who teach EGP can have same kind of methodology.

Difference in learner’s age and goal

Major difference between ESP and EGP is the purpose for learning English. ESP learners
are usually adults; they already have some background knowledge about the syntactic
structure of language. They learn the language in order to communicate professional
information and to perform some particular job-related functions.
On the other hand, in EGP the age of learner varies from children to adults. For them
learning English is a course subject and the purpose is to acquire basic information
(grammatical and structural) about English language.

Difference in the Syllabuses

ESP syllabuses are according to the profession and learner’s needs and syllabuses are
centered to the context. So the English language is usable in employment context. The
learners are more interested in doing the course and they are highly motivated because
they are acquiring that language for specific purposes of their own choice.
 On the other hand EGP syllabuses are descriptive linguistics syllabuses which focus on
grammatical and structural language and which describes language with the help or its
structure. And general vocabulary is also focused.

Skills
In ESP courses, it is needs analysis that determines what language skills are useful for
learner to be able to cope with certain contexts, for example for book editors and
newspaper editors the focus will be on reading skills.
On the other hand, in EGP courses all the four skills are equally treated and as these
courses are general so no priority is given to need analysis.

The most important difference lies in the learners and their purposes for learning English.
ESP students are usually adults who already have some acquaintance with English and are
learning the language in order to communicate a set of professional skills and to perform
particular job-related functions. ESP concentrates more on language in conext than on teaching
grammar and language structure.

The ESP focus point is that english is not taught as a subjecty separeted from the students
real world instead it is integrated into a subject matter area important to the learners.ESL and
ESP diverge not only in the nature of the learner ,but also in the aim of instruction. In ESL all
four language skills; listening, reading, speaking, and writing, are stressed equally. And in ESP it
is need based of students that which language skills are most needed by the students and the
syllabus is designed accordingly

C. Characteristics of ESP and EGP

A. Characteristics of English for Specific Purposes ;
a) ESP students are adult and they already have knowledge of Basic English.
b) ESP students learn language for professional skills and job related functions.
c) ESP program can be executed after needs analysis.
d) ESP program includes various disciplines.
e) In ESP course language skills are taught after needs analysis.
f) ESP course combines both subject matter and ELT.
g) In ESP course, the learners get motivated to use of language they know and
interact with speaker.

B. Characteristics of English as Second Language

a) ESL is for all learners.
b) No needs analysis is required for ESL learner.
c) Four language skills are practiced equally.
 D. Distinctive Features of ESP and EGP

EGP and ESP have distinctive features which ensure that there is a difference. The most
significant difference lies in the learners and their purposes for learning the English language.

.
A. Distinct Features of ESP:
a) In ESP, the term ‘Specific’ refers to precise or peculiar purpose of the learners.
b) ESP students are adults possessing the knowledge of EGP.
c) ESP students learning goals are different from EGP learners. ESP students learn
to acquire professional skills perform job-related functions.
d) ESP courses can be designed and executed only after Need Analysis.
e) ESP programmes focus on teaching English in an integrated manner not in
isolation.
f) ESP includes various disciplines and has distinct aim of instruction.
g) ESP doesn’t focus on all four skills at once. The particular language skill is
targeted after the need analysis.
h) ESP combines subject matter and ELT, which motivates the learners highly as
they can apply the knowledge gained in real life situations.
i) ESP teacher has to perform various roles, needs to organize course after analyzing
learner’s potential and setting learning goals and then designing the instructional
material.
j) ESP teacher is a facilitator, guiding and supporting the learners by providing
feedback at correct time.
k) ESP classroom is a kaleidoscope of activities.
l) ESP courses are learner centred.
m) ESP courses provide opportunity to learners to apply their linguistic skills in new
situations

B. Distinct Features of EGP:

a) EGP is for all learners.
b) EGP focuses on all 4 skills in general.
c) EGP courses are not need based.

In ESP courses designed with learning goals, instructional program and activity. The
teacher support students in their efforts and provide them feedback.ESP course is learner
centered and the syllabus designed for the course must be based on learner’s potential. The
teachers create a communicative class and allow communication from students. He/she also help
learners to develop self-confidence while communicating. ESP course provides interesting and
relevant course material which encourages and helps the learners to use language in real contexts.

ESP and ESL both are helping to students to learn english in a better way and they can
improve there english as well. and my point of view is that ESP is more helpful to the students to
learn english with the help of several activities so that they can able to learn englis in better way
as well as with more interest. With the help of various activities we can teach them english so
that if they particiapte in activities so that they can improve with the experiance as well they can
expose their inner abilities and for that teachers have to design the activities accordingly.

To explore the students ability to communicate and making them aware in the classroom teacher
have to create that type of atmosphere so that they can communicate with others and share there
views with the others and in classroom. and with the help of this students get confident and
motivate as well .If any student have face any type of problem in learning english so its teacher
responsibility to solve that problem and give them proper solution of that problem.

If student have interest in learning ESP so it is more benificial for him/her because this field is
the field which gives tehm several oppoertunities. ESP is use for any kind of field and help to the
people to learn English in a better way.and it is important for the students who done this course
that they shoud aware of it that this course what all is about.

Adults must work harder than children in order to learn a new language the skill of learn English
is more efficiently. and they can learn more easier.and the mother tounge which they have is
more helpful to them to learn English.ESP students can exploit these innate competencies in
learning English.
 References:

Ajideh, P. (2009). Autonomous Learning and Metacognitive Strategies in ESP Class.

Journal of English Language Teaching, Volume 2, No.1, pp.161 - 168

Dudley-Evans, T. & ST. Jhons, M. J. (1998) Developments in English for Specific Purposes,
Cambridge, Cambridge University Press.

Ewer, J.R. (1983) Teacher Training for EST: Problems and Methods, ESP Journal, vol.2, 1, pp.9-
31

Holme, R. (1996) ESP Ideas, Edinburgh Gate, Longman Group UK Limited.

Hutchinson, T. & Waters, A. (1987) English for Specific Purpose, A Learning Centred Approach,
Cambridge, Cambridge University Press.

Jordan, R. R. (1997) English for academic purposes: A guide and resource book for teachers,
New York, Cambridge University Press.

Kennedy, C. & Bolitho, R. (1984) English for Specific Purposes, Macmillan, London.

Kennedy, C. (1985). ‘Teacher as researcher and evaluator: One suggested solution to some
recurrent problems in ELT and ESP’. Presented at the National ESP Conference, Vitoria, Brazil

Little John, A. (1997) Making good tasks better. English Teaching Professional.

Mc Donough, J.(1988) ESP: Teaching the Teachers, Language Training, vol.9, 3, pp. 1-9