English for Specific Purposes Vs. English for General Purposes (Justified!)



Photo by Google
What really is the most vital and practical approach or program in teaching English as a Second Language? ESP? EGP? Both? How could we justify that first thing shall be considered first when in fact, both are frameworks designed to develop especially the communicative needs of language learners?

With the consequential information I learned from our ESP class, I shall now try to elaborate the major differences as well as similarities between ESP and EGP. Moreover, I anticipate that the inputs coded in this reflection sheet may help my bewildered colleagues in pointing out the significant distinctions of the two topics.

First stop, ESP or English for Specific Purposes aims to develop learners’ communicative needs mainly for improvement. The fundamentals of the language are taught to them in order to be more prepared for their career path. For instance, if the learners shall be working as a call center agent, they are expected to learn the language skills that enable them to confidently respond to the concerns of their foreign customers. With the level of skills they need, the information may not be that in-depth that it may lead to teaching them the basic and complex principles embodying the language itself. In other words, they may not need to learn the complexities of the strict grammar rules since we understand that they shall not be teaching or doing language-teaching-related works while on duty. However, if the learners shall be working as an English teacher, of course they need to learn EVERYTHING about the language. They need to be knowledgeable enough on the simple and complicated things that contribute to the formation and use of the language. In addition, right after indulging themselves in learning ESP, they must possess the skills needed to be called as English instructors. From communicative to linguistic skills—they need to understand why and how language works.

Meanwhile, EGP or English for General Purposes aims to develop to form a strong language foundation of the learners in terms of basic grammar and communication. This is an approach predominantly used in primary schools intending to help primary students build self-assurance in using the language. In fact, even without physical evidences, it has been proven to have helped primary learners without giving them pressure and constraints that hinder their willingness to continue grasping the language.

To sum up everything, I conclude that there is really no valid reason to say that one approach or program is higher or more important than the other, because the two help in the holistic development of learners’ communicative and linguistic skills. The EGP builds the foundation of language knowledge enabling learners to connect it to their future study, and the ESP develops the skills needed to be used by the students as they work with their respective professions.

Lastly, the arguments about ESP and EGP must end up by realizing that both methods of language teaching bear great roles addressing the PRESENT and FUTURE needs of ESL learners. :)

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

What Kind of Listener Are You?

Image
Photo from Google Every one of us listens and tries to relate to some of the conversations which we may belong. We listen, yet all of us do not have the same reason why we do this. In addition, we also do not have the uniform way of listening to someone. Yes, the skill that we perform is the same but our intention or manner of doing this varies in some different ways. Perhaps, you have not heard nor grasped the categories or types of listeners yet, but this article will surely help you to be mindful on this matter. The following classifications are enlisted by Bernales (2010): a. Eager Beaver This kind of listener presumes that he really has the heart of listening. He, most of the time, looks straightly to the one talking to him and sometimes nods and smiles as if he fully understands the words being said. The act of this particular listener is very deceiving but if he surely understands what he is listening of, that should be a very big question mark. b. Sleeper
Read more

Launching Soon: UpTraining

Image
They say, "Go wherever your heart desires," and then one night, when I was reflecting on some LinkedIn contents, I realized I have always been inspired by these posts and people behind them, so I thought I would want to do the same for others. Since I have this Blogspot I created years ago, and have been idle for too long, I thought I'd use this as a platform to get started. In the coming days, I would start posting useful and inspiring articles specially targeted to call center trainers like me, those who work in Training and Development department, and even those who are wanting to become one in the future. Furthermore, I'd be featuring Day of a Life of a Trainer, professional tips and advices, best practices, and a lot more. I am naming this blog: UpTraining , which is a common yet relatable term to anyone in this profession. I am so excited to launch this personal project, and I hope to learning with you soon. See you!
Read more