NAME
: NOVA NOVITA
STUDENT NUMBER
: 0912150001
SUBJECT
: ESP (First Assignment)
Questions :
1. All language teaching should be based on learners needs. Thus in theory there is no difference between ESP and General english teaching; in practice, however, there is a great deal of difference. How far would you agree with this statement ? What differences, either in theory or in theory or practice do you think there are ? 2. Do you think that classical and structural description still have a value in ESP ? Why ? 3. What practical implications does the model of learning on p.49 have for ESP materials and methodology ? Make a set of precepts for a learning-centred methodology, like those for the behaviourist methodology. Answers :
1. After reading the capture one I do agree that ESP is different from General english teaching especially in practice. Basically both of them have the same theory because they are the brances of ELT (p.16) and it stand at the same root. The statement “A tree cannot survive without root” (p.18) also strengthen my opinion. It means that although they seem deifferent
but essentially the come from one source (ELT) that also bring the same theory. But in practice, they have many differences. For example, English for (regular) senior high school students must be different with English for tourism students although they are in the same grade. The differences in practice (based on theory) between General english teaching and ESP for the (regular) senior high school students students and tourism students. I only g ive the three mostly used skills in daily life. Grammar Both of them should learn about Grammar, they must learn about tenses. For the regular students, that knowledge is just for the school obligation or as a material in examination, but in different, tourism students have to aplly it for comunication. They have to know when simple present, present continious, or simple past tense should be used in comunication. Vocaulary They also learn about vocabulary. The regular students may be given a lot of vocabulary in different topic but not too specific. But for tourism students, they will be given a lot of vocabulary in specific topic that must be related in tourism term. Speaking In speaking also, the tourism students must be taught how to greet a customer, how to answer a call (as a receptionist), how to lead and explain the tourrist about place, and many more. On the other hand, the regular students may be given a general and current situation in order just to be able to comunicate with people arround them.
2. Yes, I think both classical and structural description still have a value in ESP. Both of them can be mentioned as the base of language. How can we laearn about language without matering the base of it first ? The Classical decription aims to make the ESP students know about the background of English language itself. It tells them about where the grammatical function of each word in the sentence was made apparent by the use of appropriate inflections, the changing of the form of the words, etc. It is important for them in order to deepen their knowledge of how language operate (p. 24-25). As same as classical description, the structural description also have a value in ESP. We can not deny that all English language students, include ESP students must master the structural or ‘slot and filler’ form of language that describe the syntagmatic structures which carry the fundental
propositions (p.25). Both classical and structural description are really important for them. That is why it still have a value in ESP although in ESP, the most important thing is not about mastering the two descriptions, but how to apply them into all aspects of english so they can use it in their ‘daily’ (based on their specific need) life.
3. It figures that ESP student is like a traveler who want to travel. It figures mind as a network of connection (road map). The bundles of knowledge is described as individual houses, towns and villages. These various settlements are only useful if they are connected to the main network by roads. The mind of learner as the development agency who wants to bring the settlements into the network and so develop their potential. In order to achieve this, cthere must be a good communication links to build the connection (road) between it. It is logical if the settlement are separated by rivers or behind the mountain (as problem in learning). It is the job of development agency to build the bridge to minimalize the distance so every settlement can be connected well. Although all is already connected well, the traveler cant not travel if s/he has no need to do it. So the most important think for the learner to learn (ESP) is need. But a need is not enough. S/he also needs motivation(want) to do the traveling. If s/he can enjoy the chalanges and the experiences of the journey, s/he will more likely to repeat the activity. So, a need to acquire knowledge is a necessary factor, but, if not greater importance, is the need to actually enjoy the process of acquisition.
