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30ESP CONCEPTS, STRATEGIES AND TOOLS
Mikhail Novoselov, Ph.D.
Associate Professor, Department for Foreign Language Education Perm State Humanitarian Pedagogical University, Perm English B teacher, International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme,
Lyceum 10, Perm E-mail: [email protected]
Svetlana Novoselova
Senior Lecturer, Department for Foreign Language Education Perm State Humanitarian Pedagogical University, Perm
E-mail: [email protected]
Elena Ponomaryova
Post-graduate Student of the Faculty of Foreign Languages, group M711 Perm State Humanitarian Pedagogical University, Perm e-mail: [email protected]
Abstract: this article presents concepts, strategies and tools of teaching English for specific purposes. These concepts and the technology itself are supposed to be used in the training process at higher educational establishments. Due to them students will be able to master the command of English for specific purposes. However, in order to make these concepts effective it is necessary to implement different teaching tools which are under the consideration of this article as well.
Key words: skill gaps; variation and multiplicity; conceptual foresight; enjoyment; cohesiveness; creativity; atmosphere conducive to learning.
Introduction
Due to qualitative changes in economic life of Russia connected with the market economy formation, development of external economic relations of firms and enterprises and their access to the international market the necessity in completely new preparation of employees who can successfully use a foreign language as a means of multicultural business communication has emerged. [1; 4; 7-15].
Principles of ESP
The educational process in universities aimed at students who are learning English for specific purposes should be based on the following principle:
1. Second language learning is the developmental activity. In order to comprehend new information a student actualizes his knowledge. This is exactly the way the process of education is conducted. According to M. Stevens "comprehension precedes learning". This means that students' current knowledge is the key to success or failure in the process of acquiring new
knowledge. For this reason, a competent teacher will always plan his or her lessons considering this peculiarity.
2. Foreign language learning is an active process. For successful learning of a foreign language having a certain amount of knowledge is not enough, it is essential to be able to use it correctly [2; 3; 5]. 2 types of activity should be distinguished:
- psychomotor activity which includes movement of limbs and the organs of speech, in other words - articulation; activity oriented at a foreign language learning - processing of the received information in the structured system of knowledge. This kind of activity does not have any apparent signs of implementation;
- the second type of activity is of great importance. If the number of language skills does not form any structured system in students' mind, the implementation of psychomotor activity cannot be treated as totally effective. The effectiveness of students should be evaluated not from the point of view of how much they say or write but how much they think about it.
3. Language learning is the process, which requires making decisions. In the traditional approach all the decisions were made by a teacher. However the processes of development and learning are based on students making decisions. Is the obtained knowledge new for a student? How does it correspond with already existing knowledge? What does it underline? What knowledge is relevant for this age group of students and what kind is not? Students should be able to answer these kinds of questions and make decisions.
4. Language learning is not all linguistics. One of the most serious problems of the second language learning is the difference between students' intelligence and their level of language development. When commanding a mother tongue these processes are developed in collaboration and simultaneously. But when commanding the second language they differ: a person is already grown-up from the mental point of view, but linguistically he or she is still a child. This is the main problem of ESP when students have extensive knowledge in certain spheres but lack language knowledge. That is why a teacher should consider this difference while planning the lessons.
5. Foreign language learning is not the first experience of learning a language as such. Everyone starting to learn a second language has already had a communicative competency of another language. They may not know all the peculiarities of forms, words or principles of the target language but they understand what communication and its functions are. At first, they probably cannot express their ideas with words but the fact is undeniable as in case of the lack of understanding the communication essence a person wouldn't be able to speak his mother tongue. The knowledge of communication mechanism should be used while learning the second language, for example anticipating written or audio texts [16].
- the process of language learning is connected with emotions. One of the main teacher's objectives in the lesson should be inclusion of positive emotions instead of negative ones. A few tools for gaining this aim are presented below:
- pair and group work should be used according to established relationships in the group;
- students should be given some time for thinking and shouldn't be over pressured;
- the process of education itself should be emphasized but not the results;
- 'interest', 'amusement' and 'diversity' should be made the main principles while planning ESP lessons and preparing ancillary materials.
The language may be learned within any activity. In order to learn the language effectively it is not necessary to work at language problems. The language can be successfully learned as if 'by the way' within acertain topic. The questions considered within problem-solving shouldn't be necessarily connected with the language. The obligatory condition is the fact that the problem should make the students use the language for solving it. As a result, the language is reinforced in one's mind as a form of a certain system of knowledge [6].
Teaching the language is not an organized process. A person studies by organizing information but the process of education itself is not systematic as structured presentation of the information is not a guarantee of successful language learning. Every student should create his or her own internal system of knowledge and an external system may serve as a support.
