One of the most notable developments in English language pedagogy is the teaching of English for Science and Technology (EST). This includes providing language learners of various scientific fields with their specific language needs. This study was conducted as a component of a pilot study on qualitative data collection into the reading of EST…

Purpose: This study explored ESL learners' utilization of Online Discussion Forums (ODFs) in Interactive Reading for Academic Disciplines (iREAD) to assist reading of online scientific texts within an English for Specific Purposes course at a public university. Method: This qualitative research employed two data collection methods during lessons…

Four practical approaches taken by teachers in their attempts to help students acquire the minimum sight vocabulary necessary for reading English for Science and Technology (EST) texts are described. Over a period of 12 weeks, subjects (native Spanish speakers at university level) were divided into 4 intact groups and worked under different…

Discusses an English for science and technology course at Simon Bolivar University in Venezuela in which students were allowed to choose reading activities and alternative forms of assessment were implemented. Results of a questionnaire used to evaluate the course are provided. (Author/VWL)

Describes ongoing research aimed toward finding a minimum discourse grammar to help Brazilian students learning English for special purposes to cope with the sort of texts they have to read in their own disciplines. The research has involved review of scientific philosophy, a reading miscue study, and a comparison of English and Portuguese…

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).…

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…

This document is one of a series of student workbooks developed for workplace skill development courses or workshops by Mercer County Community College (New Jersey) and its partners. Designed to improve the English speaking and reading skills of line workers in factories, the course focuses on reading, writing, speaking, and listening skills,…