LG 546 MATERIALS EVALUATION Evaluating ESP and EAP Materials

ESP EVALUATION Teaching materials in English for specific purposes tend to be viewed as distinct and separate from general coursebooks. Emphasis on content and the unfamiliarity of the content. Differences in the roles of the teacher and the learners and in the design of the materials.

Materials in ESP Characteristics of ESP Materials. To those unfamiliar with the world of ESP the approach and the materials can seem different and inaccessible. However, this is a misleading impression probably created by the specialized and often technical nature of the subject in ESP books.

Classroom Roles Student and Teacher Roles. At the level of much ESP work, the roles of the teachers and learners will be different from those in general courses. They will be more equal in most cases.

Design Design and Methodology. In design, ESP materials may differ considerably from general coursebooks. They will generally assume a foundation of proficiency in general English, and from the start will focus on aspects of English specific to the subject area being covered.

Task based Approaches: An advantage of a task based approach is that, at the end, there is a product of a realistic nature. This not only gives learners a feeling of achievement, but also gives them the opportunity to evaluate their performance against real-world criteria which they themselves will have, based on their previous professional experience.

ESP REFERENCES Harding, K English for Specific Purposes. Oxford. Basturkmen, H Ideas and Options in English for Specific Purposes. NJ. Hutchinson, T. & Waters, A English for Specific Purposes: A Learning Centred Approach. Cambridge. Orr, T English for Specific Purposes. Alexandria. Pilar-Garc, M English for Specific Purposes: Discourse Analysis and Course Design. Bilbao.

Evaluating EAP Materials What is meant by EAP? Could be school? From age of 15+ perhaps, when students may be studying for a specific subject/exam. University, College, Vocational college, so subject makes a difference, i.e. EAP for Law. Business, Literature, Art…For Hairdressers?EAP or ESP? EAP as under the umbrella of ESP.

Materials in EAP Materials. Most EAP courses a mixture of published and in-house produced materials. Choice of Books. What attracts us to a book in the first place? Integrated Study Skills books. The books are integrated in the sense that a number of study skills areas are included, they do not focus on one or two skills only.

Listening and Note Taking 1 Criteria considered important in listening and note-taking: Appropriate level [obvious??] Quality of sound reproduction on cds/internet/dvds etc. Listening exercises are like real lectures.? Cultural appropriacy of material [for target//learners culture???} Does the course TEACH as well as practice skills [i.e. strategies etc] Note taking skills? Teachers Guide?

Listening and Note Taking 2 Answer key? For students/teachers both? Model notes..preferable with several alternatives. Transcript of spoken activities. Rationale for methods used. Students book and worksheets extra flexible work etc. Practice pre/post tests. Enough practice material; [how much is enough?]… Price for students/institution to pay.

Writing in EAP Structure, cohesion. Description, Process and Procedure.>>? Definitions>>? Exemplification>>? Academic style>>? Quotations and referencing>? Proofreading>>? Examinations>>? And?

Dictionaries. A possible list of criteria may include: UK or local price. Date and format. Number of pages. Level/coverage. Workbook available? Quality? Dictionary exercises and games? Pronunciation system Ease of use; Definitions; Grammatical explanations; Illustrations [see Oxford Photo Dictionary..]..Number of appendices;

Criteria Criteria for Good Materials. The criteria for good materials must depend as much or more upon the learners as the teachers. The learners are the ones who are going to be using the materials after all. REFERENCES. Jordan, R.R English For Academic Purposes. Guse, J Communicative Activities for EAP. Cambridge. Alexander, O EAP Essentials.

Checklist for ESP/EAP Materials 1 Is the material based on close needs analysis? Is subject-specialist language taught? Are strategies for professional/academic situation taught? Is a collaborative approach between teachers and students encouraged? Is the material modular to meet the demands of different language elements and situations?

ESP/EAP CHECKLIST 2 Can the material be used for individual/home study? To what extent do the learning activities mirror target situations? Is the approach task based and skills based? Do the activities lead to products which can be evaluated against situational demands? Are objectives specified in both content and performance terms?

EAP REFERENCES Gillett, A Using English For Academic Purposes Robert Jordan English for Academic Purposes. C.U.P. Guse, J Communicative Activities for EAP. Cambridge. Alexander, O EAP Essentials.