I’ve always
heard about English for Specific Purposes (ESP) but it was only recently that I
got acquainted with two important distinctions on this field. I’m talking about
two concepts that are very valuable to every teacher/instructor on this
context: English for Academic Purposes (EAP) and English for Occupational
Purposes (EOP).
English For
Academic Purposes
As the name
suggests, it focuses on the preparation of students who are about to start a
course in an Academic Field. It involves not only the languages skills, like
specific vocabulary, but also key abilities related to common activities in any
Academic Situation, such as writing reports, taking notes, raising questions and
doing formal presentations, that are directly linked to the students’ academic
success.
English for
Occupational Purposes
It’s more
like a training on some very specific language that is going to be demanded on
a professional situation. It can take place prior to work or in service. It
tends to be a really practical approach focusing on students' realistic and immediate needs.
These two distinctions are really key for teachers designing a course and who needs to have a clear view of its goals in order to estabilish realistic and achievable goals.
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