Here you will find the main characteristics of ESP and what to have in mind when appoaching our students in connection to the course disign: students' necessities, lacks and wants.

1. N E E D S A N A L Y S I S

2. WHY DO LEARNERS NEED TO LEARN ENGLISH? All courses are based on a perceived need of some sort. WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN ESP AND GE? “ In theory nothing, in practice a great deal”.

4. WHAT DISTINGUISHES ESP FROM GE? It is not the existence of a need but rather an awareness of the need. It is not so much the nature of the need which distinguishes the ESP from the General course but rather the awareness of a need, i.e. the awareness of a target situation, the need to communicate in English. Thus, any course should be based on an analysis of the learner needs.

5. ANALYSIS FOR ESP AND GE: Questions will be the same, but the answers will be different WHAT DO WE MEAN BY “NEEDS”? According to the language-centered approach: it is “the ability to comprehend and/or produce the linguistic features of the target situation.” Target needs : what the st needs to do in the target situation Learning needs : what the st needs to do in order to learn.

7. Thus, objective and subjective views of needs can conflict motivation. The ESP course designer or teacher has to be aware of such differences and take account of them in materials and methodology. Important decisions are to be made. To undertake Medical Studies To succeed in Agricultural or Veterinary studies WANTS Means of doing Medical Studies (Presumably) areas of English needed for Agricultural or Veterinary Studies LACKS To reluctantly cope with a “second-best” situation The English needed for success in Agricultural or Veterinary studies NECESSITIES SUBJECTIVE (i.e. as perceived by students) OBJECTIVE (i.e. as perceived by course designers)

13. “ From each according to his abilities, to each according to his needs” (Karl Marx)