EDUCATIONAL ASPECTS OF TEACHING ENGLISH FOR SPECIAL PURPOSES COURSE

Abstract

The article identifies the notion of ESP course (English for special purposes) for final year students. The author analyses the peculiarities of ESP course teaching, compares basic course with ESP course. The specific feature of content and technological components of universal ESP course model defines the general profile of educational strategy underlying this course. According to the research, the whole course is based on special strategy, called “down-up” strategy. This feature differentiates the ESP course from traditional classes which implement “up-down” strategy, when in general the teacher determines the aims, contents, methods and techniques of presenting material, taking into consideration an average students’demand.
Methodical concept of the ESP course in view of person-centered approach provides a good combination and flexible synergy of traditional and innovative technologies, which is the methodological guideline in teaching. Traditional technology helps students to consolidate and reproduce the course material whereas the innovative teaching technology implies the transition to active methods and forms of education. The course helps to interpret creatively the training material.
The aims of teaching English can be identified as the following:
- building of foreign language competence, which is required by learners in the process of solving practical tasks in business and scientific communication;
- development of skills and features, necessary for social and cultural establishment of a learner.
One of the aims of ESP courses is to acquire communicative competence in the context of future professional activity.