Recognizing the relevance of English for Specific Purposes, this article outlines an approach for using authentic readings in a course in Engineering English. The article describes the importance of needs analysis, rhetorical focus, and reading for content; it suggests content for 15 lessons and provides a sample worksheet and other suggestions…

Attempts to outline the necessary design considerations for an English for Specific Purposes (ESP) course. A more adequate descriptive base for course design includes theoretical justification for including an ethnographic perspective, and a case example of the design of a communications skills course for computer practitioners in Oman. (Author/CB)

Describes English teaching in China, covering course materials, teaching activities, and students' reactions, and noting an upsurge of interest in English for science and technology (EST). A proposed reform argues for a shift from General English to EST and offers suggestions for preparing course materials, teacher training, and learner testing.…

Describes the main features of a series of teaching methodology courses that are part of a masters' degree program at King Mongkut's Institute of Technology (Thailand) in English for Science and Technology. The basic course framework, course content, and syllabus are considered. (CB)

While native and non-native English-speakers may approach scientific English differently, the same features cause difficulty for both groups. The difficulties generally occur more with grammar and the complex relationships between terms than with vocabularly, and may be classified in seven categories: interlocking definitions, technical…

The negotiation, development, testing, and publishing of a specialized text for instructing Chinese geologists and petroleum engineers in English as a second language are chronicled. Aspects of the process discussed include the initial contact and oral agreement with the corporate representative who had requested the training materials, scheduling…

Describes a student-centered reading comprehension course for advanced English-as-a-Foreign-Language students of science and technology. In the course, student interest in and knowledge of content-area subjects are used to create: (1) motivation to read; and (2) an authentic task to accomplish (the preparation and presentation of an oral report).…

Describes a theme-based language course for science students at a South African university. Suggests that acquisition of language for science and technology should be regarded as acquisition of a range of literacies of science rather than acquisition of skills or grammatical features. (Author/VWL)

This report describes one teacher's experience in designing and teaching an English course of 15 hours to nursing students specializing in anesthesia. The discussion focuses on how an English teacher can equip students with effective reading skills in such a specific area, and to what extent the teacher can involve the subject content. An…

Provides a rationale for considering English for specific purposes in terms of "appropriate technology"; surveys the philosophical and intellectual underpinnings of the appropriate technology movement; defines key terms and clarifies them with language teaching examples; and briefly considers some objections to the notion of appropriate…

This paper discusses the dilemma of the non-specialist teacher of English for Specific Purposes (ESP) or English for Science and Technology when faced with technical content, and describes the response of De La Salle University (Philippines) that broadened the graduate curriculum to help develop future ESP teacher competencies. The personal…

Reviews "C-testing" in theory and practice and discusses its application in baseline and progress testing of the English of postgraduate students of engineering, technology, and management attending pre-master's programs in Bangkok, Thailand. A problem related to the reliability of pre-and post-course testing arose and the tests were…

Two common problems with advanced reading courses in English as a second language (ESL) for students of science and technology are the lack of authenticity in the reading tasks and the fact that the choice of reading material is often limited by what the language teacher can understand. These two constraints often diminish student motivation. An…

The University of Moratuwa (Sri Lanka) developed two courses in English for engineering students, one for technician-level diploma students and one for bachelor's degree-level students. The first step was a needs analysis, conducted through questionnaires and informal meetings with students and faculty, observation of subject lectures and…

Describes an English-as-a-Second-Language (ESL) program in which international graduate students in the sciences are grouped according to their particular disciplines. This ensures that the peer group members are the content experts, whereas the ESL teacher serves only as the language expert, providing help in organization, grammar, pronunciation,…