1. www.nvcc.edu/workfo

2. EDUC 1816: Teaching Content ESL
American Culture & Language Institute, TESOL Certificate Program
Northern Virginia Community College
www.nvcc.edu/workfo

3. Overview
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What is Content ESL/ESP?
Origins of ESP
ESL Course Design
Materials Adaptation
Putting it into Practice
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4. What is Content ESL?
“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 & Walters, 1987
www.nvcc.edu/workfo

5. What is Content ESL?
• Focus on learner’s needs on the job
• Content specific – pragmatics, speech acts,
jargon
• Most often used with adult learners
• Designed for intermediate to advanced level
students
• Often called English for Specific Purposes
(ESP)
www.nvcc.edu/workfo

6. A Comparison
General ESL
Children or Adults
Study
ESP
Adults
Work
Language as Content
School Subject
Four language skills taught
equally
Language in Context
Real-World
Focus on language skills
most needed for work
www.nvcc.edu/workfo

7. Origins of ESP
• World War II created growth in scientific,
technical, & economic activity worldwide
• English as lingua franca
• Linguistics changed to focus on learners’
needs
– Pre 1980s: focus on features of language +
accuracy
– Post 1980s: focus on language use in the real
world + fluency
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8. English for Social
Science (ESS)
English for
Science &
Technology (EST)
English for
Business &
Economics (EBE)
English for
Academic
Purposes (EAP)
English for
Academic
Purposes (EAP)
English for
Academic
Purposes (EAP)
English for
Occupational
Purposes
(EOP)
English for
Occupational
Purposes
(EOP)
English for
Occupational
Purposes
(EOP)
www.nvcc.edu/workfo

9. Case in Point
• ESL students working in the health-care field would
study English for Science & Technology (EST)
English for Dental
Technicians (EOP)
• Greeting patients
• Interviewing patients
& writing notes
• Advising the dentist
and patient
English for Medical
Studies (EAP)
• Reading textbooks
• Writing reports/papers
• Speaking with the
professor & classmates
• Listening & note taking
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10. Try It!
• Choose a type of ESP
– Social Science (ESS), Science & Tech. (EST), or
Business & Economics (EBE)
• Choose a subtype
– English for Occupational Purposes
– English for Academic Purposes
• List three pragmatic acts or speech acts
• Present to the class
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11. ESP Course Design
• Observe the worksite/educational institution
to identify pragmatics, speech acts, &
vocabulary.
• Conduct a needs assessment of major
stakeholders.
• Identify a methodology to promote real-world
practice.
– TBLT or TPR for example
www.nvcc.edu/workfo

12. ESP Course Design (cont.)
• Design activities so that students practice
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Productive and receptive skills
Rehearsed and spontaneous speech acts
Problem solving
Correct vocabulary (register) for the workplace
• Assess students’ success in meeting their
goals.
www.nvcc.edu/workfo

13. Materials Adaptation
“ ESP teachers find themselves in a situation
where they are expected to produce a course
that exactly matches the needs of a group of
learners, but are expected to do so with no, or
very limited, preparation time.”
Johns, 1990
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14. Materials Adaptation (cont.)
• Create a resource bank of job-related realia
– Forms
– Pamphlets or brochures
– Instruction manuals
• Adapt ESL textbook activities
• Search YouTube for Dos & Don’ts of
workplace or institutional behavior
www.nvcc.edu/workfo

15. Put it into Practice
• In pairs:
– Choose a field and subfield of ESP.
– Go to a local business and observe the
pragmatics, speech acts, and vocabulary.
– Collect any job-related realia
– Create a 10 minute ESP mini lesson.
– Teach the class.
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16. Local Business
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