Techniques
How can a teacher implement all the above mentioned principles in his or her lessons? For this some simple tools, which can be implemented in every lesson are presented below.
Gaps
If everything is familiar and clear there is no need to think. Studying suggests critical thinking over any information and gaps allow doing it.
1. Gaps in information. Many teachers appreciate the type of activity when a student has certain information, which the others don't and vice versa. In order to exchange information students have to communicate with each other. Students need to communicate for exchanging information on a specific topic.
2. Gaps in mass media. The information available in certain sphere and it is to be transferred to the another one, for example reading and creating notes, discussion using notes and also filling gaps in the text.
3. Explanation gaps. Students have knowledge and assumptions in one part of the knowledge but this knowledge is to be interpreted, transferred and spread in other spheres of knowledge.
4. Memory gaps. Students get some information at a certain stage of the lesson and then, in some time, they have to recollect and reproduce that information.
5. Jigsaw. Students are given information in parts so that to completely understand what it is about and get a full picture.
6. Opinion gaps. Students answer the questions: "What is important?", "What is not important?", "What is more suitable in one situation and what is unacceptable in the other?"
7. Clarification gaps. Students are offered to answer the following questions: "What do we know exactly?", "What does it include?", "What can be suggested?", What information is unacceptable and unclear at all?"
All above mentioned "gap" variants contribute to involving our brains in work and allow thinking over the information critically.
Variety
Variety is a kind of the highlight of education. In order to make the education process a truly effective and valid companion in learning the material a certain diversity should be brought. Variety in the process of education may be presented in the following ways:
- Variety of means of education: text, recording, pictures, speech;
- Variety of organization of work in class: group work, pair work, individual work, full class work.
- Variety of roles in the process of education: leader, listener, thinker, helper;
- Variety of exercises, types of activity and tasks;
- Variety of skills connected with education: reading, listening, writing, speaking;
- Variety of topics;
- Variety of objectives of the lessons: correct writing, fluent speech, argumentation, correct grammatical structures, pronunciation and etc.
Prediction
Prediction is the anticipation of text or lesson content with the help of current knowledge on this topic. Prediction is important either in everyday life or language learning. Teaching students to anticipate the content of the text has the following advantages:
- helps students become more confident in realizing their real opportunities of speaking the language, communicating and understanding the topic;
- helps a teacher find gaps in students' knowledge and plan the process of education accordingly;
- triggers students' thinking process and prepares them for the education process;
- gives students an opportunity for developing personal skills. When anticipating something students develop their self-esteem. They express their point of view risking to be mistaken.
Prediction is also an excellent means of motivating students. Anticipation is of great importance while listening. It is necessary to be able not only to catch the information but also to understand whether the suggestions were right.
Enjoyment
Enjoyment is not just a word or garish luxury. This is the easiest way to motivate students. The most relevant material and common scientific theories are nothing compared to diverse education environment based on a pleasant experience. This aspect of pedagogy, which is perceived by children as something implied by itself, is often forgotten by adults. If students are bored at a lesson, it can't be called effective and it does not how important and relevant this lesson is.
Integrated methods of teaching
Using different methods of teaching the range of active forms in the lessons can be significantly increased. Due to that a high level of memorizing can be achieved together with high level of motivation.
Coherence
The stage of the lesson should be clear. Every stage should be based on the previous one and flow into the next.
Preparation
Preparation for the lesson is usually understood as a stepwise plan of the lesson. Students should be ready for the process of education and acquiring new knowledge as well as teachers prepare themselves for teaching. Furthermore, in the process of conducting lessons it becomes clear that readiness of a teacher and students plays an important role in the lesson effectiveness.
Involvement in the process of education
Students should be involved into the process of lesson either from the cognitive or emotional points of view. Some means of involving students into this process were presented earlier (prediction, variety and etc) [17].
One of the easiest ways of involving students into the process if education is asking a question. One shouldn't tell the students what they already know, it is better to ask them a leading question so that they could answer it correctly. However, it should be taken into account:
- not to ask questions which are difficult to answer. For example: "What is an experiment?"
- to wait for the answer. Students must feel that their contribution into the lesson is valued which is an important aspect of emotional involvement of students into the process of education.
Creativity
The language is constantly changing and dynamic and the emphasis should be made at this during the lessons. Consequently knowledge should be diverse and involve different answer options.
Atmosphere
Notwithstanding we try to analyze or structure the process of education we still need to realize that the process depends on a number of factors such as relationships between a teacher and students.
Conclusion
The development of positive social relations between students is of great significance. This is exactly like ESP when different factors prevent positive atmosphere during studying: a teacher who is not confident about the material or who dislikes the topic; students who spend time which should be devoted to learning the language and etc.
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© Novoselov M., Novoselova S., Ponomaryova E., 2017
