Key Issues in
English for Specific Purposes (ESP) Curriculum Development
Based on
insights gained from developing the curriculum for Language Preparation for
Employment in the Health Sciences and a review of the literature on ESP, this
paper is intended to offer theoretical support for ESL instructors developing
ESP curricula for ESL contexts.
Background
Information and Statement of Purpose
In late 1999,
I was asked to develop a content-based curriculum for a ten-week course for a
select group of immigrants living in Ottawa, Canada. The course was held at
Algonquin College of Applied Arts and Technology and was funded by the Language
for Employment Related Needs Project (LERN). The curriculum consisted of two
distinct phases: language delivery and employment awareness. Although the
employment awareness phase (independently developed and delivered by Local
Agencies Serving Immigrants) was an integral component of the program, the
focus of this paper is on insights gained from the language-delivery phase.
Dudley Evans
and St. John (1998) identify five key roles for the ESP practitioner:
teacher
course
designer and materials provider
collaborator
researcher
evaluator.
It is the role
of ESP practitioner as course designer and materials provider that this paper
addresses. The premise of this paper is based on David Nunan's observations
about the teacher as a curriculum developer.
