THE ESSENTIAL ISSUES AND APPROACHES ON ESP TEACHING CLASSROOM
Keywords:
assessment, English for Specific Purposes, material design, instructionAbstract
The research examines three critical aspects of the ESP classroom: the educators, instructional materials, and assessment tools. It reflects on publications from three decades ago regarding the ESP classroom and analyzes the recent advancements in China. Firstly, in light of the demographic shifts among ESP practitioners and the interdisciplinary nature of the ESP classroom, it is suggested that collaboration among language teachers, subject-specific educators, and industry professionals is essential. Secondly, concerning the design of teaching materials and methodologies within the ESP classroom, it is recommended that classroom activities be tailored to the needs of learners, with teaching approaches aligned with anticipated functions. This can be accomplished through the collaborative efforts of practitioners in both classroom instruction and field-based coaching. Lastly, the evaluation of ESP-related courses and student assessments at various levels is addressed, leading to the conclusion that, in addition to international ESP/EAP assessments, there is a need for localized and specialized tests that strike an appropriate balance between language proficiency and subject matter expertise, which should be implemented in the ESP classroom.
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