A focus on objectives, outcomes, and learner needs in ESP courses

Abstract

In light of the growing demands for English language acquisition, various stakeholders within the domain of English for Specific Purposes (ESP) have directed their focus towards the elaboration of learner needs and the attainment of learning objectives and outcomes. Thus, the aim of this paper was to illustrate the importance of needs analysis in ESP by defining relevant learning objectives and outcomes, as well as to investigate teachers’ attitudes towards the challenges of ESP course design. The course syllabuses and coursebooks of four ESP courses were subjected to analysis. Moreover, semi-structured interviews were conducted with four ESP teachers in order to gain an understanding of the challenges that emerge in the process of ESP course management. The results of the study revealed that learner needs, objectives, and outcomes generally align with recent research within different fields of study; however, the development of interpersonal communication skills and intercultural competence requires further consideration. In addition, it was found that ESP teachers need more support in the process of dealing with subject-specific phenomena and material selection. Furthermore, as informed by the results of this research, the attainment of learner autonomy within large heterogeneous environments is another challenge that still needs to be overcome.

Keywords

• esp
• learning objectives
• learning outcomes
• learner needs
• teacher attitudes