Do it yourself an approach in esp course design

OUTLINE
I- What is ESP?
II- Problems of ESP Teachers in Tunisia
III- How to Become a DIY Course Designer
1-What is a Course Design?
2- Factors Affecting ESP Course Design
3- Course Development and Materials
Selection
IV- Samples of Adapted Materials
V- Conclusion

What Is ESP?
ESP
a course whose
content,
methodology and
activities are
determined by the
professional needs
of the learner and
the discipline it
serves
generally
designed for
intermediate and
advanced adults
who already have
basic knowledge
of the language
systems
language learning for
use in a specific
discipline or area of
work: business,
medicine, information
technology, engineering
...
is different from GE in
that GE aims to
develop general
competence and
capacity in the
language but does not
refer to any particular
variety

Problems of ESP Teachers in Tunisia
Lack
of special prior
training and
coaching
Lack
of homogeneity
in ESP
classrooms.
The material
covered in the
course can
become
outdated within
a short time of
use
Lack
of clear
guidelines and
appropriate
teaching
materials
Lack of
knowledge of
content area
Vs
knowledgeable
Learners

would carry a heavier burden than most other
language teachers because they should draw on a
wide variety of published materials for their
classes and should know how to identify, adapt,
and develop materials to address the specific
language needs. (Bocanegra-Valle, 2010).

HOW TO BECOME
COURSE DESIGNER
Course Designer

What is a Course Design?
- It is the process by which the raw data about a learning need
is interpreted in order to produce an integrated series of
teaching/learning experiences, whose ultimate aim is to lead
the learners to a particular state of knowledge. (Hutchinson &
Waters, 1981)
- It is an approach to materials writing/developing in which the
ongoing evaluation of the developing materials is driven by a
set of both universal principles applicable to any learning
context and local criteria specific to the target learning
context. (Tomlinson 2012)

Factors
Affecting
ESP Course
Design Necessities /
lacks / wants
Learning
theories /
methodologies
Learners’
present
situation
Attitudes /
cultural and
societal
backgrounds
Knowledge/
weaknesses/
strengths /
Target situation
needs
Learning
setting / timing/
constraints

Course Development
and
Materials Selection

1- Analyze
learning
needs
2- Set
objectives
3- Fix
content,
activities,
methodolog
y and
develop a
syllabus
4- Select
and develop
materials
4- Revise
the
materials on
the basis of
classroom
experience
and
feedback
Framework
of Course
Developme
nt

Adapting:
Selecting and
making
adjustments to
materials
Adopting:
selecting
existing
materials
Decision
on
Teaching
Materials
Developing:
Creating
materials from
scratch

Appropriate ESP materials
 should provide exposure to English in authentic use in
meaningful ways.
should interest the learners, engage them affectively and
cognitively, stimulate discovery and set achievable challenges.
should enhance learners’ ability To use particular jargon in
specific context, To use generalised set of academic skills and To
use everyday informal language to communicate effectively.
should offer learners opportunities to acquire the
knowledge required by the target situation

Printed: written texts,
pictures, cartoons,
maps, graphs ...
Forms of
adaptable
materials Non-printed: audio,
video, computer based,
self-access and Internet

Adding material or activities
to better target language
expectations of the ESP
context
Materials
Adaptation
s
Reducing or
Simplifying material or
activities to make them more
appropriate or less difficult
Modifying materials or
activities to make them more
demanding
or accessible to students.
Deleting material that is
inappropriate, irrelevant, etc.

Printed Materials
Sample 1: Text modification
My Banker Boss Treats Me Like His Personal
Skivvy’
I ‘m graduate from a business school. I ‘m a PA to a very
successful investment banker. He works all hours and sees my
role as to do anything and everything necessary to help him.
This includes many things that usually fall well outside my job
description; So, I often make doctor’s appointments for his wife,
arrange parties for his children and do the payroll for his nanny
and gardener.
When I first got the job, I was extremely happy. The first days
were really exciting. I was motivated and full of energy. But
unfortunately, this is no longer the case; at present, I’m fed up
with the job and the
boss...........................................……………………………………
…………………………………….....................................................
.............................................................……………………………
……………………………………………..........................................
...................................................................................
If I complain, I may be moved to work with someone more junior;
or at worst I may lose my job. Is there another way to protest, or
should I just shut up and get on with it?
Activity: In pairs, discuss the
probable effects of the boss’s
behavior on Lucy’s motivation
and performance, then use your
ideas to complete the missing part
of the text.
Objective of the modification:
giving the students the
opportunity to check their ability
to talk about recurrent habits
using the adequate linguistic
features. (Simple present /
adverbs of frequency)

Sample 2: Adapting cartoons to classroom activities
Activity
Group-Work: Focus on the
cartoons and find out the
mistakes made by the job
applicants.
Objective of the adaptation
o Make the task more
challenging and meaningful.
o Promote critical thinking
among students and make
them go beyond what is
explicitly illustrated

Conclusion
 A DIY approach allows teachers to respond to the
geographical and cultural context of the learners, draw upon
the topical in referring to current events, and provide a personal
touch. (Richards, 2002)
 Materials development is an effective way of helping
teachers to understand and apply theories of language learning
and to achieve personal and professional development
(Tomlinson, 2001).
ESP teachers should be self-confident, embrace challenges
and think big to become skillful DIY course designers.

References
 ANN M. JOHNS (2013). The History of English for Specific Purposes. The Handbook of
English for Specifi c Purposes, First Edition. John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
 Dudley-Evans, T., & St John, M. J. (1998). Developments in English for Specific
 Purposes. A multi-disciplinary approach. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press
 Gatehouse, K. (2001). Key Issues in English for Specific Purposes (ESP) Curriculum
Development. The Internet TESL Journal, Vol. VII, No. 10.
 Harrabi, A. (2010). Issues in Education of English for Specific Purposes in the Tunisian
Higher Education. ESP World, issue 2.
 Hutchinson & Waters,(1981). English for Specific Purposes. Cambridge Language
Teaching Library
 Richards, C and Rodgers, T. (2002). Approaches and Methods in Language Teaching.
 New York: Cambridge University Press.
 Tomlinson, B. (2012). Materials Development for Language Learning and Teaching.
 Language Teaching, 45(2), 143 – 179
 Tomlinson, B. (1998). Materials Development in Language Teaching. New York:
 Cambridge University Press.
 Tomlinson, B. (2001). Developing Materials for Language Teaching. Cromwell Press,
Trowbridge, Wiltshire.

Do it yourself an approach in esp course design

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